金光明經文句 3.8

3.8

From this chapter downward, the power and function of the sūtra are explained. The present chapter directly explains dreaming at night and expounding during the day on confession, severing evil and extracting suffering; the subsequent chapter directly explains past praise and making vows, generating wholesome qualities and bestowing joy—the secondary and primary mutually brought forth. The text of this chapter has two parts: first, seeing and hearing in the dream; second, expounding what was seen and heard after waking. The dream also has two parts: first, dreaming of seeing the golden drum; second, dreaming of the sound of striking the drum. Seeing the drum also has three parts: first, directly seeing the drum; second, seeing the light of the drum; third, seeing the Buddhas within the light. As for the dream, it is entering the dream-like samādhi. Furthermore, entering contemplation is like a dream, and emerging from contemplation is like waking. When entering contemplation, the mind is tranquil and able to contemplate the dharmatā; the dharmatā is the golden drum. The substance of the golden drum is round, hollow, and resonant: round is the Dharmakāya, hollow is prajñā, and resonant is liberation. 'Lovely' (shu) means superior and profound. 'Great' means broad and immeasurable. It matches the above-mentioned sense of 'roaming in the immeasurable, extremely profound dharmatā'. 'Lovely and great' briefly describes the substance of the drum; to discuss it in detail, one should say roundly lovely and great, hollowly lovely and great, and resonantly lovely and great. The substance of the drum is equipped with the three kinds, and all three are extremely profound and immeasurable; this is the Dharmakāya seen in the dream, contemplating the one and seeing the three Buddhas. From 'its brilliance shone universally' downward is the second part: seeing the light of the drum. Light is wisdom; by tallying with this dharmatā, the great fruit is successfully accomplished. Wisdom merges with the substance: if the substance is roundly lovely and great, the light is also roundly lovely and great; if the substance is hollowly lovely and great, the light is also hollowly lovely and great; since the substance is resonantly lovely and great, the light is also resonantly lovely and great. Why? Because this body has the same substance and intention as all Buddhas. This is the Sambhogakāya Buddha seen in the dream, one Buddha being three. From 'further, within the light, he saw the Buddhas of the ten directions' downward is the third part: seeing the Buddhas within the light. Light emerges from the drum and shines everywhere across the ten directions; function arises from substance, and its response pervades the Dharma realm, working together with the capacities and conditions. The lapis lazuli seat is the principle upon which [they] rest. The Buddha sitting upon it means that wisdom accords with the dharmatā. The great assembly surrounding [them] represents the capacities to which [the Buddha] responds. This is the Nirmāṇakāya Buddha seen in the dream, discussing three in terms of the one. Seeing these three Buddhas is none other than the three bodies and the three virtues; the various threefold Dharma methods establish teachings from this, and it is named the Golden Light.