金光明經文句 5.10

5.10

The second exchange of addressing the Buddha recounts the matters of protecting the state. The text has two [parts]: first, addressing the Buddha; second, the Buddha confirms and approves. Addressing the Buddha also has two [parts]: first, where this sūtra is circulated, if the king can personally receive it upon the crown of his head and provide for the fourfold assembly, I and my retinue vow to conceal our forms to bring about apparent benefits. Second, if an evil neighbor raises troops to invade and pillage a virtuous state, I will conceal my form to cause various terrors and various hardships to arise, causing his troops to visibly retreat and disperse. If they cannot even disturb the borders, how much less could they destroy the interior (and so on)? Next, the Buddha confirms and approves; the text is divided into two: from "at that time the Buddha praised..." down to "the matter of having no fighting or litigation" is confirming the first meaning. Above, their concealing their forms to protect the state was to propagate the sūtra; the Buddha confirms that concealing their forms protects the Three Jewels: I am the Buddha Jewel, practicing bodhi is the Dharma Jewel, and the kings having no fighting or litigation is the Saṅgha Jewel, confirming that protecting the one can accomplish the three. From "the four kings should know that this Jambudvīpa..." onward confirms the latter meaning. Above, using divine majesty to terrify them and divine power to repulse them appeared as though hating the evil and cherishing the good. The Buddha urges turning toward them with an impartial mind of loving-kindness: those who do evil will naturally be terrified, and those who do good will naturally rejoice; it is not holding evil in contempt and exalting good, thus completing the intention behind terrifying and repelling them. Furthermore, he urges the various states to each keep to their own original vocations, remain peacefully in their own realms and rejoice, not giving rise to greed or ambition. When the kings are harmonious, the people will not die prematurely; when the Dharma flourishes, it perfumes the heavens. The Buddha said to Śakra: "Through the conditions of contention, humans and devas diminish; if one is well able to harmonize the world with loving-kindness, not only is it making offerings to me, it is making offerings to the Tathāgatas of the three periods; not only does it bring peace to one king, it brings peace universally to all kings; not only does it bring peace to one state, it brings peace universally to all." Therefore, by means of loving-kindness and harmony, he confirms the second meaning (and so on).