金光明經文句 5.5

5.5

From here downward, the thirteen chapters constitute the transmission section. The Buddha, having compassion for the final age, ensures that evil does not obscure the correct and true, and that the king of sūtras is not obstructed for future generations, so that those with affinity may attain correct hearing and correct listening; hence it is called 'transmission'. There are altogether seven purports: From the 'Four Heavenly Kings' to 'Saṃjñāya', it explains that the heavenly kings make vows to encourage human kings to propagate this sūtra, formally discussing the gathering of goodness, explaining that human kings propagate the sūtra and heavenly kings provide aid, which is also demonstrating the rules and methods for propagating the sūtra during the period when [the Dharma] abides. The 'Chapter on Ghosts and Spirits' explains the merit of hearing the sūtra, where celestial gods, earthly spirits, river gods, ocean gods, and bodhisattvas all guard it. The 'Chapter on Prediction' verifies that the merit of hearing the sūtra is not empty. 'Elimination of Sickness' and 'Jalavāhana' cite past merits of hearing the sūtra to verify that present safeguarding is not mistaken. The 'Chapter on the Relinquishing of the Body' cites past practice of the sūtra without begrudging bodily life, exhorting teachers and disciples not to begrudge the wealth of Dharma. The 'Chapter on Praising the Buddha' explains that the bodhisattvas extol the Buddha's Dharma, and that those who preach and that which is preached yield profound and weighty benefits (and so on).

The heavenly kings' making of vows is further divided into five: in the 'Four Kings', they use heavenly power to protect those who request; in the 'Chapter on Sarasvatī', they enrich those who speak with eloquence; in the 'Chapter on Śrīmahādevī', they vow to moisten both requesters and speakers with material wealth; in the 'Chapter on the Earth Spirit', they vow to enrich the place of requesting and the place of speaking with the rich and fertile taste of the earth; in the 'Chapter on Saṃjñāya', they vow to crush external enemies and dispel internal difficulties with martial prowess, bringing peace to those who request, speak, hear, and so forth. Furthermore, the 'Heavenly Kings' protect their country, 'Sarasvatī' protects their teacher, 'Śrīmahādevī' protects their assembly, the 'Earth Spirit' protects their land, and 'Saṃjñāya' averts their disasters, causing the Dharma of the sūtra to prevail widely (and so on).