金光明經文句記 1.27

1.27

Second, from "This is indeed" onward, clarifying the intention of this sūtra. This indeed comes from the intention of the compilers of the sūtra in sectioning the chapters. That is to say, if the title of the "Chapter on the Span of Life" were placed after the devas and dragons gathered in Ruciraketu's chamber, it would make the text of the four Buddhas severing doubt stand in isolation; hence it is called "precipitously abrupt." "Zhan" has the phonetic spelling of chu and xian. Zhan has the appearance of a craggy mountain. If the text stands in isolation, it is like the perilous steepness of a craggy mountain, not connected. For this reason, the title "Span of Life" was placed within the preface section.