金光明經文句記 1.39

1.39

Second, concurrently showing the propriety of the assembly. The central doctrine of the eternal lifespan strictly expounded in this sūtra was in Ruciraketu's chamber; hence the devas, nāgas, and bodhisattvas assembled there to listen. When the expounding concluded, the four Buddhas disappeared, and by principle the assembly properly dispersed. The preface expounded at Gṛdhrakūṭa and the golden drum in the dream were different in both time and place, and so neither of them was heard [by that assembly]. In terms of hearing the eternal lifespan, they count as having heard it together; but not having partaken in the dream and so forth, they do not count as having heard it together. Because the time and place of expounding this sūtra were not fixed, the assembly of common auditors is not arranged in the sequential order seen in other sūtras. If we look at Yijing's new translation, the *Suvarṇaprabhāsottama Sūtra*, the list of the assembly of common auditors is no different from other sūtras. The Great Master had prophetic foreknowledge that the Sanskrit manuscript would arrive; hence the note 'and so on'.