金光明最勝王經疏 6.253

6.253

菩提樹神讚歎品，來意同前。釋名者，準《西域傳》云：「樹本名畢鉢羅樹，在金剛座上。其金剛座，昔賢劫成，與大地俱起。據三千大千世界之中，下極金輪、上侵地際，金剛所成，周百餘步。賢劫千佛座之而入金剛定，故曰金剛座焉。畢鉢羅樹，佛座其下成等正覺，因而謂之菩提樹焉。莖幹黃白、枝葉青翠，冬夏不彫，光鮮無變。每至如來涅槃之日，葉皆彫落，頃之復故。」大地菩薩現為天女作此樹神，即主菩提樹之神。依主釋也。釋難者，問：何不明餘神耶？答：最先見佛故，常不離佛故。問：菩提樹神與大地神為一為別？答：有說是一，有說是別。

"Chapter on Praise by the Bodhitree Deity": the occasion for its occurrence is the same as before. Regarding the explanation of the name, according to the Record of the Western Regions: "The tree was originally named the pippala tree, and it sits upon the diamond seat (vajrāsana). This diamond seat was formed in the past when the Auspicious Kalpa began, arising together with the great earth. It occupies the center of the trichiliocosm, extending down to the golden wheel and reaching up to the earth's surface; made of diamond, it is over a hundred paces in circumference. The thousand Buddhas of the Auspicious Kalpa sit upon it and enter the diamond samādhi; hence it is called the diamond seat. As for the pippala tree, the Buddha sat beneath it and attained unexcelled, complete awakening; consequently it is called the Bodhitree. Its trunk is yellow-white and its branches and leaves are emerald-green; it does not wither in winter or summer, its luster remaining unchanged. Whenever the day of the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa arrives, its leaves all wither and fall, returning to normal after a short while." A bodhisattva of the great earth manifested as a goddess to be this tree deity; that is, the deity who presides over the Bodhitree. This is a tatpuruṣa compound. As for resolving difficulties: Question: Why are other deities not mentioned? Answer: Because she saw the Buddha first and never departs from the Buddha. Question: Are the Bodhitree deity and the Earth deity one or distinct? Answer: Some say they are one, and some say they are distinct.