金光明最勝王經疏 6.27

6.27

釋名者，諸天藥叉，所勸假者。護持二字，所學之行。護即護行，持即持行，即勸四眾持、勸彼八部護。故品下但云「大吉祥天女及諸天等，聞佛所說皆大歡喜，於此經王及持經者一心擁護。」不言受持。又釋：即住持經令不斷滅，名之為護。護即是持，如為護法城、如仁王護國、如言護十地行持國天王等。故此長行但令為奉獻，及欲解了佛深行處，應為眾生敷演流布，其聽法者應除亂想。不言勸護持經之人，故護持言護持正法。下云「常來護此人」者，由護持經故，得諸天守護。故下經云「若此《金光明》，經典流布處，有能稱誦者，悉得如上福。」明護持經得利益故。又釋：護持含其二義，護持於經、護持經者故。下云「於此經王及持經者俱擁護故。」此釋盡理。

Regarding the explanation of the title: "Devas and yakṣas" are the persons being exhorted. The two characters "protect and uphold" are the practice to be learned. "Protect" means the practice of protecting; "uphold" means the practice of upholding. That is, it exhorts the four assemblies to uphold it, and exhorts those eight classes to protect it. Therefore, later in the chapter it merely says: "The goddess Mahāśrī and all the devas, having heard what the Buddha said, were all exceedingly joyful, and single-mindedly protected this king of sūtras and those who uphold the sūtra." It does not speak of "accepting and upholding". Another explanation: maintaining the sūtra so that it is not broken or extinguished is called "protecting". Protecting is itself upholding, just as guarding the city of Dharma, as the benevolent king protects the state, or as it is said that the Dhṛtarāṣṭra protects the practices of the ten stages, and so forth. Therefore, this prose section only instructs making offerings, and desiring to understand the profound spheres of practice of the Buddhas, one should expound and propagate it for sentient beings, while those listening to the Dharma should eliminate distracted thoughts. It does not speak of exhorting protection of those who uphold the sūtra; thus the words "protect and uphold" mean protecting and upholding the true Dharma. Where it says below, "constantly come to protect this person," it is because of protecting and upholding the sūtra that one receives the protection of the devas. Thus the sūtra states below: "If in the place where this Golden Light sūtra is circulated there is someone who can recite it, they will all obtain the merits as above," clarifying that benefits are obtained through protecting and upholding the sūtra. Another explanation: "protect and uphold" includes both meanings—protecting and upholding the sūtra, and protecting and upholding those who keep the sūtra. Thus it states below: "Because they both protect this king of sūtras and those who uphold the sūtra." This explanation exhausts the principle.