DESCRIPTION

The Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra (Golden Light Sutra) is a Mahayana Buddhist text, called the ‘The Sovereign King of Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light.’

The sutra was originally written in Sanskrit and was translated several times into Chinese by Dharmakṣema and others, and later translated into Tibetan and other languages.

The name of the sutra derives from the chapter called "The Confession of the Golden Drum", where the bodhisattva Ruchiraketu dreams of a great drum that radiates a sublime golden light, symbolizing the Dharma.

The Golden Light Sutra became one of the most important sutras in China and Japan because of its fundamental message, which teaches that the Four Heavenly Kings protect the ruler who governs his country in the proper manner.

TRANSLATIONS

There are three canonical Chinese translations: Jin guangming jin translated by Dharmakṣema (385–433) T. 663 the synoptic Hebu jin guangming by Baogui, written in 597 T. 664 Jin guangming zuisheng wang jin, by Yijing (635–713) T. 665

An extracanonical version, ascribed to Paramārtha, (499–569) is extant in a Japanese manuscript.