Ancient Buddhism in Japan, Vol. 2

Paramārtha (Shintai), an Indian priest who arrived in China in A.D. 548 and worked there until his death in A.D. 569 (referencing Nanjō Appendix II, entries 104 and 105). He also produced a translation of the sutra referring back to Chapter 1, Section 8, page 15; his commentary original: 疏, shu; a sub-commentary or explanation consists of 13 chapters original: fasc. (fascicles). Other commentaries on the old translation include those by:

• Kih-tsang (Kichizō) (A.D. 549—623), the founder of the San-lun (Sanron) or "Three Treatise" sect in China. He was also known as Kia-siang ta-shi (Kajō Daishi), named after the monastery where he resided. He also authored a commentary on the Benevolent Kings Sutra original: Ninnōkyō; see Chapter V, Section 2 A, page 120.
• Tsung-hiao (A.D. 1151—1214) (his work is titled The Interpretation of Radiant Illumination, in 2 chapters).
• Sheu-t‘ai (dates unknown) (4 chapters).¹

§ 3. The Golden Light Sutra in Japan (A.D. 676—728).

As seen in Chapter I, Section 7 (page 13), on the 20th day of the 11th month in A.D. 676, "messengers were sent by Emperor Temmu to all provinces to expound original: expound; to explain the meaning or lecture upon the Golden Light Sutra original: Konkwōmyōkyō and the Benevolent Kings Sutra."

On the 1st day of the 5th month in A.D. 680, "the expounding of the Golden Light Sutra was begun in the Imperial Palace and in various Buddhist temples."

On the 8th day of the 7th month in A.D. 686, "one hundred priests were invited into the Palace and commanded to read this sutra" in an effort to save the life of the dying Emperor Temmu.

On the 3rd day of the intercalary 5th month in A.D. 692, Empress Jitō ordered the sutra to be expounded in the capital and the four Home Provinces original: four Home provinces; the Kinai region surrounding the capital because of severe floods.

Regarding the expounding of the Benevolent Kings Sutra and the Golden Light Sutra in the 10th month of A.D. 693 in the Palace: this event is not mentioned in the Nihongi the Chronicles of Japan, the official classical history. Since the text is incorrectly called the Saishōōkyō the Sutra of Sovereign Kings, a later translation of the Golden Light Sutra by I-tsing in 703 in the Genkō Shakusho a 14th-century history of Japanese Buddhism, this specific record is considered unreliable.

On the 11th day of the 5th month in A.D. 694, "one hundred copies of the Golden Light Sutra were sent by Empress Jitō and deposited in the various provinces, to be read without fail when the moon of the first month was in her first quarter. The fees for the priests were to be paid from the public

¹ Great Buddhist Dictionary original: Daijii, Volume I, page 1442, column 2.