Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra

The Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra (“The Golden Light Sutra”)

Then Buddha declared to the Four Deva Kings: “Fitting is it indeed that you Four Kings should thus defend the holy writings. In the past I practiced bitter austerities of every kind for 100, 000 kalpas [eons]. Then, when I attained supreme enlightenment and realized in myself universal wisdom, I taught this law. If any king upholds this sutra and makes offerings on its behalf, I will purify him of suffering and illness, and bring him peace of mind. I will protect his cities, towns and villages, and scatter his enemies. I will make all strife among the rulers of men to cease forever. …In this way the nations of the world shall live in peace and prosperity, the peoples shall flourish, the earth shall be fertile, the climate temperate, and the seasons shall follow in the proper order. The sun, moon, and the constellations of stars shall continue their regular progress unhindered. The wind and rain shall come in good season. All treasures shall be abundant. No meanness shall be found in human hearts, but all shall practice almsgiving and cultivate the ten good works. When the end of life comes, many shall be born in Heaven and increase the celestial multitudes.”

– from the Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra (“The Golden Light Sutra”)

The Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra (“The Golden Light Sutra”) is an ancient Buddhist text originally written in Sanskrit but translated into Chinese and Japanese. It became an important source for Buddhism in Japan, where it is considered one of the most important sutras in the tradition. The work includes a fundamental passage on the doctrine of the Four Heavenly Kings (excerpted above) which shows that, after speaking with the Buddha, these four divinities are given authority to protect the ruler who governs in justice and mercy. The Sutra naturally became a dominant text in Japan as the doctrine it espoused was seen as support for the Japanese emperors’ claim to divinity.