Summary
s.1In this sūtra, the narrative largely revolves around the figures of Vajrapāṇi, the yakṣa lord and constant companion of the Buddha, and the Buddha himself. In the first half of the sūtra, Vajrapāṇi gives a series of teachings on the mysteries or secrets of the body, speech, and mind of bodhisattvas and the realized ones. In the second half of the sūtra, Vajrapāṇi describes several events in the Buddha’s life: his practice of severe asceticism, his approach to the seat of awakening, his defeat of Māra, his awakening, and his turning of the wheel of Dharma. Following this, the Buddha gives a prediction of Vajrapāṇi’s future awakening as a buddha and travels to Vajrapāṇi’s abode for a meal. Interspersed throughout the sūtra are sermons, dialogues, and marvelous tales exploring a large number of topics and featuring an extensive cast of characters, including several narratives about past lives of Vajrapāṇi, Brahmā Sahāṃpati, and the Buddha himself. The sūtra concludes with the performance of two long dhāraṇīs, one by Vajrapāṇi and one by the Buddha, for the protection and preservation of the Dharma.
s.1本經的敘事主要圍繞金剛手與佛陀這兩個人物展開。金剛手是夜叉之主，也是佛陀的常伴隨者。在經典的前半部分，金剛手為菩薩和如來的身、語、意之密進行了一系列的教導。在經典的後半部分，金剛手敘述了佛陀生平中的幾個重要事件：他的極端苦行修習、他趨向菩提座、他降伏魔王、他的覺悟，以及他轉動法輪。隨後，佛陀給予金剛手關於其未來作為佛陀覺悟的授記，並前往金剛手的住處應供用餐。經典中散布著許多說法、對話和奇異故事，探討了大量主題，出現了廣泛的人物，包括關於金剛手、梵天帝釋和佛陀本身的多個過去生的敘述。經典最後以兩部長陀羅尼的誦持而結束，一部由金剛手誦持，一部由佛陀誦持，用以保護和維護法的傳承。