Lights That Reach the Dying, the Sick, and the Afraid
Ten more lights, turning toward the most acute forms of need: fear of harm, sickness, and the final hour of life itself, where the light causes the dying to see the Buddha and be born in his own pure land. The sequence then turns outward again, toward sound, fragrance, and jewels offered in the Dharma's own service.
Fear, Sickness, and the Final Hour
Four lights turn directly toward beings in acute distress: fearlessness for the harmed, healing for the sick, and — most tenderly — a light that causes the dying, through mindful recollection, to behold the Tathāgata and be born within his own pure land at the very moment of death.
「又放光明名佛慧，此光覺悟諸含識，
令見無量無邊佛，各各坐寶蓮華上。
讚佛威德及解脫，說佛自在無有量，
顯示佛力及神通，是故得成此光明。
又放光明名無畏，此光照觸恐怖者，
非人所持諸毒害，一切皆令疾除滅。
能於眾生施無畏，遇有惱害皆勸止，
拯濟厄難孤窮者，以是得成此光明。
又放光明名安隱，此光能照疾病者，
令除一切諸苦痛，悉得正定三昧樂。
施以良藥救眾患，妙寶延命香塗體，
酥油乳蜜充飲食，以是得成此光明。
又放光明名見佛，此光覺悟將沒者，
令隨憶念見如來，命終得生其淨國。
見有臨終勸念佛，又示尊像令瞻敬，
俾於佛所深歸仰，是故得成此光明。」
"He further radiates a light named 'Buddha's Wisdom'; this light awakens every sentient being, causing them to see immeasurable, boundless buddhas, each one seated upon his own jeweled lotus flower.
Praising the Buddha's own awesome virtue and liberation, proclaiming the Buddha's own sovereignty as without measure, revealing the Buddha's own power and spiritual abilities — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Fearlessness'; this light shines upon and touches those who are afraid, and every poison and harm inflicted by non-human beings, all of it he causes to be swiftly removed and extinguished.
Able to give fearlessness to living beings, whenever he encounters any harm or affliction he urges it to stop, rescuing and aiding those in danger, distress, and destitution — and it is by this that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Peace and Ease'; this light is able to shine upon the sick, causing every kind of suffering and pain to be removed, so that they entirely attain the happiness of true concentration and samādhi.
Giving fine medicine to save them from every affliction, wondrous treasures to extend their life, fragrance to anoint their bodies, and ghee, oil, milk, and honey to fill their food and drink — and it is by this that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Seeing the Buddha'; this light awakens those who are about to pass away, causing them, through mindful recollection, to see the Tathāgata, and at the end of their life to be born within his own pure land.
Whenever he sees someone at the point of death, he urges them to be mindful of the Buddha, and further shows them the Buddha's own venerable image, causing them to gaze upon it with reverence, so that they come to profoundly take refuge in and revere the Buddha's own place — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained."
Sound, Ambrosia, and Jeweled Adornment
The sequence turns outward again: a light that makes every sound in the three realms heard as the Buddha's own voice, ambrosia given to those trapped in heedlessness, and lights of jeweled and fragrant adornment offered in service of the Dharma itself.
「又放光明名樂法，此光能覺一切眾，
令於正法常欣樂，聽聞演說及書寫。
法欲盡時能演說，令求法者意充滿，
於法愛樂勤修行，是故得成此光明。
又放光明名妙音，此光開悟諸菩薩，
能令三界所有聲，聞者皆是如來音。
以大音聲稱讚佛，及施鈴鐸諸音樂，
普使世間聞佛音，是故得成此光明。
又放光名施甘露，此光開悟一切眾，
令捨一切放逸行，具足修習諸功德。
說有為法非安隱，無量苦惱悉充遍，
恒樂稱揚寂滅樂，是故得成此光明。
又放光明名最勝，此光開悟一切眾，
令於佛所普聽聞，戒定智慧增上法。
常樂稱揚一切佛，勝戒勝定殊勝慧，
如是為求無上道，是故得成此光明。
又放光明名寶嚴，此光能覺一切眾，
令得寶藏無窮盡，以此供養諸如來。
以諸種種上妙寶，奉施於佛及佛塔，
亦以惠施諸貧乏，是故得成此光明。
又放光明名香嚴，此光能覺一切眾，
令其聞者悅可意，決定當成佛功德。
人天妙香以塗地，供養一切最勝主，
亦以造塔及佛像，是故得成此光明。」
"He further radiates a light named 'Delight in Dharma'; this light is able to awaken the whole multitude, causing them forever to take joy and delight in the true Dharma, listening to it, expounding it, and copying it down in writing.
When the Dharma is about to disappear, he is able to expound it, causing those who seek the Dharma to have their own intent fully satisfied, loving and delighting in the Dharma and diligently practicing it — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Wondrous Sound'; this light awakens the bodhisattvas, able to cause every sound throughout the three realms to become, for whoever hears it, the very voice of the Tathāgata.
With a great voice extolling and praising the Buddha, and giving bells, chimes, and every kind of music, universally causing the world to hear the Buddha's own voice — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Giving Ambrosia'; this light awakens the whole multitude, causing them to give up every heedless deed, fully cultivating and practicing every merit.
Proclaiming that every conditioned dharma is not truly at peace, that immeasurable affliction entirely fills and pervades it, forever delighting in extolling the happiness of tranquil cessation — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Most Supreme'; this light awakens the whole multitude, causing them, at the Buddha's own place, to universally hear the ever more excellent Dharma of precepts, concentration, and wisdom.
Forever delighting in extolling every buddha's own supreme precepts, supreme concentration, and supremely excellent wisdom, thus seeking the unsurpassed path in this very way — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Jeweled Adornment'; this light is able to awaken the whole multitude, causing them to obtain a treasury of jewels without any exhaustion, and with this to make offering to every Tathāgata.
With every kind of finest and most wondrous treasure, offering it up to the Buddha and to stūpas, and likewise generously giving it to those who are poor and in want — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained.
He further radiates a light named 'Fragrant Adornment'; this light is able to awaken the whole multitude, causing whoever smells it to be delighted in their very mind, certain that they shall accomplish the Buddha's own merit.
Anointing the ground with the wondrous fragrance of humans and gods, making offering to every most supreme lord, and likewise building stūpas and images of the Buddha with it — and it is for this reason that this light comes to be attained."
The light named "Seeing the Buddha" (見佛) is among the earliest scriptural anchors, within this sūtra's own tradition, for a practice that would become central to later Pure Land devotion — mindful recollection of the Buddha extended specifically to the moment of death, with the explicit outcome of rebirth in a buddha's own pure land. It sits here simply as one light among dozens, with no special emphasis marking it apart from the light that heals sickness or the light that gives fearlessness to the harmed — a reminder that in this hymn's own structure, compassion at the deathbed is continuous with, not categorically different from, compassion offered at any other moment of need.
Part 57 Complete
This closes Part 57. The sequence of lights continues in Part 58 as it moves toward its own conclusion, with lights addressing right view, harmony among the discordant, and the guarding of the Dharma itself against its final disappearance.