When I became a Chakravartin king, I offered the earth with its oceans, its four continents filled with jewels to all buddhas of the past.
There was nothing loved nor treasured I did not surrender so I might fully seek the dharmakaya. For eons, I gave even my cherished life, as I had done for innumerable eons past, during the reign of Sugata Ratna-shikhin.
After that sugata passed into nirvana there appeared a king called Susambhava. Hailed as a Chakravartin, ruling the four continents, he reigned the earth as far as the oceans.
One day that good king fell asleep in the palace known as Jinendraghosha. In a dream he heard the virtues of Buddha; in the middle of sleep, he did vividly see the Dharma preacher Ratnocchaya, shining amidst the rays of the sun, and expounding profusely this king of sutras.
And then that king awoke from his sleep, his whole body overwhelmed with joy. Ecstatic, he came out of the palace and approached the supreme assembly of disciples.
Making offerings to the Conqueror’s disciples, he asked after Ratnocchaya, the Dharma preacher: ‘Where in this assembly of Sangha is the bhikshu Ratnocchaya, possessed of virtue?’
At that time Ratnocchaya was sheltering in another cave, seated in comfort, reciting the king of sutras and reflecting upon it.
Then they showed the king Ratnocchaya, the Dharma-preaching bhikshu, sitting elsewhere in a cave, glowing with glory, brilliance and splendor.
Here, Ratnocchaya the expounder of the Dharma upheld the profound sphere of royal activity; he always expounded this king of sutras which is called The Sublime Golden Light.
Prostrating at the feet of Ratnocchaya, King Susambhava said thus: ‘Teach me, O you whose face resembles the waxing moon, The King of Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light.’
Ratnocchaya accepted this request, assuring King Susambhava that he would teach, and the gods in the triple thousand worlds rejoiced with great delight.
Then that king of humans sprinkled that clean, supremely superb site with jewel-like water and fragrant water too. He carpeted the ground with loose flowers and set up a throne.
Embellishing the throne with umbrellas, with victory banners and thousands of tassels, the king sprinkled that throne with colorful sandalwood powder.
Gods and nagas, asuras and kinnaras, yaksha kings and mahoragas too bestrewed that throne with divine mandarava flowers.
Inconceivable, uncountable devas, as well as hundreds of thousands of millions of gods – hungry for the Dharma – strewed Ratnocchaya with sala-tree flowers as he left his cave.
Ratnocchaya, the Dharma-preaching bhikshu, having thoroughly washed and dressed in clean clothes; he approached that throne seat, pressed his palms together and prostrated to it.
Floating in the sky above, the deva kings, goddesses and gods scattered mandarava flowers and filled the sky with music resounding from innumerable hundreds of thousands of instruments.
Then Ratnocchaya, the Dharma-preaching bhikshu, remembered the ten direction hundred thousand million buddhas. He ascended the throne and remained seated upon it, then generated a heart full of kindness for all beings; he perfectly produced the mind of compassion and expounded this sutra to King Susambhava.
Pressing his palms and prostrating, the king accordingly rejoiced. Moved by the Dharma, his eyes shed tears; his whole body was overcome by bliss.
At that time, King Susambhava, in order to venerate this sutra, took hold of Chintamani, the king of jewels, and made this dedication for all beings’ sake:
‘May there now rain down in Jambu-dvipa ornaments made of seven jewels and great riches that bring peace and well-being to beings in this world.’
Lo! There on the four continents the seven jewels then rained down; armlets, necklaces and earrings, food, drink and clothing rained down too.
King Susambhava saw this cascade of jewels raining down upon Jambudvipa and presented the jewel-filled four continents to the Order of Ratna-shikhin.
I, the Tathagata Shakyamuni was that king called Susambhava, who at that time completely gave up the four lands and the jewels therein.
The Tathagata Akshobhya was Ratnocchaya, the Dharma-preaching bhikshu, the one who expounded well this sutra to King Susambhava.
At that time, I heard this sutra and accordingly rejoiced in it. Due to that very virtuous deed – hearing the Dharma and rejoicing well – I have gained this body of golden hue, endowed with marks of a hundred merits.
Beautiful to behold and intensely enchanting to the eye, it gives delight to thousands of millions of gods; when beings behold this body, they will always obtain a body of joy.
For ninety-nine billion eons I became a Chakravartin king. For numerous hundreds of thousands of eons I ruled as a lesser king.
For inconceivable eons I became Shakra and likewise Brahma with a tranquil mind. I have found the inconceivable ten powers whose extent remains ever immeasurable. Equal to that is the mass of merit gained by hearing this sutra and then rejoicing. As I desired, I have completed full awakening; I have attained the sublime body of dharmakaya.
This ends the thirteenth chapter, the Chapter on Susambhava, from the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light.