In East Asia, this text is regarded primarily as a scripture for state protection. It offers a wide variety of instruction on Buddhist practices such as expression of faith and repentance, as well as on basic doctrine, such as the five aggregates 五蘊, dependent arising 緣起, emptiness 空, Buddha-body 佛身 doctrine, and so forth; and also includes considerable material incorporating non-Buddhist Indian religious ideas and deities.

This text is arguably one of the most translated, widespread and significant sutras in the history of Buddhism, and exists in many versions:

Nobel (1937) edited the Sanskrit text, primarily on the basis of a Nepalese manuscript. In addition, more than 80 fragments of portions of Suv have so far been identified, representing most chapters of the text as known from the Nepalese manuscript and the Khotanese translation; Yuyama (2004), Skjaervo (2004): 1:xxxiii-xxxvii, Skjaervo (2009). Cf. Nobel (1944): xxii-xxiii. Suzuki Takayasu has shown that a key and famous portion of the 'Lifespan' chapter in the Sanskrit text was interpolated from the *Mahāmegha-sūtra (大雲經; cf. T 387), and thus constitutes the only surviving evidence of the Sanskrit form of the *Mahāmegha; Suzuki (1996, 1998a, 1998b). The Sanskrit has been translated into English by Emmerick (1970).

There are three main extant canonical Chinese translations:

1. Jin guangming jing 金光明經 (T 663) by *Dharmakṣema 曇無讖 (385–433). According to Lancasterʼs Catalogue, carried out between the 3rd and 10th years of Xuanshi 玄始, Northern Liang dynasty 北涼 (CE 414–421). [Chinese Buddhist Canonical Attributions Database]
2. A synoptic version, the Hebu jin guangming jing 合部金光明經 (T 664), compiled in 597 by Baogui 寶貴 (d.u.), including DhKṣ and additional sections ascribed to Paramârtha (see below) and Jñānagupta 闍那崛多 (523–600; 'JñG' ). Completed 17th year of Kaihuang 開皇, Sui dynasty (CE 597) in Daxingshan Monastery 大興善寺. [Chinese Buddhist Canonical Attributions Database]
3. Jin guangming zuisheng wang jing 金光明最勝王經 (T 665), by Yijing 義淨 (635–713). Completed autumn 703 CE at Ximing Monastery 西明寺 [Chinese Buddhist Canonical Attributions Database]

In addition, a fourth, extracanonical version of the text has survived in manuscript form in Japan: a manuscript dated 768 (Jingo-keiun 神護景雲 2), which is preserved in the Shōgozō 聖語藏 , ascribed to Paramârtha 眞諦 (photographic reproduction in Kunaichō Shōsōin jimusho, 2010).

Three main canonical Tibetan translations have been extensively studied by Johannes Nobel, whose labels, “Tib I”, “Tib II” and “Tib III”, are standard in scholarly literature on the text:

1. “Tib I”: 'Phags pa gser 'od dam pa mdo sde'i dbang po'i rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo D557/Q176.
2. “Tib II”: 'Phags pa gser 'od dam pa mdo sde'i dbang po'i rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo D556/Q175, translated from Sanskrit by Jinamitra, Śīlêndrabodhi, and Ye shes sde.
3. “Tib III”: 'Phags pa gser 'od dam pa mchog tu rnam par rgyal ba'i mdo sde'i rgyal po theg pa chen po'i mdo D555/Q174, translated from Chinese by Chos grub.

In addition, manuscripts preserve in various parts at least two further translations, which have been given the additional labels “Tib IV” and “Tib V” by Oetke (1977). Old Tibetan catalogues like the lDan kar ma and the dKar chag 'Phang thang ma, and the later catalogue of Bu ston, also preserve a confusing set of information which suggests that further early translations may have existed but been lost (Radich, forthcoming 2015).

The Khotanese versions have been extensively studied by Skjaervo (2004).

Also noteworthy is the Uyghur version, the Altun Yaruk Sudur, which is the most substantial source for the study of Buddhist literature in Uyghur. It incorporates further interpolations or extensions of the text apparently added in China, in part on the basis of the Cheng weishi lun 成唯識論 T 1585 of Xuanzang 玄奘; Wilkens (2001); also Tekin (1971).

Radich has argued that the four chapters ascribed to Paramârtha in Baoguiʼs translation (T 664) have a complex range of hitherto unobserved Chinese sources, and were most likely composed in China. However, the situation is further complicated by the fact that the “Three Bodies” (*trikāya) chapter has clear parallels in the *Kāyatrayāvatāramukha (sKu gsum la 'jug pa'i sgo zhes bya ba'i bstan bcos, D3980/Q5290), as has been shown by Hamano (1984, 1985).

The Suvarṇaprabhāsôttama also boasts an unusually long and rich history of modern scholarship, going back to the 1832 translation by Schmidt of the chapter on the Buddhaʼs bodies. The most significant of these works are listed below. In addition to textual studies, scholars have studied the text for the evidence it provides about the relation between Buddhism and other strands of Indian religion (Suzuki, Ludvik), Buddhist medicine (Salguero) and Buddhist preachers (Gummer).

Various commentaries were composed on this text in China, such as the 金光明經文句 T 1785, spoken by Zhiyi 智顗 and transcribed by Guanding 灌頂; the 金光明最勝王經疏 T 1788 by Huizhao 慧沼; the 金光明經玄義 by Zhiyi 智顗 and Guanding 灌頂; and the 金光明經疏 T 1787 by Jizang 吉藏. Tradition records that Paramârtha 眞諦 also wrote a commentary on the text, fragments of which survive in quotations and are being studied as part of a project led by Funayama Tōru 船山徹.

One of the merits of this sutra is that wherever it is worshipped, the four guardian gods 四護王 (四天王) protect the state and benefit the people. Therefore, in Japan, the Suvarṇaprabhāsôttama was regarded as one of three 'state-protecting'  護國 sūtras, along with the Lotus Sutra 法華經 and Sutra for Humane Kings 仁王經 T 245.

Sources:

Bagchi, S. 1967. Suvarṇaprabhāsasūtra. Darbhanga:  The Mithila Institute of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning. vol. 8 Buddhist Sanskrit Texts.

Emmerick, Ronald E.,. 1970. The Sūtra of Golden Light: Being a Translation of the Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra,. London:  Luzac.

Gummer, Natalie D. 2012. “Listening to the Dharmabhāṇaka: The Buddhist Preacher in and of the Sūtra of Utmost Golden Radiance.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 80 (1): 137–160.

Hamano, Tetsunori 浜野哲敬. 1984. “Sanjin nyūmon ron ni tsuite 『三身入門論』について .” Indo bukkyōgaku kenkyū 32 (2): 162–163.

----. 1985. “Kon kōmyō kyō 'Sanjin funbetsu bon' ni tsuite 『金光明経・三身分別品』について .” Indo bukkyōgaku kenkyū 33 (2): 296–299.

Ludvik, Catherine. 2006. Recontextualizing the Praises of a Goddess: From the Harivaṃśa to Yijingʼs Chinese Translation of the Sutra of Golden Light. Kyoto:  Scuola italiana di studi sull'Asia orientale.

Ludvik, Catherine. 2007. Sarasvatī, Riverine Goddess of Knowledge: From the Manuscript-Carrying Vīṇā-Player to the Weapon-Wielding Defender of the Dharma. Leiden; Boston:  Brill.

Nobel, Johannes. 1937. Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra, Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrittext des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus, nach den Handschriften und mit Hilfe der Tibetischen und Chinesischen Übertragungen. Leipzig:  Otto Harrassowitz.

----. 1950. Suvarṇaprabhāsottama-Sutra: Das Goldglanz-Sūtra; ein Sanskrittext des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus, die tibetischen Übersetzungen mit einem Wörterbuch. Leiden:  Brill.

----. 1958. Suvarnaprabhāsottama-Sūtra: Das Goldglanz-Sūtra, ein Sanskrittext des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus; I-Tsingʼs chinesische Version und ihre tibetische Übersetzung. 1, 1,. Leiden:  Brill.

Oetke, Claus. 1977. Die aus dem Chinesischen übersetzten tibetischen Versionen des Survaṇaprabhāsasūtra: Philologische und linguistische Beiträge zur klassifierenden Charakterisierung übersetzter Texte. Wiesbaden:  Steiner.

Ono, Gemmyō 小野玄妙. 1929. “Ryō Shintai yaku Kon kōmyō kyō jobun 梁真諦訳金光明経序文 .” Butten kenkyū 1 (2): 5.

Radich, Michael. 2014. “On the Sources, Style and Authorship of Chapters of the Synoptic Suvarṇaprabhāsottama-sūtra T664 Ascribed to Paramârtha (Part 1).” Annual Report of The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology 17 : 207–244.

----. 2015. “On the Sources, Style and Authorship of Chapters of the Synoptic Suvarṇaprabhāsottama-sūtra T664 Ascribed to Paramârtha (Part 2).” Annual Report of The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology 18 

Salguero, C. Pierce. 2013. “'On Eliminating Disease': Translations of the Medical Chapter from the Chinese Versions of the Sutra of Golden Light.” eJournal of Indian Medicine 6 : 21–43.

Schmidt, Isaak Jacob. 1832. “Über einige Grundlehren des Buddhaismus. I.-2. Abhandlung.”  In Mémoires de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg. St-Pétersbourg:  vol. I 221–262. Sixième Série. Sciences politiques, histoire et philologie.

Tekin, Şinasi. Schulz, P.,  Klaus Röhrborn, eds. 1971. Die Kapitel über die Bewusstseinslehre im uigurischen Goldglanzsütra (IX und X). Wiesbaden:  Otto Harrassowitz. Veröffentlichungen der Societas Uralo-Altaica. 3,

Skjaervø, Prods Oktor. 2004. This Most Excellent Shine of Gold, King of Kings of Sutras: The Khotanese Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra, Vol. 2 Vol. 2. [Cambridge, Mass.:  Harvard Univ., Dep. of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.

----. 2009. “Fragments of the Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra in Or.15009 and Or.15010.”  In Karashima, Seishi, and Klaus Wille. The British Library Sanskrit Fragments: Buddhist Manuscripts from Central Asia. Tokyo:  The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology. vol. II 597–635.

Suzuki, Takayasu 鈴木隆泰. 1998. “Daijō kyōten hensan katei ni mirareru kontekusuto no idō: nyorāi no ikotsu ni kansuru tairon wo megutte 大乗経典編纂過程に見られるコンテクストの移動―〈如来の遺骨に関する対論〉を巡って .” Tōyō bunka kenkyūjo kiyō 136 : 227–253.

----. 1998. “Kon kōmyō kyō 'Nyorai juryō bon' to Daiun kyō 『金光明経　如来寿量品』と『大雲経』 .” Tōyō bunka kenkyūjo kiyō 135 : 1–46.

----. 2004. “Rites and Buddhism: A Perspective from the Sarasvatī-parivarta in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa.” Indo bukkyōgaku kenkyū 52 (2): 12-17.

----. 2005. “The Unchanged Intention of the Compilers of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa: An Examination through the Verification of the Hypothesis on 'the Independence of [Mahāyāna] Buddhism'.” Indo bukkyōgaku kenkyū 53 (2): 20–26.

----. 2006. “The Primary Introduction of the Rites for Good Fortune into the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Described in the Śrī-parivarta.” Indo bukkyōgaku kenkyū 54 (3): 42–50.

----. 2007. “An Intention of the Compilers of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Expressed and Intimated in the Dṛḍhā-parivarta.” Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies 55 (3): 64-72.

----. 2008. “The Characteristics of "the Five Chapters on the Various Gods and Goddesses" in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa.” Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies 56 (3): 66-73.

----. 2010. “The Attainment of Supreme Enlightenment through the Offerings Represented in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa.” Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studie 57 (3): 78-86.

----. 2010. “Linking the Buddhaʼs Attainment of Supreme Enlightenment to the Welfare of Beings in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa.” Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies 58 (3): 62-70.

Takasaki, Jikidō 高崎直道, Hiroshi 築島裕 Tsukishima, Kan'ichi 皆川完一 Minagawa, 2010. Kunaichō Shōsōin jimusho shozō Shōgozō kyō kan karā dejitaru ban daisanki daisankai haihon 宮内庁正倉院事務所所蔵聖語蔵経巻カラーデジタル版 第3期 第3回配本 . Tokyo:  Maruzen. Jingo keiun ninen gogangyō 神護景雲二年御願経 . 3,

Wilkens, Jens. 2001. Die drei Körper des Buddha (trikāya): das dritte Kapitel der uigurischen Fassung des Goldglanz-Sutras (Altun Yaruk Sudur). Turnhout, Belgium:  Brepols.

Yuyama, Akira. 2004. “The Golden Light in Central Asia.” Annual Report of The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka University 7 : 3–32.

de Jong, Jan Willem. 1979. “Review of Oetke (1977).” Indo-Iranian Journal 21 : 300–304.

[European Language Translations]