A name for nickname for Brahmā, which could be rendered Brahmā, “the one with the topknot” (śikhin), who in this sūtra seems to be identical to Great Brahmā, sovereign of this Sahā world (mahābrahmā sahāṃpati).

In some canonical sources, this name denotes Brahmā Sahāmpati, the lord of the Sahā universe who famously asked the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach for the first time. See, for example, Tathāgatācintya­guhya­nirdeśa (Toh 47), Lalita­vistara (Toh 95), and Tathāgata­mahā­karuṇā­nirdeśa (Toh 147). But in another canonical text, Saddharma­puṇḍarīka (Toh 113), it is used for a different Brahmā god. The current sūtra does not provide enough context to allow us to determine which of these two gods is under discussion.

A deity from the Brahmā realms.

The god of the Brahmā realm, also called Brahmā Sahāṃpati, who encouraged the Buddha Śākyamuni to turn the wheel of Dharma for the first time after his awakening.