The Lotus Sūtra 7.16

7.16

「華德！是妙音菩薩，能救護娑婆世界諸眾生者，是妙音菩薩如是種種變化現身，在此娑婆國土，為諸眾生說是經典，於神通、變化、智慧無所損減。是菩薩，以若干智慧明照娑婆世界，令一切眾生各得所知；於十方恒河沙世界中，亦復如是。若應以聲聞形得度者，現聲聞形而為說法；應以辟支佛形得度者，現辟支佛形而為說法；應以菩薩形得度者，現菩薩形而為說法；應以佛形得度者，即現佛形而為說法。如是種種，隨所應度而為現形，乃至應以滅度而得度者，示現滅度。

'Padmaśrī! This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara is one who can protect and save the sentient beings of the Sahā world. Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara manifests his body through such various transformations, preaching this sūtra in this Sahā world for sentient beings, without diminishing his supernormal powers, transformations, or wisdom. This bodhisattva illuminates the Sahā world with various wisdoms, causing all sentient beings each to attain what they should know; and it is also thus in worlds throughout the ten directions equal to the sands of the Ganges. If there are those who should be delivered in the form of a śrāvaka, he manifests the form of a śrāvaka and preaches the Dharma for them; if there are those who should be delivered in the form of a pratyekabuddha, he manifests the form of a pratyekabuddha and preaches the Dharma for them; if there are those who should be delivered in the form of a bodhisattva, he manifests the form of a bodhisattva and preaches the Dharma for them; if there are those who should be delivered in the form of a Buddha, he manifests the form of a Buddha and preaches the Dharma for them. In such various ways, he manifests forms according to what is appropriate for deliverance, even manifesting nirvāṇa for those who should be delivered by nirvāṇa.'