法華經義記 6.43

6.43

問者又言：「眾生無別體只用習因善為體，習因既增長，眾生那得不增長？若言眾生不增長，則不應言以習因為體。」解釋又言言：「我本言假名法無體，以習因善為體，若責今眾生別增長者，便應假名法別有體，云何言以他為體？此中大意片對四大聲聞，今涅槃及五乘故借三草二木以譬能稟，草有三種，上中下也，木有二種，有大木有小木。下經又言：『大樹小樹，但草木自有眾多，今唯取堪為藥者』，內合眾生雖復凡聖眾多，止取五乘之人堪修行者為藥之用。人乘天乘此二人以譬小藥草，聲聞緣覺此二人以譬中藥草，三乘中菩薩以譬上藥草。今大乘中明內凡夫菩薩以譬小樹，初地以上菩薩以譬大樹，所以人天二乘合譬小草，聲聞緣覺復合譬中草者，今欲偏片對此人道，其昔日雖稟如來經教，不知權實之用同歸之理，是故合人天二乘取譬小草。如《勝鬘》所明名為無聞非法眾生，此則鄙其昔日不知之義也。復合聲聞緣覺者，義亦如是也。」

The questioner asks again: “If sentient beings have no separate substance and only take the good of the habituated cause as their substance, since the habituated cause grows, how could sentient beings not grow? If you say that sentient beings do not grow, then you should not say they take the habituated cause as their substance.” The commentator explains again: “I originally said that provisionally designated dharmas have no substance of their own and take the good of the habituated cause as their substance. If you now demand that the sentient being separately grows, then the provisionally designated dharma would have a separate substance; how could one say it takes another as its substance? The general intent here is directed specifically toward the four great śrāvakas. Now, bringing in nirvāṇa and the five vehicles, it borrows the three grasses and two trees to illustrate that which can receive. Of grasses there are three kinds: superior, middling, and inferior. Of trees there are two kinds: great trees and small trees. The sūtra below also says: 'Great trees and small trees; though grasses and trees are naturally numerous, here it only takes those capable of being medicine.' The internal application is that although sentient beings, ordinary and noble, are numerous, it only takes persons of the five vehicles who are capable of cultivation as serving the function of medicine. The human vehicle and heavenly vehicle—these two persons—serve as the parable for the small medicinal herb; the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha—these two persons—serve as the parable for the middling medicinal herb; the bodhisattva within the three vehicles serves as the parable for the superior medicinal herb. Now, within the Great Vehicle, the inner-ordinary-person bodhisattva serves as the parable for the small tree, and the bodhisattva from the first ground upwards serves as the parable for the great tree. The reason the two vehicles of humans and gods are matched to the parable of the small grass, and the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are matched to the parable of the middling grass, is that here it intends to direct this specifically toward these persons, saying that although in the past they received the Tathāgata’s sūtra-teachings, they did not know the functions of the expedient and the real and the principle of the same return. Therefore, the two vehicles of humans and gods are matched to the parable of the small grass. As explained in the Śrīmālā-sūtra, they are called 'sentient beings without hearing who follow non-dharma'; this disparages the sense of their past ignorance. Matching the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas also has the same meaning.”