妙法蓮華經玄義 10.180

10.180

人言第二時，十二年中說三乘別教。若爾，過十二年，有宜聞四諦、因緣、六度，豈可不說？若說，是則三乘別教不止在十二年中。若不說，是一段在後宜聞者，佛豈可不化也？定無此理。經言：為聲聞說四諦，乃至說六度；不止十二年，蓋一代中隨宜聞者即說耳。如四阿含經、五部律，是為聲聞說，乃訖於聖滅，即是其事。故《增一經》說：「釋迦十二年中略說戒，後瑕玼起，乃廣制。」《長阿含遊行經》說：「乃至涅槃」，何得言小乘悉十二年中也。

People say that in the second period, over twelve years, he expounded the distinctive teaching of the three vehicles. If so, after twelve years had passed, if there were those suited to hear the four truths, causes and conditions, and the six pāramitās, could he really not have expounded them? If he did expound them, then the distinctive teaching of the three vehicles was not restricted to twelve years. If he did not expound them, could the Buddha really have failed to convert that group of people who came later and were suited to hear them? There is certainly no such principle. The sūtras say: expounding the four truths for śrāvakas, up to expounding the six pāramitās—this was not limited to twelve years, but was expounded throughout his entire lifetime whenever it was suited to those who heard it. For instance, the four Āgama sūtras and the vinayas of the five schools were expounded for śrāvakas right down to the Sage's nirvāṇa; this is precisely the case. Thus the Ekottarāgama says: "Śākyamuni briefly expounded the precepts during the twelve years, and only when flaws arose later did he institute them extensively." The "Youxing jing" (Chapter on Peregrinations) of the Dīrghāgama speaks of this continuing "right up to nirvāṇa"; how could one say that the Hīnayāna was entirely confined to twelve years?