妙法蓮華經玄義 4.113

4.113

今〈藥草喻品〉但明六位。文云：「轉輪聖王、釋、梵諸王，是小藥草。知無漏法，能得涅槃…，獨處山林，…得緣覺證，是中藥草。求世尊處，我當作佛，行精進定，是上藥草。又諸佛子，專心佛道，常行慈悲，自知作佛，決定無疑，是名小樹。安住神通，轉不退輪，度無量億百千眾生…，是名大樹。」追取長行中「一地所生，一雨所潤」，及後文云：「今當為汝說最實事」以為第六位也。前三義是藏中位；小樹是通位；大樹是別位；最實事是圓位也。

Now, the 'Parable of the Medicinal Herbs' chapter merely clarifies six stages. The text says: 'Wheel-turning sage kings, Śakra, and the Brahmā kings are the small medicinal herbs. Those who understand the outflow-free dharmas and are able to attain nirvāṇa…, dwelling alone in mountain forests,… attain the realization of pratyekabuddhas, are the medium medicinal herbs. Those who seek the place of the World-Honoured One, saying "I shall become a buddha," practicing vigor and dhyāna, are the superior medicinal herbs. Furthermore, the sons of the Buddha who focus their minds on the buddha-way, constantly practicing benevolence and compassion, knowing of themselves that they will become buddhas, decidedly without doubt, are named small trees. Those who peacefully abide in supernatural powers, turn the non-retrogressing wheel, and deliver immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kots of sentient beings… are named large trees.' Looking back to take 'growing from one earth and moistened by one rain' from the prose section, along with the later text saying 'I shall now speak to you of the most real matter,' these are taken as the sixth stage. The former three meanings are the stages within the Tripiṭaka [teaching]; the small trees are the stages of the shared [teaching]; the large trees are the stages of the distinctive [teaching]; the most real matter is the stages of the perfect [teaching].