妙法蓮華經玄義 10.136

10.136

Returning to the three from the three: originally it is the three of identity with emptiness, identity with conventional existence, and identity with the middle. Sentient beings do not understand, so one opens the sequential three; still not understanding, one opens the three of perceiving truth; still not understanding, one opens the three of analyzing dharmas. Sharp persons pass from the three of analyzing emptiness into the three of perceiving emptiness; from perceiving, they enter the sequential; from the sequential, they enter identity. The dull abide in the analytical three; therefore one uses the three of identity with emptiness to condition them, which is raw butter; one further uses the sequential three to condition them into clarified butter; and only now do they gain entry into identity with emptiness, identity with conventional existence, and identity with the middle. This is discussing opening and merging in terms of three dharmas.