妙法蓮華經玄義 10.71

10.71

Next, opening the gradual: the Buddha originally intended to save sentient beings with the Mahāyāna, but for those who could not bear it, he pondered expedient devices, went to Vārāṇasī, and in the path of the One Vehicle discriminately expounded the three, which was opening the tripiṭaka teaching. Not only did Śākyamuni conceal his immeasurable spiritual virtues to perform this gradual transformation, but past and present buddhas were also like this. As cited earlier, one should know that after the initial sudden, the gradual is next opened. Therefore, the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] says: 'From the Buddha emerge the twelve divisions of scriptures; from the twelve divisions emerge the sūtras.' This corresponds precisely to this meaning. It is like milk coming from a cow, and coagulated milk coming from milk; the analogy does not conflict. Gradual capacities were not transformed in the sudden teaching, being completely raw like milk; being transformed within the tripiṭaka, altering from ordinary to holy, is compared to transforming milk into coagulated milk: this is sequential production, being the teaching of the second period; it does not take thickness, thinness, superiority, or inferiority as the analogy. The text of the 'Expedient Devices' chapter stops here.