妙法蓮華經玄義 2.53

2.53

Now we do not rigidly fix the teaching to a set time, so why do you say "from the vaipulya onward"? Even granting that it were so, there is a distinct reason. Why? Bodhisattvas of sharp faculties entered into the subtle there, no differently from the Lotus Sūtra. Bodhisattvas of dull faculties and persons of the two vehicles still carried expedient means, being tempered through the various flavors. The vaipulya carries raw curds to discuss the subtle in contrast to the crude; Prajñā carries cooked curds to discuss the subtle in contrast to the crude; the present sūtra lacks the expedients of the two flavors and discusses the subtle in contrast to the crude purely as genuine clarified butter (sarpirmaṇḍa). This subtlety and that subtlety do not differ in the meaning of subtlety; they differ only in whether they carry expedient means or do not carry expedient means.