妙法蓮華經玄義 3.70

3.70

Fifth, clarifying the crude and the wonderful: the first twelve sets of wisdom are crude, and the last eight sets of wisdom are wonderful. Why? The buddhas of the tripiṭaka, shared, and other teachings are themselves impermanent and do not teach permanence; how could those of the two vehicles and bodhisattvas hear of permanence, believe in permanence, and cultivate permanence? Therefore they are crude. The beginning of the ten faiths of the distinctive teaching already hears of permanence, and believes in and cultivates permanence, surpassing even those buddhas, not to mention the rest. Therefore it is wonderful. Common opinion says: "The Lotus Sūtra does not clarify permanence"; this is merely the idea of the tripiṭaka teaching. Now we clarify that the ten faiths knowing the middle already surpass Śākyamuni; thus the eight sets are wonderful.