妙法蓮華經玄義 5.53

5.53

Because the inclinations of sentient beings differ, their conditions for generating good differ, their awareness of faults and reform of evils differ, and the appropriate teachings for their attainment of awakening differ, the Tathāgata gave various diverse teachings, all of which bring benefit. In accordance with inclinations within the realms, he taught the stages of the former two teachings. In accordance with inclinations beyond the realms, he taught the stages of the latter two teachings. To generate phenomenal good within the realms, he taught the tripiṭaka stages. To generate noumenal good within the realms, he taught the stages of the shared teaching. To generate phenomenal good beyond the realms, he taught the stages of the distinctive teaching. To generate noumenal good beyond the realms, he taught the stages of the perfect teaching. To shatter phenomenal evil within the realms, he taught the tripiṭaka stages. To shatter noumenal evil within the realms, he taught the stages of the shared teaching. To shatter the phenomenal evil of dust and sand, he taught the stages of the distinctive teaching. To shatter the noumenal evil of fundamental ignorance, he taught the stages of the perfect teaching. For entering the true by relying on phenomena, he taught the tripiṭaka stages. For entering the true by relying on principle, he taught the stages of the shared teaching. For entering the middle from phenomena, he taught the stages of the distinctive teaching. For perceiving the middle by relying on principle, he taught the stages of the perfect teaching. For these reasons, the various stages arose, with immeasurable gradations of high and low.