妙法蓮華經玄義 6.149

6.149

Second, concerning retributive kin: in principle, all sentient beings are [the Buddha's] children, yet having drunk others' poison, there are those who have lost their minds and those who have not lost their minds. Those who had not lost their minds bowed, knelt, inquired after his well-being, and sought rescue and protection; being given medicine, they took it at once. Therefore, when [the Buddha] repeated the discourse under Mahābhijñā[jñānābhibhū] and preached the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, the relationship of father and sons of the Mahāyāna was established. As for those who had lost their minds, although given good medicine they refused to take it, wandering in birth and death and fleeing to other lands. Then [the Buddha] devised expedients: either forming connections through the tripiṭaka teaching, preaching the dharma of arising and perishing; or forming connections through the shared teaching, preaching the dharma of non-arising; or forming connections through the distinctive teaching, preaching the immeasurable buddha-dharmas of non-arising and arising; or forming connections through the perfect teaching, preaching the single true-characteristic dharma of non-arising and non-arising. Whether believing or slandering, falling down or rising up on account of it—just as Xigen, though he slandered, ultimately attained deliverance—once the connection was formed, by means of the twenty-five samādhis [the Buddha] preached the dharma of the three truths to ripen them across the twenty-five states of existence. Whether delivered in the interim or not yet delivered at present, whether delivered or not delivered, all are kin. Now the Buddha of the tripiṭaka teaching leaves home and attains the Way in a land of fragmented [birth and death]. Those with connections to the tripiṭaka from past days have either attained deliverance or not yet attained deliverance. Those who attained deliverance have reduced the body to ashes and extinguished cognition, and their conditions of rebirth are no longer discussed. Those not yet delivered are drawn by their conditions into fragmented [birth and death]: those who formerly had profound faith and compliance now receive the Way as close relatives; those who formerly had casual faith and compliance now receive the Way as distant outsiders; those who formerly opposed and slandered now receive the Way as enemies. When the nectar first falls, they are the first to taste it, cut off fragmented [birth and death] early, and escape birth and death. Like a great elephant defending the herd, they realize liberation together; like the group of five buddha-sons, though of different surnames, they are internal kin of dharma-relatives. If they do not attain the Way, though they are of his clan, they are called external kin. Toward such persons the Buddha provides no benefit. If [the Buddha] enters extinction, he is not reborn again; their conditions having ended, they are transmitted and entrusted to later buddhas.