妙法蓮華經玄義 7.26

7.26

Practitioners who propagate the sūtra comprise both ordinary beings and sages. If a dharma-kāya bodhisattva adorns themselves with vows to enable this land, other lands, lower lands, and higher lands to attain the provisional and real seven benefits, nine benefits, and ten benefits, the transformative merit returns to oneself, nourishing in turn the dharma-kāya, increasing the path and decreasing rebirths. Bodhisattvas with physical bodies can also propagate the sūtra in this land and other lands, enabling others to attain the provisional and real seven benefits, with the transformative merit returning to themselves, increasing the path and decreasing rebirths, yet they cannot benefit higher lands. Teachers who are ordinary beings can also propagate the sūtra in this land, enabling others to attain the provisional and real seven benefits, with the transformative merit returning to themselves, increasing their ranks. Therefore, the *Anantanirdeśa-sūtra* says: "Though there is an ailing guide on this shore, he prepares a boat and raft to ferry people to the other shore." Such is its meaning.