妙法蓮華經玄義 8.154

8.154

Ninth, skillfully cultivating patient endurance: the power of the foundation of mindfulness of specific characteristics is weak and not yet very unimpeded. Shifting to cultivate the foundation of mindfulness of general characteristics, whether generally contemplating one, generally contemplating two, down to generally contemplating four, at that time one must patiently endure to make the contemplation of the truths accomplished, transitioning into the dharma of heat, where the smoke of the semblance path arises. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: 'Although heat is with out-flows and conditioned, it can nonetheless destroy what is with out-flows and conditioned.' 'My disciples have it, while non-Buddhists do not.' Furthermore, if one patiently endures, summits are accomplished; when summits are accomplished, it is called patience, reaching the edge; if one does not endure, one retreats back to this side. Therefore it is said: from the dharma of summits one may retreat to commit the five heinous acts; from the dharma of heat one may retreat to become an icchantika. For this reason, here one must skillfully patiently endure various internal and external obstacles, unlike the non-Buddhists who cannot patiently endure subtle obstructing dharmas.