妙法蓮華經玄義 9.60

9.60

If we apply this coarseness and subtlety to the five flavors: the milk teaching has eight gates, four coarse and four subtle, while what they access are both subtle. The four gates of the curd teaching are coarse, and the principle is also coarse. Raw skim milk has sixteen gates: twelve gates are coarse and four gates are subtle; two things accessed are coarse, and two things accessed are subtle. Cooked skim milk has twelve gates: eight gates are coarse, and four gates are subtle; one principle is coarse, and one principle is subtle. The four gates of the Lotus Sūtra are subtle, and the one principle is also subtle. For all the śrāvakas previously, the gates and the principle were both coarse; when reaching this Lotus Sūtra, the gates and the principle are fused and subtle. Bodhisattvas are indefinite: some have gates and principle fused and subtle in the Vaipulya and Prajñā; the extremely dull are identical to the two vehicles. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra has sixteen gates: twelve gates are coarse, four gates are subtle, and what they access are all subtle. Why? For all the previous gates, coarse and subtle each led to [their goal], still retaining the provisional principle. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra is not so: within all dharmas, there is the nature of peace and joy; all these sentient beings possess the buddha-nature, with no further provisional principle, only the single subtle principle; yet it still preserves the coarse gates as expedient means for the subtle principle, all explaining entry into the real. Just as the brahmacārin asked: 'Since the cause is impermanent, how can the fruit be permanent?' the Buddha answered with a counter-question (and so on). Thus we know that, like the hundred rivers gathering in the ocean, all gates converge in the real. The real principle is essential and pressing, hence it must be integrated; to guide those of dull faculties, coarse expedient means are preserved. The Lotus Sūtra subdues and breaks down the provisional gates and principle, like the Great River with golden sand, with no further bends or turns. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra embraces and accepts, further granting the provisional gates; each is for its own cause and condition, so retention and abolition differ. Yet the golden sands and the hundred rivers return to the ocean without difference (and so on).