妙法蓮華經文句 4.20

4.20

五、明有悟不悟者，經中多明菩薩為上根、緣覺中根、聲聞下根，若言菩薩上根，應併在法說中得悟，緣覺併在譬說中得解，聲聞併在於因緣中得悟耶？然經中一往判出三根，至於悟解義未必然。今經但見聲聞得解、不見支佛者，支佛是中根，既值佛出世入聲聞數，隨根得悟故，不別標緣覺耳。故身子請偈云：「其求緣覺者，比丘、比丘尼。」依此文即知緣覺入四眾中攝也。又〈法師品〉云：「比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，求聲聞者、求支佛者」，豈無緣覺得解耶？舊云：「菩薩是上根，不必皆利，從多為上，而執心易轉，原其域懷求佛，但執過三百已即求近果，此疑易悟。三根菩薩同在法說得解，上者或在略說，中者或在廣說之初，下者與身子齊。」今明菩薩語通，但使發大心悉是菩薩，何必併是利根？及身子尚少，豈得初周之前已併得悟？若爾，流通壽量，何意有諸菩薩節節得悟無生忍者、發菩提心者。舊云：「壽量中悟，皆是法身增道損生。」今言不爾，有六百八十萬億那由他恒河沙人得無生法忍，此人始得此忍，當知〈壽量〉之前未是法身，故知菩薩得悟，不可局在初周之初也。

Fifth, concerning the clarification of having awakening or not having awakening: the sūtras mostly clarify that bodhisattvas are of superior capacity, pratyekabuddhas of middling capacity, and śrāvakas of inferior capacity. If one says that bodhisattvas are of superior capacity, should they all together attain awakening in the preaching by Dharma, pratyekabuddhas all together attain understanding in the preaching by parables, and śrāvakas all together attain awakening in [the preaching by] causal conditions? However, although the sūtras provisionally distinguish the three capacities, regarding awakening and understanding the meaning is not necessarily so. In the present sūtra, we see only śrāvakas attaining understanding and do not see pratyekabuddhas; this is because pratyekabuddhas are of middling capacity, and having encountered the Buddha appearing in the world, they are included in the number of śrāvakas and attain awakening according to their capacities; therefore, pratyekabuddhas are not separately designated. Thus Śāriputra's verse of entreaty states: 'Those who seek to be pratyekabuddhas, / monks and nuns.' Relying on this text, one knows that pratyekabuddhas are included within the four assemblies. Furthermore, the 'Dharma Teacher Chapter' states: 'Monks, nuns, upāsakas, upāsikās, those seeking to be śrāvakas, and those seeking to be pratyekabuddhas'—how could there be no pratyekabuddhas attaining understanding? The ancient [masters] said: 'Bodhisattvas are of superior capacity, but not necessarily all are sharp; they are called superior on account of the majority, and their grasping mind is easily turned. Tracing the state of mind with which they seek Buddhahood, they merely grasped at having passed the three hundred [yojanas] and thereupon sought an immediate fruit; this doubt is easily awakened from. Bodhisattvas of the three capacities all together attain understanding in the preaching by Dharma: the superior perhaps during the brief explanation, the middling perhaps at the beginning of the expanded explanation, and the inferior equal to Śāriputra.' We now clarify that the term 'bodhisattva' is broad: as long as one generates the great mind, all are bodhisattvas; why must they all be of sharp capacity? Even Śāriputra was of an earlier stage, so how could they all have attained awakening prior to the first cycle? If that were so, why in the transmission of the 'Life Span' [chapter] are there various bodhisattvas who attain awakening to the endurance of non-arising of phenomena or generate the bodhimind stage by stage? The ancient [masters] said: 'Those who awaken in the "Life Span" are all Dharma-body [bodhisattvas] who increase the path and diminish birth.' We now say this is not so: there are six hundred and eighty myriad koṭis of nayutas of Gaṅgā-sands of people who attain the endurance of the non-arising of phenomena; these people are only just attaining this endurance, so one should know that prior to the 'Life Span' [chapter] they were not yet the Dharma-body. Therefore, one knows that the awakening of bodhisattvas cannot be restricted to the beginning of the first cycle.