妙法蓮華經文句 3.54

3.54

Examining that interpretation now: it merely relies on the five periods to show its own conception, yet this is the error of gradual steps and stairs; it can interpret other sūtras, but is not the meaning of the present chapter. The sūtra says: 'Causing all living beings to see'—how could there be different awakenings earlier and later? It also says: 'Honestly discarding expedient means'—how could one use gradual stages to converge with the perfect and wondrous? Furthermore, as for initially guiding them to generate faith, understanding, conversion, fruit, and so forth: what does this have to do with the intention of awakening and entering in the present sūtra? As Vasubandhu lists seventeen names, the thirteenth name being 'great skill-in-means'. Furthermore, the *Sūtra on the Skill-in-Means of the Mahāyāna* explains ten kinds of expedient means, the ninth being called 'skilful', shifting the two vehicles to enter the Mahāyāna pāramitā of expedient means. One should know that the present chapter is the Tathāgata's expedient means subsuming all dharmas, just as empty space encompasses form, or as the ocean gathers flowing streams. How could one use the single branch or single stream of the various masters to explain the grand capital of the Dharma realm?