法華文句記 10.13

10.13

三約應身明不滅者，亦望法報，報約於法故前法身但云「當體」，今此應身利物不斷亦是不滅。故云「常然應用不絕」者，三身相稱故也。法報遍故應體亦遍，機自在無應法恒爾，若不爾者，雖釋圓常還同生滅。言「眾生不盡即不滅度」者，滅度之時生實未盡，其義何耶？應反質云：驗生未盡則不滅度，故唱滅度為不生於難遭想者，非為生盡。故知應身常在不滅，何獨法耶？若不了者法報亦滅，何獨應耶？

Third, regarding clarifying non-extinction in terms of the nirmāṇakāya, it also looks toward the dharma[kāya] and saṃbhoga[kāya]. Because the saṃbhoga is in terms of the dharma, the previous dharmakāya merely said "in its very essence"; now this nirmāṇakāya, benefiting beings without interruption, is also non-extinction. Therefore it says, "Its responsive functioning is constantly thus and never ceases," because the three bodies correspond to one another. Since the dharma and saṃbhoga are omnipresent, the essence of the response is also omnipresent; whether the capacity [of beings] is present or absent, the responsive dharma is constantly so. If this were not the case, although one explains the perfect and constant, it would still be identical to arising and extinction. As for the statement "If sentient beings are not exhausted, it does not pass into extinction": at the time of passing into extinction, beings are in truth not exhausted, so what is its meaning? One should question in return: verifying that beings are not exhausted, it does not pass into extinction; thus proclaiming passage into extinction is for the sake of those who do not generate the thought that it is difficult to encounter, not because beings are exhausted. Therefore we know that the nirmāṇakāya constantly abides and is not extinguished; why only the dharmakāya? If one does not understand, the dharma and saṃbhoga are also extinguished; why only the response?