法華文句記 8.32

8.32

言權實者，論所行法時節，乃是誘進疲夫。應知權教一向說長，如《婆沙》三秖及諸大乘經無量劫，此則定不可短。雖實教中有長有短，若依實道定短為正，如常不輕輕毀之眾，秖經四千億佛皆悉得度，豈有必經多塵劫耶？雖然長短在機，理豈爾耶？既長短約人，但不篤自勤，何須論他時長短耶？

When speaking of provisional and real, this concerns the dharmas practiced; the duration of time is merely to entice and advance weary persons. One should know that the provisional teaching exclusively preaches length, as in the three asaṃkhyeya kalpas of the *Mahāvibhāṣā* and the immeasurable kalpas of the various Mahāyāna sūtras; this definitely cannot be shortened. Although in the real teaching there are both long and short, if one relies on the real path, shortness is definitely the correct [standard], as with the assembly that disparaged Never Disparaging, who merely passed through four hundred billion buddhas and all attained deliverance; how could they necessarily have had to pass through kalpas numerous as dust motes? Even so, length and shortness depend on the capacity; how could the principle be so? Since length and shortness depend on the person, if one is simply diligent oneself, what need is there to discuss the length or shortness of another's time?