法華玄論 8.118

8.118

答：要須三文，義乃圓足。至菩提心謂至因，至菩提及涅槃名至果。果中有菩提智果及涅槃斷果，所以說二。今欲具說始終、總攝因果，故有三文也。又度五百由旬至佛者，譬意具三：一惡道、二好路、三寶所。合譬亦三：一發菩提心，謂度惡道；二行菩薩行，如平坦好路；三得佛道，如至寶所也。

Answer: It necessarily requires three passages for the meaning to be complete. Reaching bodhicitta refers to reaching the cause; reaching bodhi and nirvāṇa is called reaching the fruit. Within the fruit, there is the fruit of knowledge, which is bodhi, and the fruit of eradication, which is nirvāṇa, and this is why two are stated. Now, wishing to explain both the beginning and the end in full and to subsume completely both cause and fruit, there are three passages. Furthermore, as for crossing the five hundred yojanas to reach the Buddha, the meaning of the parable comprises three: first, the evil road; second, the good path; third, the place of jewels. Matching the parable also has three: first, arousing the bodhicitta is called crossing the evil road; second, practicing the bodhisattva practices is like the level and good path; third, attaining the Buddha path is like reaching the place of jewels.