法華玄論 8.125

8.125

答：舍那直說一乘，明頓度法門，直令菩薩度於五百也。釋迦初三後一，具漸頓義。昔已令諸子度三百，今復令度二百，謂漸度；若為始發心菩薩說《法華經》，即令頓度也。

Answer: Vairocana directly speaks of the one vehicle, clarifying the doctrinal gateway of sudden crossing, directly causing bodhisattvas to cross the five hundred. Śākyamuni initially has the three and later the one, possessing both gradual and sudden meanings. In the past he already caused his children to cross three hundred, and now he further causes them to cross two hundred, which is gradual crossing; if he speaks the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra for bodhisattvas who are first arousing their resolve, he causes them to cross suddenly.