法華玄論 8.158

8.158

次明位。若例四依，應起自內凡通乎十地是其人位。但於初依自有師資之別，此自明依止之位。今就弘化分之，外凡已上皆法師位也。次約階品，如《涅槃．四依品》明有九人。初人於熙連河沙佛所發心，亦得不謗，未能信樂。次一恒河沙佛所發心，得信樂，而未能受持讀誦。二恒河沙佛所發心，能受持讀誦，未能為人說。三恒河沙佛所發心，能為人說，而不解義。四恒河沙人，十六分中解一分義。五恒沙人，十六分中解八分義。六恒沙人，十六分中解十二分義。七恒沙人，解十四分義。八恒河沙人，具解十六分義。此九品人，前四人既無解，是弟子位，非師也；後五品人既有解義，屬法師位也。此五人合為四依人，即初依人。又通而為論，三十心位俱皆是法師也。十地菩薩念念化人，皆是法師。自有優劣，如九地得十種四無礙，為大法師也。

Next is clarifying the stages. If compared to the four refuges, it should begin from internal ordinary beings and extend throughout the ten stages as the stages of these persons. However, in the first refuge there is already the distinction between teacher and disciple; this clarifies the stage of taking refuge. Now, distinguishing them according to propagation and transformation, from external ordinary beings on up are all stages of dharma masters. Next, with respect to levels, as clarified in the 'Chapter on the Four Refuges' in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, there are nine persons. The first person generates the aspiration in the presence of buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Hiraṇyavatī River and also does not slander, yet cannot have faith and joy. The next person generates the aspiration in the presence of buddhas as numerous as the sands of one Gaṅgā River, and attains faith and joy, but cannot receive, uphold, read, or recite. The person of two Gaṅgā sands generates the aspiration and can receive, uphold, read, and recite, but cannot speak for others. The person of three Gaṅgā sands generates the aspiration and can speak for others, but does not understand the meaning. The person of four Gaṅgā sands understands one sixteenth of the meaning. The person of five Gaṅgā sands understands eight sixteenths of the meaning. The person of six Gaṅgā sands understands twelve sixteenths of the meaning. The person of seven Gaṅgā sands understands fourteen sixteenths of the meaning. The person of eight Gaṅgā sands completely understands sixteen sixteenths of the meaning. Among these nine grades of persons, because the first four persons have no understanding, they are in the stage of disciples, not teachers; because the latter five grades of persons have understanding of the meaning, they belong to the stage of dharma masters. These five persons combined are the persons of the four refuges, namely the persons of the first refuge. Furthermore, speaking generally, the stages of the thirty minds are all dharma masters. Bodhisattvas of the ten stages transform people in every thought-moment; all are dharma masters. They naturally have superior and inferior; for example, the ninth stage attains the ten kinds of four unobstructed knowledges and is a great dharma master.