法華玄論 9.183

9.183

答：就三世分者，若過去久習無所得觀，觀強而煩惱弱者，於過去值釋迦得了悟，名為上根。二者於過去習無所得觀，觀弱而煩惱小強，故值惡知識流浪五趣，乃至漸習善根，今日釋迦出世，從初生至聞說《法華》皆得領悟，名為中根也。若過去習善弱而煩惱強，亦流浪五趣，然後稍習善根，感釋迦出世，從初生乃至法華歷聞諸教不悟，至涅槃唱滅方得悟解，如此之人名為下根也。然〈譬喻〉但明後之二人。就前法說中明過去久已成佛、導利眾生，如千世界涌出菩薩等，皆是釋迦過去化得之，名上根人也。

Answer: Distinguished in terms of the three times: if in the past one practiced the contemplation of non-acquisition for a long time, so that contemplation was strong and afflictions were weak, encountering Śākyamuni in the past and attaining awakening, one is called of superior capacity. Second, if in the past one practiced the contemplation of non-acquisition, but contemplation was weak and afflictions were somewhat strong, so that encountering bad spiritual companions one drifted through the five destinies, and only then gradually cultivated roots of goodness, so that when Śākyamuni appears in the world today, from his initial birth up to hearing the preaching of the Lotus Sūtra one attains awakening, one is called of middling capacity. If in the past one's cultivation of goodness was weak and afflictions were strong, and one also drifted through the five destinies, and afterwards only slightly cultivated roots of goodness, so that when responding to Śākyamuni's appearance in the world, from his initial birth through the Lotus Sūtra one sequentially hears the various teachings without awakening, and only upon reaching the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] when he proclaims extinction does one attain awakening and comprehension—such a person is called of inferior capacity. However, the "Parable Chapter" only explains the latter two kinds of people. In the preceding doctrinal exposition it explains that having accomplished Buddhahood long ago in the past, he guided and benefited sentient beings; those such as the bodhisattvas welling up out of the earth from a thousand worlds were all transformed and gained by Śākyamuni in the past, and are called people of superior capacity.