法華玄論 3.27

3.27

Next, it was said that the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa is the wheel of Dharma of suppression and exaltation, which praises ordinary persons as capable of turning around, but condemns śrāvakas as having ruined roots. We assess this: this is also not so. The commentator, explaining the "Chapter on Māra's Deeds" in the Prajñāpāramitā, says: "It is like a foolish dog that does not seek food from the master, but begs from a servant." The dog is the śrāvaka. The master refers to the Mahāyāna teaching. The servant is the Hīnayāna scriptures. Although the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa abases them as having ruined roots, it does not go as far as the Prajñāpāramitā's suppressing them as foolish dogs; thus the statement regarding suppression and exaltation is also an erroneous assertion. Furthermore, the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra says: "Yet formerly, before the bodhisattvas, he reviled the śrāvakas who took pleasure in small teachings; however, the Buddha was actually teaching and transforming them with the Great Vehicle." This points precisely to the Prajñāpāramitā as performing suppression and exaltation, not to the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa as performing censure and praise. Moreover, the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa scolds both great and small alike; why say it suppresses the small and exalts the great?