法華玄論 4.9

4.9

Answer: Regarding "converging the three into the one," there are the convergence of teachings, the convergence of practices, and the convergence of people. As for the convergence of teachings: in the past, expounding the teachings of the three vehicles and five vehicles was entirely to reveal the one path; since the path expressed is one, the teachings expressing it are likewise without duality, so all teachings are named the Mahāyāna teaching. As for the convergence of practices: that which you all practice is the bodhisattva path. When the Tathāgata in the past spoke of three practices, it was to direct them toward the one path that he caused them to cultivate the three practices. Since the expected path is without duality, how could the practices that tend toward it be threefold? As for the convergence of people: the Tathāgata's appearance in the world was fundamentally to teach bodhisattvas, not to teach other people. Since the practice of the three kinds of persons is itself the bodhisattva path, those people capable of practicing it all become bodhisattvas; hence the text says: "It is only to teach bodhisattvas; there are no śrāvaka disciples." However, converging the teachings pertains precisely to a single time, whereas converging the practices and people extends far so as to bring them to buddhahood.