法華玄論 5.23

5.23

Answer: Looking back at the past three, the Buddha has two meanings: First, speaking in terms of the teaching, he directly stated the three vehicles without saying that the three are skillful means and moreover serve as gates to the true mark; this is the meaning of the Buddha's own closing. Second, in terms of the Buddha's original intention of preaching the teaching of the three in order to penetrate the one, the three are for the Buddha indeed the gate to the one vehicle. Discussed in terms of conditions (sentient capacities), there are also two meanings: if due to the three one awakens to the one, then for the conditioned capacity the three are a gate; for those who do not awaken to the one, the three are for the conditioned capacity not a gate.