法華玄論 8.74

8.74

Someone says: There are only two kinds of saṃsāra, as explained in the Śrīmālādevī-sūtra. But here, three hundred illustrates the three realms, four hundred illustrates the seventh stage—the space between the two lands being difficult to traverse—and five hundred illustrates the eighth stage and above. Appraising this: The sūtras explain that the seventh stage is difficult to traverse, which discusses ease and difficulty within the bodhisattva Dharma itself; how could this be used to convert persons of the two vehicles? Furthermore, if four hundred illustrates the seventh stage, then three hundred should illustrate the sixth stage, and then the two vehicles would again be equal in merit to the sixth stage.