法華玄論 9.11

9.11

Answer: To reveal that the body is eternal, it must possess three meanings: first, its essence is without birth and extinction; second, it is solely the one dharmakāya; third, it has fundamentally existed from the beginning. Only when these three gates are complete is the meaning of the eternal consummate. This explains it on the basis of principle. Furthermore, although there are three meanings, they can be compressed into two: when the essence is without birth and extinction and is solely the one dharmakāya, the meaning of the eternal is already manifested; but it is not yet known whether he newly realized the eternal or realized the eternal long ago, which is why the Lifespan is expounded to clarify that he attained buddhahood long ago.