法華義疏 1.279

1.279

小乘人畏生死苦、速欲證涅槃，不欲廣修諸行，是故不說；菩薩既遍度眾生備修諸行，欲令終身不失、歷劫逾明，故佛為說此法也。總持二義：一、持善令不失；二、持惡使不生。

People of the Hīnayāna fear the suffering of saṃsāra and quickly desire to realize nirvāṇa, having no wish to practice the various deeds extensively; for this reason it is not taught. Bodhisattvas, having universally saved sentient beings and fully practiced all deeds, wish not to lose them throughout life and to have them shine even brighter over successive kalpas; therefore the Buddha taught this dharma for them. Dhāraṇī has two meanings: first, retaining good so that it is not lost; second, checking evil so that it does not arise.