妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.274

2.274

此依本位總名四眾，彼說發心並名菩薩。又此舉劣者但言四眾，彼舉勝眾故言菩薩。下頌中云「爾時四部眾乃至是事何因緣」，故知影顯。如經說八子以為眾成，舉勝者故。又彼實是菩薩化言四眾，報身化故；此實是四眾，化身化故。

Here, based on their fundamental status, they are collectively called the "four assemblies"; there, speaking in terms of generating the mind [for awakening], they are all called "bodhisattvas." Moreover, here it mentions the lesser ones and thus only speaks of the "four assemblies"; there it brings up the superior assembly and thus speaks of "bodhisattvas." Below in the verse it says: "At that time, the fourfold assembly […] for what cause and reason has this matter [occurred]?" Therefore, we know that one implies the other. Just as the sūtra speaks of the eight sons as the "accomplishment of the assembly," this is because it mentions the superior ones. Furthermore, those [in the past] were truly bodhisattvas, but expediently spoken of as four assemblies because they were transformed by a saṃbhogakāya; these [in the present] are truly four assemblies because they are transformed by a nirmāṇakāya.