妙法蓮華經玄贊 6.369

6.369

贊曰：此牒權中餘四久事。中途既遇我，我極諳委，世世從我所教化故。由此諳憶自他兩名。「昔住本城」者，中途逢時還教大乘。故舍利弗脩行經六十劫方退就小，中間許時逢教大乘，故我住本城。「懷憂推覓」者，慈悲深故如似懷憂。見不肯脩大乘，方便化以二乘；彼雖得果，慈悲深故復示其大，而彼不悕。如是種種名為推覓。

Commentary: This recounts the remaining four long events during the provisional teachings. Having met me midway, I was extremely familiar with him, because he had been taught and transformed by me across successive lifetimes. Because of this, I intimately remembered both names—my own and his. As for 'formerly dwelling in the original city': when meeting him midway, I again taught him the Mahāyāna. Therefore, Śāriputra cultivated practices for sixty kalpas before falling back to the small; during this interval, he met me and was taught the Mahāyāna; hence, 'I dwelled in the original city.' 'Sought him with anxiety': because of deep compassion, it was as if filled with anxiety. Seeing that he was unwilling to cultivate the Mahāyāna, he expediently transformed him by means of the two vehicles; although he attained the fruit, because of deep compassion, he again showed him the great, but he did not aspire to it. Such diverse ways are called 'seeking him.'