法華玄贊義決 1.3

1.3

Answer: In terms of realizing the principle, it is called sudden awakening; attaining noble status and [then] turning the mind is called gradual awakening. This is superior to those who have not yet attained noble status, because they have not yet awakened to the principle. If one were to call it gradual awakening on the basis of awakening through faith, there are people of determinate lineage for the Mahāyāna who, having never heard the Great [Vehicle], at first hear the Small [Vehicle]; although they do not pursue it, they hear it and have faithful understanding—could that be called gradual awakening? If this faithful understanding is not called gradual awakening, then one who turns the mind before attaining noble status is likewise not [a person of] gradual awakening. If so, for that type [of practitioner] the time of rebirth is determinate and their number of rebirths is not many; why would they not be [persons of] gradual awakening? This too is not so. If one is heading toward the small fruition, rebirth and so forth are already determinate; if one turns toward the Great [Vehicle], the number of rebirths is indeterminate.