大般涅槃經集解 20.18

20.18

案僧亮曰：眾生煩惱偏發，如來應之，亦有偏教斷其偏惑令會中道。若聞偏說，謂佛性變異也。僧宗曰：第四意也。醫即佛也，若常病者，為說偏教；若斷病者，為說圓教；乃至三毒不同，亦說三藥以治之也。寶亮曰：第四與佛作譬。如彼良醫善知病源，則應病消息也。

Sengliang comments: When sentient beings' defilements manifest in a one-sided manner, the Tathāgata responds to them, also providing partial teachings to cut off their one-sided delusions and cause them to meet the Middle Way. If one hears a partial teaching, one thinks that the buddhadhātu undergoes change. Sengzong comments: The fourth point. The physician is the Buddha: for those with the disease of permanence, he teaches the partial teaching; for those with the disease of annihilation, he teaches the complete teaching; and according to the differences among the three poisons, he also teaches three medicines to treat them. Baoliang comments: The fourth provides a simile for the Buddha. Just as that skilled physician well knows the source of the illness, he takes measures according to the illness.