大般涅槃經義記 6.58

6.58

下次却廣第五門中若善知識，彼善知識有其三品：一下品知識，知而不見，謂從種性乃至九地諸菩薩等，知一切生皆有佛性，雖復知之，而為煩惱覆蔽己心不能得見；二中品知識，所謂十住諸菩薩等知諸眾生皆有佛性，見不明了，如夜所見，喻以顯之；三上品知識，謂佛如來見一切生皆有佛性，見之了了。

Next, it turns back to extensively explain the fifth gate, good spiritual friends. Those good spiritual friends are of three grades: first, lower-grade spiritual friends, who know but do not see, referring to the various bodhisattvas from the gotra-bhūmi up to the ninth ground, who know that all sentient beings possess buddha-nature; although they know it, because afflictions cover their minds, they are unable to see it; second, middle-grade spiritual friends, namely, the various bodhisattvas of the ten abodes, who know that all sentient beings possess buddha-nature, but their seeing is not distinct, like seeing at night—this is revealed by metaphor; third, upper-grade spiritual friends, referring to the buddhas, the Tathāgatas, who see that all sentient beings possess buddha-nature, seeing it clearly and distinctly.