涅槃經遊意 1.19

1.19

開覆之義，具通今昔。昔開凡覆聖，今開聖覆凡。但昔覆名，今開稱。所以爾者，初為緣未堪，不得說是聖，但得說是凡，則凡覆聖。今始得說道：我本是聖人，以聖開凡。故前覆，今道開也。

The meaning of revealing and concealing fully applies to both the past and the present. In the past, the ordinary was revealed and the noble was concealed; now, the noble is revealed and the ordinary is concealed. But in the past it was concealing in name, and now it is revealing in designation. Why is this? Initially, because the capacities of the conditioned beings were not yet adequate, one could not say he was a noble one, but could only say he was an ordinary person; thus the ordinary concealed the noble. Only now can it be stated: "I was originally a noble one," revealing the ordinary by means of the noble. Therefore, previously it was concealing, and now it is said to be revealing.