維摩經玄疏 6.130

6.130

二、漸教者，即是五味相生。三藏初門，所說事戒、定，即是從牛出乳。三藏教明生滅四諦，即是從乳出酪。方等大乘最初說無生四諦，無量、無作對破小乘，訶責聲聞樂小法者，即是從酪出生蘇。《摩訶般若》亦說無生四諦，而具明無量四諦，宣說歷劫修行，亦說無作四諦，會小乘法皆是摩訶衍，令聲聞轉教，即是從生蘇出熟蘇。如《法華》說一實無作四諦，為諸聲聞開佛知見，悉受記莂，成大果實，如秋收冬藏，更無所作，即是從熟蘇出醍醐。又，《涅槃經》為諸比丘說三修佛性，一實無作四諦，為諸聲聞開決慧眼，見佛性，安置諸子祕密之藏，亦是從熟蘇出醍醐。故《無量義經》明說《大品》在《法華》前，《大智論》云「《摩訶般若》在《法華》後」，如此明五味之義，與常塗一往似同，細心比並，辨次解義，不相關也。

Second, the gradual teaching refers to the successive generation of the five flavors. The initial gateway of the Tripiṭaka, which expounds phenomenal precepts and samādhi, is extracting milk from the cow. The Tripiṭaka teaching clarifying the four truths of arising and perishing is extracting coagulated milk from milk. The Vaipulya Mahāyāna, in initially expounding the four truths of non-arising and using the immeasurable and unconditioned to refute the Lesser Vehicle and reprimand the śrāvakas who delight in lesser dharmas, is extracting curd from coagulated milk. The Mahāprajñā also expounds the four truths of non-arising and fully clarifies the four truths of the immeasurable, expounding practice across kalpas, and also expounds the four truths of the unconditioned, converging the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle into the Mahāyāna and causing the śrāvakas to transmit the teaching; this is extracting butter from curd. When the Lotus expounds the single real unconditioned four truths, opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision for all śrāvakas, giving them all predictions, and bringing them to maturity in the great fruit—like autumn harvesting and winter storing, with nothing further to be done—this is extracting ghee from butter. Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra expounds the threefold cultivation of buddha-nature and the single real unconditioned four truths for the monks, opening and resolving the eye of wisdom for the śrāvakas so they see buddha-nature, and establishing them in the secret treasury of the sons—this is also extracting ghee from butter. Therefore, the Anantanirdeśa Sūtra clearly states that the Pañcaviṃśati preceded the Lotus, while the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states that 'the Mahāprajñā was after the Lotus.' Clarifying the meaning of the five flavors in this way might appear superficially identical to common interpretations, but if one compares them with careful attention and distinguishes the sequence to understand the meaning, they are completely unrelated.