維摩經玄疏 4.39

4.39

Third, clarifying the grading of the stages of the perfect teaching by the Tripiṭaka teaching: the pure, stainless stage of a successor in the Tripiṭaka is only equal to the fifth grade among the five grades of disciples in the perfect teaching, and its Buddha ground is equal to the stage of the initial arousal of the mind among the ten abodes. Such is the primary meaning; secondarily speaking, there are mutual superiorities and inferiorities: that the Tripiṭaka Buddha has exhausted both primary defilements and residual habits makes them equal; that he does not clearly see the buddha-nature or sever ignorance makes him inferior. Therefore the Avataṃsaka Sūtra praises the bodhisattva of the stage of the initial arousal of the mind, saying: "Upon first arousing the mind, one already surpasses Muni."