維摩經玄疏 6.22

6.22

First, clarifying similarities and differences in terms of the shared teaching: what is called 'similarity' is that they all alike enter the one-sided true dharma-nature. What is called 'difference' is that although the three vehicles alike enter the dharma-nature, there is nevertheless a distinction of depth and shallowness, [namely] merely severing the actual defilements, encroaching upon the residual habituations, or exhausting the residual habituations, as distinguished before under the shared teaching: the śrāvaka enters shallowly, merely severing the actual defilements; the pratyekabuddha [enters] somewhat more deeply, encroaching upon and removing the residual habituations; the bodhisattva can exhaust the bottom of dharma-nature, completely exhausting the residual habituations. It is like three beasts crossing a river: although the water is one, the legs of the hare, horse, and elephant are short or long, so their entry into the water is not without the distinction of shallowness and depth. Although the water is one, shallowness and depth differ.