維摩經略疏 1.74

1.74

問：若爾，何得《大論》云「隨俗說我」？答：三教隨情，豈非隨俗？若圓教明我即是佛性，非隨俗也。三教我聞並約耳根；圓教明我，我即是聞。以點色性說真我故，離法性外無別能聞耳也。用教約諸經明我多少，如前可知。

Question: If so, why does the Dàzhìdù lùn state that "the self is spoken of in accordance with worldly convention"? Answer: The three teachings conform to sentient beings' dispositions—how could that not be conforming to worldly convention? As for the Perfect Teaching, its explanation of the self is precisely the buddha-nature, not conformity to worldly convention. In the three teachings, "I hear" is discussed purely in terms of the auditory faculty; in the Perfect Teaching's explanation of the self, the self is itself hearing. Because the true self is spoken of by pointing to the nature of form, apart from the Dharma-nature there is no separate ear that is capable of hearing. How the teachings are used to analyze the presence or absence of the self in the various sūtras can be understood as described above.