四分律行事鈔資持記 2.1561

2.1561

次科，上二句示優劣。言作持者，作即行心起護，通該二持。（舊以作持一行釋者，為名誤也。）謂取作心比校，故有三品優劣；善心為上，不善為中，無記非業為下。若下，會同。以三心約業，優劣乃珠；二持就制，順教無異。

In the next subsection, the first two lines demonstrate superiority and inferiority. What is meant by 'active maintenance' (zuochi) is that action (zuo) means the practicing mind generates protection, which comprehensively encompasses both maintenances. (The old interpretation treating it as the single practice of active maintenance was mistaken due to the name.) It means taking the active mind and comparing it, hence there are three grades of superiority and inferiority: a wholesome mind is superior, an unwholesome one is intermediate, and the morally neutral, not being karma, is inferior. 'If...' below reconciles them: because the three minds are considered in terms of karma, superiority and inferiority are indeed different; but as the two maintenances are considered in terms of prohibition, they do not differ in conforming to the teaching.