瑜伽論記 18.553

18.553

影像事者，謂說乳酪乃至醍醐等喻佛性。影像相似舉其勝人故也。又以世間七種河中等者，謂涅槃經中前生死河中七種眾生，後明涅槃河中亦有七人，顯正法中七種人也。一、常沒；二、暫出還沒；三、世已即住；四、出已遍觀四方；五、遍觀已行；六、行已復住；七、水陸俱行，廣釋如彼。

Regarding 'reflective image matters': this refers to using milk, curd, up to ghee, and so on as metaphors for the buddha-nature. An image is an approximation, used to evoke the superior person. Furthermore, regarding 'like the seven kinds of beings in the worldly river and so on': in the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, it first explains seven kinds of sentient beings in the river of saṃsāra, and later clarifies that there are also seven kinds of persons in the river of nirvāṇa, revealing the seven kinds of persons within the true Dharma: first, those constantly submerged; second, those who emerge briefly and submerge again; third, those who emerge and remain; fourth, those who, having emerged, look all around in the four directions; fifth, those who, having looked all around, proceed; sixth, those who, having proceeded, stop again; seventh, those who travel on both water and land; the detailed explanation is as found in that text.