瑜伽師地論略纂 6.142

6.142

「或復建立初、中、上士聲相差別」者，若依後俗，底彥多聲有十八囀，非世所用。此言三類，上、中、下士各有三聲，如小兒為下士，未有所識，不知自他有善有惡，但汎出聲；如號號之士名中士，唯見他有善惡，而不知；廣達之士名上士，唯內自省，應作而作，不應作而不作。此三士聲各目一體、二體、多體，三積成九。今言初、中、上士，即三種八轉中各有三故。

"Or furthermore establishing the distinction of sound-characteristics of superior, middling, and inferior persons": if based on later conventions, tiṅanta verbal sounds have eighteen terminations, which are not used by the world. These three classes mentioned here—superior, middling, and inferior persons—each have three sounds: for example, a small child is an inferior person, not yet having understanding, knowing neither good nor evil in oneself or others, merely emitting sound in general; a clamorous person is a middling person, who only sees good and evil in others but does not know [themselves]; an extensively learned person is a superior person, who only reflects inwardly, doing what ought to be done and not doing what ought not to be done. These sounds of the three persons each denote singular, dual, and plural substances; three times [three] accumulating to make nine. Now, stating superior, middling, and inferior persons means that within each of the three kinds of eight case declensions there are these three.