摩訶止觀 3.181

3.181

又約空為喻者，《發菩提心論》云：「譬如有人見佛法滅，以如來十二部經仰書虛空，宛然具足；一切眾生，無有知者。久久之後，更有一人遊行於空，見經嗟咄：『云何眾生不知不見？』即便寫取，示導眾生。」云何寫經？謂令眾生修八正道，破虛妄等。

As for providing a simile based on emptiness, the *Bodhidittotpādaśāstra* states: 'For example, someone sees that the Buddha-Dharma has perished, and looks upward to write the Tathāgata's twelve divisions of scripture in empty space, distinctly and completely; yet no sentient being knows of it. After a long time, another person traverses space, sees the scripture, and laments: "Why do sentient beings neither know nor see it?" Thereupon he copies it down to show and guide sentient beings.' What does it mean to copy the scripture? It means causing sentient beings to cultivate the eightfold path, shatter falsehood, and so forth.