摩訶止觀 6.142

6.142

若三藏菩薩，初修空狼，伏煩惱羊而不斷結。若斷結者，則無六度功德身肥，是初阿僧祇位也。二僧祇，煩惱脂消，功德轉肥。三僧祇，正入假位，利益眾生。此下根人也。中根二僧祇已伏煩惱，肥六度身，即能化物，豈待三耶？上根初發心時為度一切，誓求作佛；因聞他說，心已明解，深識真理；為度他故，不求斷證。心又一轉，我應度他，不應不度；當勤分別一切藥病。何以故？五事重故。如人將兒過險，自既安隱，那得擲兒？雖自知空而不棄捨，是為初心即能入假，不待至二僧祇也。

If it is a bodhisattva of the Tripiṭaka [teaching], in initially cultivating the wolf of emptiness, he subdues the sheep of afflictions but does not sever the fetters. If he were to sever the fetters, his body of merits of the six perfections would not become plump; this is the rank of the first asaṃkhyeya. In the second asaṃkhyeya, the fat of afflictions melts away, and his merits become increasingly plump. In the third asaṃkhyeya, this is properly the rank of entering the provisional to benefit sentient beings. This is a person of inferior faculties. A person of middling faculties has already subdued afflictions in the second asaṃkhyeya and plumped the body of the six perfections, so he can immediately transform beings; why would he wait for the third? When a person of superior faculties first generates the aspiration, it is to liberate all beings, vowing to seek Buddhahood; upon hearing another's exposition, his mind is already clearly understanding and deeply recognizes true reality; for the sake of liberating others, he does not seek personal severance and realization. His mind turns again: 'I ought to liberate others, I should not fail to liberate them; I must diligently distinguish all medicines and illnesses.' Why? Because the five matters are grave. Like a person carrying his child across danger: since he is already secure himself, how could he abandon the child? Although knowing emptiness himself, he does not abandon them; this means that at the initial mind he is already able to enter the provisional, without waiting until the second asaṃkhyeya.