摩訶止觀 6.143

6.143

通教位者，人多執經云：「八地修出假；或六地、七地斷結與羅漢齊，方修出假。」此一途之說，必不全爾。但佛為三根分別。下根斷惑盡，方能出假。佛於《法華》中破其取涅槃心，勸發無上道、起方便慧。二乘既然，極鈍菩薩亦應同此說。今判此為下根耳。中根者，斷見惑已，生死少寬，思任運斷。第二地名菩薩神通，從此已去即能入假。上根者，初心聞慧即能體達見思即空，已為眾生作依止處，何須七地方出假耶？

Regarding ranks in the shared teaching, many people cling to sūtras saying: 'Emerging into the provisional is cultivated on the eighth stage; or on the sixth or seventh stage, where severance of fetters equals that of an arhat, only then does one cultivate emerging into the provisional.' This is merely one line of exposition, and certainly not entirely so. The Buddha merely made distinctions for three faculties. Only when those of inferior faculties have severed delusions completely can they emerge into the provisional. In the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha shattered their intention to grasp nirvāṇa, exhorting them to generate the aspiration for the unsurpassed path and give rise to expedient wisdom. If this is so for the two vehicles, extremely dull bodhisattvas should also accord with this exposition. Now this is judged to be merely for inferior faculties. For those of middling faculties, having severed the delusions of view, birth and death are somewhat relaxed, and thought [delusions] are severed naturally. The second stage is named the bodhisattva's supernatural powers; from this point onward, they can immediately enter the provisional. For those of superior faculties, at the initial mind, their wisdom gained through hearing is already able to realize that views and thoughts are identical with emptiness, and they already serve as a refuge for sentient beings; why would they need the seventh stage before emerging into the provisional?