摩訶止觀 7.111

7.111

若全無理觀，又無事懺，輒望佛印，希利規名；若佛印者無有是處。若理觀無間，借事破蔽，真實心懺，印有是處。所以須事助道者，如二萬億佛所繫珠。中忘大乘，即不以大化；更六百劫以小起之，令怖畏生死，漸向父舍。故知應借小助大。又佛初欲大化，諸佛不印；若思方便，即稱善哉！如富家子病，應用黃龍湯；父母豈惜好藥？宜強之耳。服已病差。佛有本願，令眾如我，豈惜大乘？事不獲已，逗機對治，助道開門，義亦如是。

If there is entirely no contemplation of principle and also no phenomenal repentance, yet one rashly hopes for the Buddha's seal of certification, coveting profit and planning for fame, if the Buddha were to seal it, that is impossible. If contemplation of principle is uninterrupted, borrowing phenomena to break through veils, repenting with a sincere mind, then the seal is possible. The reason why phenomenal auxiliary aids to the Way are required is like the jewel tied in the presence of two billion Buddhas. Forgetting the Mahāyāna midway, [the Buddha] did not transform them with the Great; for another six hundred eons he aroused them with the Small, causing them to fear birth and death and gradually head toward the father's house. Therefore we know that one should borrow the small to aid the great. Moreover, when the Buddha initially wished to transform with the Great, the Buddhas did not give their seal of certification; when he considered skillful means, they acclaimed, 'Excellent!' It is like the son of a rich family being ill: one should use yellow dragon soup; how could the parents begrudge good medicine? It was suitable to force it upon him. Having taken it, the illness was cured. The Buddha has an original vow to make sentient beings like himself; how could he begrudge the Mahāyāna? When unavoidable, adapting to capacity and applying antidotes, aiding the Way to open the gate—the meaning is also like this.