摩訶止觀 9.19

9.19

又雖有應生之善，必假威神方乃開發。地雖有種，非日不芽；佛無憎愛，隨緣普益。若次第緣即次第加，乃至事修緣即事加。鴻鍾任擊，巨細由桴。加常平等，淺深聽習。《大論》云：「池華不得日，翳死無疑；善不被加，沈溺未顯。」《淨度經》云：「眾生自度耳，佛於其無益。淨度菩薩言：『眾生若不聞佛十二部經，云何得度？』」二言相乖，共成一意，是名「外緣發」也。

Furthermore, although there is goodness that ought to arise, it must depend on awe-inspiring spiritual power before it unfolds. Although the earth has seeds, without the sun they will not sprout; the Buddha has neither hatred nor love, and universally benefits according to conditions. If the condition is sequential, the empowerment is sequential, up to phenomenal cultivation conditions bringing phenomenal empowerment. When a great bell is struck at will, whether the sound is loud or small depends on the mallet. The empowerment is always equal; the shallow and deep depend on one's practice. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: 'If lotus flowers in a pond do not receive the sun, they will undoubtedly wither and die; if goodness is not empowered, it sinks and remains unmanifest.' The Jingdu jing says: 'Sentient beings cross over by themselves; the Buddha provides no benefit to them. The Bodhisattva Jingdu said: "If sentient beings do not hear the Buddha's twelve divisions of scripture, how can they cross over?"' The two statements appear contradictory, but together they establish a single meaning. This is called 'arising from external conditions.'