天台四教儀 1.14

1.14

第二漸教者（此下三時三味總名為漸），次為三乘根性於頓無益，故不動寂場而游鹿苑，脫舍那珍御之服，著丈六弊垢之衣，示從兜率降下，託摩耶胎。住胎、出胎、納妃、生子，出家苦行。六年已後，木菩提樹下以草為座，成劣應身。初在鹿苑，先為五人說四諦十二因緣事六度等教。若約時，則日照幽谷（第二時）；若約味，則從乳出酪。此從十二部經出九部修多羅（二酪味）。〈信解品〉云：「而以方便密遣二人（聲聞、緣覺），形色憔悴無威德者。汝可詣彼，徐語窮子，雇汝除糞。」此領何義？答：次頓之後說三藏教，二十年中常令除糞，即破見思煩惱等義也。

Second, the gradual teaching (the following three periods and three flavors are collectively called gradual): Next, because those of three-vehicle dispositions gained no benefit from the sudden, [the Buddha], without moving from the bodhimaṇḍa of quiescence, traveled to Mṛgadāva, cast off the precious imperial robes of Rocana, and donned the sixteen-foot-tall tattered and soiled garments, displaying his descent from Tuṣita and entering Māyā's womb. Staying in the womb, emerging from the womb, taking a consort, fathering a son, and leaving home to practice austerities: after six years, beneath the wooden Bodhi tree, using grass as his seat, he perfected the inferior response body. Initially in Mṛgadāva, he first preached for the five men the teachings of the four truths, twelve links of dependent origination, phenomenal six perfections, and so forth. In terms of period, it is the sun illuminating the dark valleys (the second period); in terms of flavor, from milk comes curdled milk—here, from the twelve divisions of scripture come the nine divisions of sūtras (the second, the curdled milk flavor). The 'Belief and Understanding' chapter states: 'And by expedient means he secretly dispatched two men (śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha) whose forms were haggard and devoid of majesty: "You may go there and gently speak to the poor son, hiring you to clear away dung."' What meaning does this convey? The answer is: following the sudden, he preached the Tripiṭaka teaching, constantly having him clear away dung for twenty years, which means shattering the afflictions of views and thought and so on.