四明尊者教行錄 3.76

3.76

答：所判二經俱是醍醐，蓋有兩番次第熟脫。若云《法華》是醍醐者，即初番熟脫，八千聲聞無量損生菩薩等是也。若云《般若》出《涅槃》者，謂鈍根之人於法華不入，更用《般若》洮汰，方至《涅槃》，即後番熟脫，五千起去人天被移等是也。雖有兩番，初番為正。故荊溪云：《法華》已開，功非彼得；大陣既破，餘黨不難也。

Answer: That both sūtras are judged to be ghee is because there are two successive rounds of ripening and liberating. When it is said that the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka is ghee, this refers to the initial round of ripening and liberating, which includes the eight thousand śrāvakas and the immeasurable bodhisattvas who reduce lifetimes. When it is said that from Prajñā emerges Nirvāṇa, it means that persons of dull faculties who did not enter at the Lotus [assembly] are further scoured with Prajñā before arriving at Nirvāṇa; this refers to the later round of ripening and liberating, which includes the five thousand who stood up and departed, the humans and devas who were relocated, and so forth. Although there are two rounds, the initial round is the primary one. Therefore, Jingxi said: 'The Lotus has already opened [them], so the achievement is not gained by that [Nirvāṇa]; once the great army is defeated, the remaining faction poses no difficulty.'