四明尊者教行錄 4.53

4.53

答：若論作善惡因招苦樂報，乃由眾生，非關於佛。若約用苦樂事折攝眾生，乃由佛現，不關眾生。良由宜用苦治方受化者，諸佛即為作之。如先王制刑，豈欲以苦加於百姓？蓋至仁也。諸佛亦爾，為折攝故，而強現之。又苦樂之國眾生雖居，不得自在。諸佛於茲而能轉變，故云由佛。又佛是生家之佛，生是佛家之生，故云眾生心中諸佛念念證真，諸佛心內眾生新新作業。故知論生則一時屬生，舉佛則一時屬佛。以是義故，故經云今此三界皆是我有，其中眾生悉是吾子也。

Answer: If we discuss creating good and evil causes that incur retributions of suffering and joy, that is indeed due to sentient beings and does not concern the Buddha. But if we consider using matters of suffering and joy to subdue and embrace sentient beings, that is manifested by the Buddha and does not concern sentient beings. Truly, because those who should be cured through suffering are only then able to receive transformation, the Buddhas enact it for them. Just as former kings established punishments, was it that they wished to inflict suffering on the common people? It was out of supreme benevolence! The Buddhas are also like this: for the sake of subduing and embracing, they forcefully manifest it. Furthermore, although sentient beings dwell in lands of suffering and joy, they do not attain mastery therein. The Buddhas can transform them in this regard; hence it is said to be due to the Buddha. Moreover, the Buddha is the Buddha of sentient beings, and sentient beings are the sentient beings of the Buddha. Thus it is said that within the minds of sentient beings, the Buddhas thought-moment by thought-moment realize reality; within the minds of the Buddhas, sentient beings afresh and anew create karma. From this we know that if we discuss sentient beings, everything at that moment belongs to sentient beings; if we bring up the Buddha, everything at that moment belongs to the Buddha. By this principle, the sūtra therefore says: 'Now this triple world is entirely my possession, and the sentient beings within it are all my children.'