四明尊者教行錄 3.54

3.54

Answer: 'Retain' means intentionally retain, not that their contemplative power is insufficient to proceed with cutting them off. Why is this? Because bodhisattvas of this teaching have already subdued defilements and conformed to principle at the stage of the nature and the stage of the eight persons, and they practice the six perfections everywhere on behalf of all sentient beings, bringing both merit and wisdom to ultimate completion in all activities. It is like a bodhisattva of the Tripiṭaka [teaching] who, within middle forbearance, practices for three incalculable eons and arrives at the stage of doing what is to be done; he naturally accords with the ultimate truth, and it is certain that the manifestations of both main [defilements] and residual traces are removed—just as with the thirty-four minds, what impediment could there be? It is merely because their resolve to save sentient beings is vast and the time needed to purify the land is long that they support themselves with vows and compassion, retaining them in order to moisten rebirth and transform beings. The reason they must retain residual traces is that, lacking the true substance of the wondrous response, they use these as the basis for receiving a body. Therefore, the Miaoxuan says: 'The shared teaching also admits of having a response body, but it is merely an intentional supernatural power; with the body turned to ashes and consciousness extinguished, there is no permanently abiding basis—on what basis could a response arise?' This serves as reliable proof.