宗鏡錄 96.29

96.29

菴提遮女經偈云。我雖內室中。尊如目前現。仁稱阿羅漢。常隨不能見。釋曰。故知念念釋迦出世。步步彌勒下生。以自業所遮。對面不見。十地尚隔羅縠。二乘可知。

A verse in the *Āmrapālīsūtra* states: / 'Though I am within the inner chambers, / the Honoured One appears before my eyes; / you are called an arhat, / yet though you always follow him, you cannot see him.' / Explanation: Thus we know that in thought after thought Śākyamuni appears in the world, and step by step Maitreya descends to be born. Because they are screened by their own karma, [people] do not see him face to face. Even the ten grounds are separated as if by thin silk gauze; how much more so for the two vehicles!