佛祖統紀 1.69

1.69

The preface states: When the sage Tathāgata favorably appeared in the world, there was necessarily the marvel of lowering the origin to project the traces, and opening the traces to reveal the origin. Now, the "origin" refers to the Dharmakāya. The "traces" refer to the eight aspects [of the Buddha's life] (the meaning is seen in the Shiqian). From the Dharmakāya the eight aspects are projected; through the eight aspects the Dharmakāya is revealed. Origin and traces interpenetrate, both being inconceivable. Were it not for the Lotus Sūtra's teaching of opening the near to reveal the distant and opening the traces to reveal the origin, it would be impossible to understand this principle deeply. Therefore, I comprehensively set forth the eight aspects and separately narrate the five periods, widely citing various sūtras to harmonize and return them to the One Reality, in order to clarify the significance of the beginning and end of the teaching events throughout his single lifetime. Thus, whether origin or trace, nothing remains obscured.