釋氏要覽 2.248

2.248

小者。簡非大也。謂。如來觀根逗機。方便施設也○文殊問經。文殊白佛言。世尊入涅槃後。未來弟子。云何諸部分別。佛言未來我弟子。有二十部。能令諸法住。並得四果。三藏平等無下中。上譬如海水。味無有異。如人有二十子。真實如來所說。根本二部。從大乘出。從般若波羅蜜出。聲聞。緣覺。諸佛皆從般若波羅蜜多出故。

The 'small' is designated to distinguish it from what is not great. It refers to the Tathāgata observing faculties and according with capacities, establishing it expediently. The Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā-sūtra states: Mañjuśrī addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One, after you enter nirvāṇa, how will future disciples be divided into various schools?' The Buddha said: 'In the future, my disciples will have twenty schools, able to make the Dharmas endure, all attaining the four fruits. The Tripiṭakas will be equal, without lower, middle, or upper, just as seawater does not differ in taste, or as a person having twenty sons. Truly what the Tathāgata has taught, the two root schools, emerges from the Mahāyāna and emerges from the prajñāpāramitā. This is because śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and all Buddhas emerge from the prajñāpāramitā.'