藥師經疏 1.67

1.67

Sūtra: 'This is not within the reach of all... mahāsattvas.' Section 4: Not being within the capacity of the small vehicle. This brings up the fact that people of the two vehicles are unable to believe and understand. Therefore, the second chapter of the Lotus Sūtra says: 'All śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas do not have the capacity for this sūtra, with the sole exception of those bound to one more birth,' like Maitreya and others. This is the general theoretical discourse. Bodhisattvas from the first bhūmi upward each attain nirvikalpa-jñāna, realizing the tathatā-dharmadhātu stage by stage, and believe and understand according to their capacity the fame and merit accomplished by the Buddha. The statement here, 'with the sole exception of those bound to one more birth,' is spoken in terms of the culmination of faith within the causal stages. It is spoken in this way because these bodhisattvas distinctly see the nature within the causal stage, not meaning that everyone outside of those bound to one more birth cannot believe and understand.