大通方廣懺悔滅罪莊嚴成佛經 2.4

2.4

At that time, the Bodhisattva *Śraddhāpratibhāna addressed the Buddha, saying: "Bhagavat, why are they called the Three Jewels? Do they have one characteristic, two characteristics, or three characteristics? If they have one characteristic, then that is one refuge. If they have three characteristics, then that is three refuges. If they are three refuges, the Buddha and the Dharma have separate substances, and the Saṅgha is likewise. If they are three refuges, sentient beings, perceiving three, will practice the path for a hundred million kalpas without converging upon the One Vehicle. I only pray that the Bhagavat, for the benefit of sentient beings, will explain this to me. When I have heard this, I will also analyze and explain it for sentient beings, so that after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, if there are those who hear it, they will come to abide upon the path to [anuttarā samyak]sambodhi."