[I]t says in the Lotus Sutra, “O Śāriputra! All the buddhas, the Blessed Ones, appear in the world for just one great purpose and reason.” The four meanings of “one great purpose” should be well understood. What are these four?

1. The meaning of that which is unsurpassed indicates [that the tathāgatas appear in the world to show that] there is nothing else [to achieve] but the omniscient knowledge solely of the tathāgatas. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra, “[The tathāgatas] appear in the world because they want to reveal the insight of the buddhas in order to purify the knowledge of living beings.” “The insight of the buddhas” means the tathāgatas are able to realize the profound truth with their knowledge of true reality.
2. The meaning of sameness indicates [that the tathāgatas appear in the world to manifest] the equality of the absolute body of the disciples, the self-enlightened buddhas, and the buddhas. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra, “[The tathāgatas] appear in the world because they want to manifest the insight of the buddhas to living beings.” “Equality of the absolute body” means that the absolute body and the buddha-nature are undifferentiated.
3. The meaning of what is not known indicates [that the tathāgatas appear in the world to manifest what is not known] to all the disciples, self-enlightened buddhas, and others who are not able to know the real basis [of the tathāgatas]. “Not able to know the real basis” means they do not understand that there is only the ultimate, unique buddha vehicle. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra, “[The tathāgatas] appear in the world because they want to enlighten living beings about the insight of the buddhas.”
4. The meaning of wanting to cause [living beings] to realize an irreversible stage indicates that [the tathāgatas appear in the world because they] want to give countless acts of knowledge. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra, “[The tathāgatas] appear in the world because they want to make living beings enter the insight of the buddhas.”

Furthermore, “to make manifest” means that [the tathāgatas] want to cause all those bodhisattvas with doubts to know a practice in accordance with the truth. Also, “to make enlightened” means to cause those who have not yet produced the thought of enlightenment to produce it, and to cause those who have already produced it to enter the truth (Dharma). Moreover, “to cause to realize” means to cause those who are following heretical systems to produce realization. Also, “to cause to enter” means to cause living beings who have attained the fruits of the Small Vehicle of the disciples to enter enlightenment.

Hereafter is shown an explanation of four things [regarding the Tathāgata]. It should be known that these [four] are: 1) [the Tathāgata’s] fixed resolve, 2) the reason for the prediction, 3) taking the prediction, and 4) giving the prediction.

The Tathāgata’s Determination

For what purpose is [the Tathāgata’s] “fixed resolve”? It eliminates the dread of those who have produced the feeling of dread. Thus it is used to benefit the two types of people. This is why the Tathāgata has “fixed resolve.” The five types of dread should be known:

1. The “dread of loss” refers to those of the Small Vehicle who take what they have heard as the truth, criticizing [and denying the existence of] the Great Vehicle. They think, “The Tathāgata has said the fruit of arhatship is the ultimate nirvana. I have completely apprehended such a nirvana.” Thus, this is the dread that the arhats have not entered nirvana.
2. The “dread of excessive toil” refers to those of the Great Vehicle who upon hearing about the extreme duration, which extends through numbers of world-ages, and the various difficult practices of the bodhisattva path, produce this thought: “The path of the buddhas is extremely long. For countless, immeasurable world-ages I will be carrying out the bodhisattva practice and undergoing great hardship for a long time.” Thinking of this, they feel dread. Therefore they produce the thought of taking up a different vehicle.
3. The “dread of biased views” refers to [the fear of] consciousness that discriminates the various forms of “I” and “mine,” that the body and self are real, and that [wholesome] factors are unwholesome.
4. The “dread of regret” refers to [those like] Venerable Śāriputra who gave rise to the thought “I should not have practiced or realized the way of the Small Vehicle.” Having recognized the compulsion for this regret, there is the feeling of dread.

5. The “dread of being deceived” refers to the arrogant disciples who think, “Why has the Tathāgata deceived us?” It is such a dread as this. Regarding the reason for the prediction, it says in the Lotus Sutra:

   Stop, Śāriputra, I will speak no further. If I explain this, all those in the world—the living beings, the heavenly beings, and others—will become frightened.

The elucidation of his reason [for not giving an explanation] – that all beings will become frightened – has three purposes: 1) [the Tathāgata] wants to make those in the great assembly think about and seek his profound and subtle realm; 2) [the Tathāgata] wants to make those in the great assembly feel respectful and completely wish to hear what he will explain; 3) [the Tathāgata] wants to cause the arrogant disciples to depart from the religious gathering.