Hereafter is shown the meaning of three things [concerning the great assembly]. It should be known that these [three] are: 1) the meaning of fixedness, 2) the meaning of doubt, and 3) the meaning of doubt that is based on a certain event.

Regarding “the meaning of fixedness,” there are disciples who through the expedient means [of the tathāgatas] have obtained a profound Dharma to be realized, and they have become fixed in resolve. And there are those in the path of the disciples who have attained the realization of an expedient nirvana. These two types of Dharma as realization illustrate the Dharma as conditioned and as unconditioned. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra:

At that time in the great assembly there were disciples, arhats [who were free of depravities, beginning with Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya, twelve thousand in all, monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who had set out to become disciples or self-enlightened buddhas. Each of them thought, “Why has the Buddha so wholeheartedly praised expedient means and said, ‘The Dharma that the buddhas have attained is profound and difficult to comprehend. The import of what they say is difficult to understand. None of the disciples or self-enlightened buddhas are capable of knowing it.’ As long as the Buddha taught the meaning of one emancipation, I thought I had also] attained that Dharma and reached nirvana.”

“The meaning of doubt” refers to all the disciples, self-enlightened buddhas, and so on who became doubtful because they could not understand. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra, “now we do not understand the import of this meaning.”

“The meaning of doubt that is based on a certain event” means [those in the assembly] became doubtful when they heard the Tathāgata say, “The emancipation of the disciples is neither different nor distinct from my emancipation.” The skeptics became doubtful about the reason [for this statement], saying “What is this all about?” Since the Tathāgata uses various [means] to explain his profound realm, the profundity of what he explains in the beginning is different from the profundity of what he explains in the end. This is why they became doubtful. Just as it says in the Lotus Sutra:

At that time Śāriputra, being aware of the doubt in the minds of those in the fourfold assembly, [and being in doubt himself, addressed the Buddha saying, “O Blessed one! What is the cause and what is the reason for your wholehearted praise of the foremost expedient means of the buddhas and their profound and subtle Dharma that is difficult to understand? Never before have I heard the Buddha say anything like this. Now the fourfold assembly is in doubt. Please, O Blessed One, explain this matter. O Blessed One! Why have you so wholeheartedly praised this profound and subtle Dharma that is difficult to understand?” Thereupon, Śāriputra, wanting to further explain what he meant,] spoke these verses.