Ben kenmitsu nikyo^ron; T 2427.77374-381; Comparing Exoteric and Esoteric Discourse， 2 fasc. Ku^kai's 空海 classic work on esoteric thought， composed in 814 CE. Justifying his presentation on the grounds that esotericism remains poorly understood 人末多解 while exotericism has been expounded at length， Ku^kai outlines several differences in the two modes of discourse which may be summarised as follows: 1） the exoteric is characterised by literalism 显 and omission 略逗机， while the esoteric is hidden 密 and final 全. 2） exoteric discourse originates in ostensibly real or historical figures 应身， while esoteric discourse is revealed by universal entities for their own pleasure 自受法乐. 3） "esoteric" refers to the concealed original nature of sentient beings and the inner realization 内证 of the Tatha^gata; "exoteric" refers to the concealment of inner realization in expedient teachings. Ku^kai acknowledges that "esoteric" is a somewhat relative term， so that the Maha^ya^na may be considered esoteric from the standpoint of the Hinaya^na. Furthermore， esoteric notions may be found in earlier texts such as the Da/sabhu^mika 十地经 and in non-Buddhist treatises as well. On the question of whether dhara^n!i^s 陀罗尼 ought to be considered esoteric， since they are often based on exoteric texts， Ku^kai says that they are of esoteric character but are not final like the teaching of the Dharma Embodied 法身. Much of the text is occupied by quotations from a number of sources （T 261， T 360， T 671， T 848， T 861， T 865， T 866， T 867， T 870， T 997， T 1125， T 1509， T 1665， T 1668）.