Zhiyi divided the contents of the Lotus Sutra into three
parts, two parts, and a combination of the two. He divided
the whole of the scripture into three parts: an introduction
(chapter 1), the core teachings (chapter 2 to the first half of
chapter 17), and a postscript (the last half of chapter 17 to
the end of the work, chapter 28). He also divided the scrip-
ture into two parts (based on the benji shi method, men-
tioned above): The first fourteen chapters constitute the fic-
tive or provisional teachings; the second fourteen chapters
constitute the basic or absolute level of teaching. Here again,
a tripartite analysis is employed against each section. The fic-
tive or provisional teachings are composed of an introduction
(chapter 1), a core teaching (chapters 2 to 6), and a postscript
(chapters 7 to 14). The basic or absolute teachings are simi-
larly divided into the introduction (the first half of chapter
15), the core teaching (latter half of chapter 15 to the first
half of chapter 17), and the postscript (latter half of chapter
17 to the end of the text).
For Zhiyi, the teachings of the first half of the Lotus (the
first fourteen chapters) center around the promise of salva-
tion for all beings. In this section, the Buddha S ́a ̄kyamuni
reveals that the traditionally articulated soteriological paths
(ya ̄nas)—that of the ́sra ̄vaka, or “H ̄ınaya ̄na” devotee, con-
sisting of the teaching and practice of the Four Noble
Truths; the pratyekabuddha, or self-enlightened Buddha,
epitomized by the teaching of dependent origination
(prat ̄ıtya-samutpa ̄da); and the bodhisattva, or Maha ̄ya ̄na
practitioner, characterized by the practice of the “perfec-
tions” (pa ̄ramita ̄s)—are only apparently distinct religious
paths. In fact, the end of each is nothing less than full and
complete Buddhahood; there are not three vehicles to salva-
tion, only one, the ekabuddhaya ̄na, or “One Vehicle of the
Buddha.” This section of the su ̄tra also preaches, according
to Zhiyi, that phenomenal existence is identical with the ab-
solute, and that all dharmas have real and tangible character-
istics.
The second half of the su ̄tra proclaims, however, that
S ́a ̄kyamuni’s very appearance in the world is a mere fiction,
a device employed, so says Zhiyi, by the one, eternal Buddha
to aid in the salvation of all beings. Under this interpretation,
the historical Buddha, indeed all Buddhas of the ten direc-
tions, are nothing more than emanations of this one Buddha,
and their earthly careers—the paradigmatic sequence of
birth, renunciation of family life, cultivation of ascetic
practices, even the enlightenment and final nirva ̄n:a
(parinirva ̄n:a)—mere elements in a great soteriological drama
designed to reveal the Dharma to sentient beings. For this
reason, Zhiyi termed the teachings of the first half of the text
provisional; only the latter half constitutes the full revelation
of absolute truth.
All subsequent Tiantai writings having the words wen-
zhu in their titles employ the fourfold exegetical method de-
scribed here.
Miaofa lianhua jing xuanyi. The second of the major
works of Zhiyi, the Miaofa lianhua jing xuanyi, is primarily
an exegesis of the five words in the title of the su ̄tra from five
points of view. The exegetical method of this commentary
is thus called the “five types of profound principles”
(wuzhong xuanyi). These five exegetical categories character-
ize all subsequent Tiantai writings having the term xuanyi in
their titles and were used to analyze all Buddhist scripture,
not merely the Lotus. The first explains the name of the su ̄tra
(shiming); the second is a detailed analysis of its philosophy,
a philosophy that may not be necessarily expressed in the text
itself (the bienti explanation); the third clarifies important
points expressed in the body of the text (the mingzong expla-
nation); the fourth discusses how the su ̄tra expects persons
to act or to think with respect to the teaching presented
therein (the lunyong explanation); and the fifth evaluates the
su ̄tra and ranks it in relationship to the Absolute teachings
presented in the Lotus (the panjiao explanation). Zhiyi con-
tinues with an explanation of the meditational practice
taught in the Lotus, how the devotee should visualize that the
different characteristics of all dharmas are all in one’s own
mind and that this mind actually (not merely potentially)
possesses all dharmas.
Zhiyi’s specific explanation of the meaning of the word
fa (dharma) derives from the explanation that he learned
from his master Huisi: The word fa includes the aspect of
mind, the Buddha, and sentient beings. All these three are
at once provisional and absolute, a truth that is realized when
the devotee sees that he or she and all other sentient beings
possess the “ten suchnesses” (shi rushi) and the “ten dhar-
madhatus,” or realms of rebirth (shi fajie). Each realm pos-
sesses each of the ten suchnesses for a total of one thousand
characteristics, and each one of these one thousand charac-
teristics are empty (kong), provisionally existent (jia), and
both empty and existent at the same time (zhong). This
threefold characterization is referred to as the “three wis-
doms.”
In the last part of the commentary, Zhiyi refutes various
theories of early Huayan and Weishi (Yoga ̄ca ̄ra) masters. He
also denies the equality, maintained by many, of the Lotus
Sutra and the Huayan jing and refutes the theories of several
early Lotus thinkers.
Mohe zhiguan. The last of the major works of Zhiyi
is the Mohe zhiguan. Unlike the former two works, which
deal primarily with theory and only peripherally with medi-
tation, this work constitutes the core of Tiantai teachings
concerning practice. The text of the Zhiguan was composed
by Zhiyi, but the introduction to the work was written by
Guanding. In it, Guanding speaks of the lineage of Tiantai
meditational practice and teaching. He speaks of two lin-
eages: The first is taken from the Fu fazang jing and posits
a line of transmission that begins with the Buddha
S ́a ̄kyamuni and may be traced to the Indian monk Sim:ha.
This lineage also includes Na ̄ga ̄rjuna. Because it begins with
the “golden mouthed” words of the Buddha it is called the
“golden mouth lineage.” The second lineage is called the
“lineage of contemporary masters”; it traces its origin from
Na ̄ga ̄rjuna, through Huiwen to Huisi, to Zhiyi.9176 TIANTAI