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Tien
Tai Buddhism
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The Patriarch Chih-I
(538-597)
founded the T’ien T’ai school during the Sui dynasty in China. Like
all other Buddhist lineages, the school maintained that enlightenment is
achieved by realizing or seeing one’s inherent Buddha nature. The
school has a history closely tied to the Pure Land school and upholds the
Lotus Sutra as its principle scripture. Chih-I founded this school in order to explain the various teachings of the Buddha. The Buddha taught different teachings in order to suit the different mental dispositions of sentient beings. Therefore, Chih-I clearly made the distinction between the absolute and relative truths in the Buddha’s teachings. The school has three commentaries which include: The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, The Commentary of the Lotus Sutra and the Great Samatha/Vipasyana Commentary which describes the techniques to be used to recognize the Dharmakaya. Three views in which existence can described are: 1) All of existence depends on the existence of other factors, causes and conditions and therefore everything is insubstantial 2) Although phenomena and existence are merely temporary, it does have a real immediate existence that cannot be ignored 3) Middle Way: One must not fall into the extreme views of nihilism and eternalism. Therefore a Buddha recognizes the ultimate and relative truth simultaneously. The Eight Groups of Teachings are: The Four on Method Sudden: those of high capacities can understand the truth directly such as the sentieng beings who were taught and understood the Avatamsaka Sutra. Gradual: those students who need to progress slowly are taught this method, which includes the Agama, Vaipulya and Prajnaparamita periods. Secret: this is the mind-to-mind transmission of a teaching. Only a few disciples were able to receive this directly and individually from the Buddha. Sometimes even during a public teaching, the profound meaning can be revealed to disciples directly from the Buddha through the secret transmission. Indeterminate: each disciple understands the teachings of the Buddha differently due to their varying capacities. The Four on Doctrine Tripatika or Hinayana: are meant for the Sravaka and Solitary Buddhas. Common: teachings are meant for those of all varying levels. Special: teachings are meant for the Bodhisattvas and advanced disciples. Complete and Perfect: teachings of the Buddha are the ultimate meaning of the dharma and are the unity of the two views. Five Periods in which the Buddha taught are categorized as follows, however the lineage maintains that these varying levels were often taught simultaneously: Avatamsaka: for twenty one days, the Buddha expounded this profound sutra after His enlightenment to the Bodhisattvas, which include the Special and Complete teachings. However, few ordinary beings were able to grasp the ultimate meaning so quickly. Afterward, the Buddha taught the Sutras in a progressing order. Agama: for twelve years, the Buddha taught the teachings now primarily used by the Theravada schools; the Tripatika which includes the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, The Wheel of Dependent Origination and impermanence. Vaipulya: for sixteen years, the Buddha introduced his disciples to the Bodhisattva Vehicle. The Vimalakirti and MahaVairochana Sutras, along with teachings from all Four Methods, were expounded along with the unity of the absolute and relative truth. Wisdom: The Prajna Paramita Sutras and those that direct the mind towards truly understanding the meaning of enlightenment were explained by the Buddha for fourteen years, included the Complete, Special and Common teachings. The wisdom and method or skillful means aspect of enlightenment were also elucidated. Nirvana: the teachings which revealed the truth in their ultimate essence, such as the non-divisibility of the paths, were taught by the Buddha for eight years as in the Lotus and Mahaparinirvana Sutras which were mainly the Complete teachings. |
