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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-5, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Introduction about the T’ien-T’ai Buddhist School in

Le Van Muoi Ph. D Research Scholar in School of & Civilization Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, UP-201308

The Tien-tai school was founded during to be the first patriarch of the T’ian-t’ai school. the Sui dynasty (Ch. 隋 朝, 581-618 A.D). T’ien- This statement was further expanded by the second t’ai means 'Celestial Terrace' and is the name of a patriarch, Hui-wen (Ch.慧文.550-577), and his famous monastic mountain (Kuoching-Temple) student Hui-Ssu (Ch. 慧思. 514-577), the third where this school's founder, Chih-i (Ch. 智 顗, patriarch who was also Chih-i's teacher, and 538-597 A.D.), spent the majority of his life for formed the early structure of the Three- teaching there. theory. This theory later became the root theory of This school is very famous for its T’ien-t’ai school but the completed philosophic profound interpretation of the Lotus (the system of the school was not fully established until main purpose of the sutra is to establish the one Chih-i finished the commentary work on the Lotus path, or vehicle, for attaining ) and Sutra. Chih-i's system of synthesizing the disparate The T’ian-t’ai School takes the Lotus teachings found in the . As Sūtra (Saddharmapundarīka Sūtra) as the main this doctrine is based on the , it is also basis, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā āstra of Nāgārjuna called the Lotus school. as the guide, the Nirvāna Sūtra as the support, and Most scholars regard the T’ian-t’ai as one the Pañcavinatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra for of the first truly Chinese schools of Buddhist methods of contemplation. thought. The schools of that had existed This school takes as a premise that all in China prior to the emergence of the T’ian-t’ai phenomena are an expression of the true suchness are generally believed to represent direct (absoluteness) and this absoluteness is expressed in transplantations from , with little modification three phenomenon truths. One can only be fully to their basic doctrines and methods. The creation enlightened by achieving the complete of the T’ian-t’ai school signified the maturation and understanding of the three truths which was taught integration of Buddhism in the Chinese context. No by the Buddha. These three phenomenon truths are: longer contented to simply translate texts received Dependent reality: A phenomenon is from Indian sources, Chinese Buddhists began to produced by various cause, its essence is devoid of apply new analyses to old texts, and even to any permanent existence. produce new scriptures and commentaries that Phenomenal existence: This existence is would attain significant status within the East temporary, and has its limitation. Asian sphere. Middle Path: This truth of the middle is The T’ian-t’ai school became doctrinally equated with true, and it can’t be found elsewhere broad, able to absorb and gave rise to other than in phenomena. According to this truth, movements within Buddhism. The tradition Dependent reality and phenomenal existence are emphasized both scriptural study and meditative one. practice, and taught the rapid attainment of And the only way to obtain the full Buddhahood through observing the mind. awareness of the above truths is the Three Views The school is mainly based on the (or three insights): teachings of Chih-i, Zhan-jan, and Chih-li, who Emptiness: Phenomena posses no lived between the 6th and 11th centuries in China. independent reality and they can’t exist without These teachers took an approach called other factors, therefore nothing is eternal. "classification of teaching" in an attempt to Unreality: Although a phenomenon has harmonize the numerous and often contradictory the apparent existence of phenomena and can be that had come into China. This was perceived by the senses, because its nature of achieved through a particular interpretation of the emptiness, this phenomenon is temporary and Lotus Sūtra. unreal. Due to the use of Nāgārjuna's philosophy : Since a phenomenon is of the Middle Way, is traditionally taken blended of emptiness and unreality, it is incorrect

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-5, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in to view the truth in any of the above two poles. The synthesizes different viewpoints of other Buddhist proper action is to view a phenomenon and its parts schools from India. It represents an attempt to as a whole; all phenomena are merged and contain systematize the teachings of Buddha, to resolve one another. different understanding of teachings arising within The practice of this school consists of Buddhism of different doctrines, and to provide based on the methods of Chih-Kwan. ways of solving metaphysical problems. In order to The notion of Chih-Kuan (止観) puts equal accomplish these objectives, Chih-i classified the emphasis on the doctrinal and practical aspects teaching of Buddha into five periods and eight which comprises the noble teachings that the teachings. It provides a place for the most widely Buddha proclaimed during his life. The Chih-Kuan different and regards the as well as practice contains: the as an authentic doctrinal expression Chih (, Concentration): This is a of the Buddha. technique to subdue those mental factors that The division of five periods is based on man to suffering so the further arising of illusions chronological criteria: can be prevented. - The period of the Avatamsaka-sutras Kuan (Vipasyana, Contemplation): These sutras were taught by the Buddha Through understanding of the three Phenomenon immediately after attaining his enlightenment. It truths and three views, enlightenment may be revealed the greatness of Buddhism that universe is attained in a single spontaneous thought. "The the expression of the true suchness (absoluteness). whole world is contained in a mustard seed," and The target audiences were the though "Three Thousand Words in One Thought" are the the teachings were too profound for most of the famous T’ien-t’ai theories about how one thought Buddha's general disciples to grasp. This phase embodies the universality of all things. lasted for twenty-one days. The principal works of this school are the - The period of the Agamas-sutra "T’ien-t’ai three big books" and "T’ien-t’ai five The Agamas-sutra was taught by Buddha small books". because the Buddha's disciples did not understand The Three Big Books are: the principal idea of the teaching during the first The Profound Meaning of Lotus Sutra period; he then expounded the , the (Chinese, Fa-Hua- Shuan-I 法 華 玄 義): It uses eight-fold path, and the teaching of dependent- the title of Lotus Sutra as the base to explore the arising (pratitya-samutpada) as a means to develop true meaning of the Buddha's teaching. the understanding of the truth. All this teaching was The Commentary of Lotus Sutra (Chinese, from Agamas and it lasted for twelve years. Fa-Hua-Wen- 法 華 文 句): It addresses the - The period of the Vaipulya-sutras commentary of the contents of Lotus Sutra. In this teaching the Buddha taught the Maha (Greater)-Samatha-Vipasyana introduction of the Mahayana, he stated the superiority of a over an , and the (Chinese, -Ho-Chih-Kuan 摩 訶 止 觀): It unity of Buddha and sentient beings, of describes the right of Chih-Kuan techniques to absoluteness and relative. This phase lasted for achieve the three virtues of , namely the eight years, true body (), of - The period of the -sutra enlightenment, and liberation from suffering. The Buddha taught his disciples about the The Five Small Books are commentaries meaning of emptiness in this period. Three of the on five . These sutras are: central teachings on emptiness are the great, The Commentary of the Visualization Of middle-length and shorter Prajnaparamita-sutra Buddha Amitayus Sutra (Perfection of Wisdom Sutras). In all of these The Profound Meaning of Golden-light sutras, a complete explanation of both aspects of Sutra the path to Buddhahood, i.e. wisdom and method, The Commentary of Golden-light Sutra was given. The fourth period lasted for twenty-two The Profound Meaning of Kuan-Yin Sutra years. The Commentary of Kuan-Yin Sutra - The period of the Lotus Sutra and Other important teachings from Chih-I Mahaparinirvana-sutra include Six Gates of Liberation (Chinese, Liu- In the fifth and last period, which 六 妙 法 門 Miao-Fa-Men ), Smaller-Samatha- corresponds to the last eight years of Buddha's life, Vipasyana (or Beginner's Samatha-Vipasyana), and he emphasized the absolute identity of all Gradual Samatha-Vipasyana (or Explanation of the opposites. The teachings during the last period Gradual Dharma Door of the Dhyana Paramita. expounded the ultimate and complete truth. It Chinese are: She--Po-Luo-Mi). essentially concluded the previous four periods of The Tien-Tai school is generally teachings and stated that the three vehicles (triyana) considered a syncretistic school, because it of the Shravakas, Pratyeka, Bodhisattvas, Buddhas,

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-5, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in and have only provisional validity and all of them - The Perfect Teaching: The teaching of will eventually merge into a single vehicle the Middle Way. Any teaching which was given by (ekayana) toward the Great Nirvana. the Buddha should be considered as the ultimate The school represents a chronological teaching regardless of the methods. division of the teaching. The school also holds the The period of the Avatamsaka-sutra view that the Buddha taught the teachings of the included Special and Perfect teachings. The five periods simultaneously. Buddha used these Agamas-sutra was the only teaching of the methods for the better understanding of his Tripitaka. The Vaipulya-sutras phase covered all disciples. This leads to a systematization of the four teachings. The Prajnaparamita-sutra contained Buddha's teaching into eight doctrines (or eight Perfect Teaching but also covered Common and teachings). Four of which are to be considered from Special teachings. Only the Lotus-sutra could be the point of view of method and four from the point regarded as really the Perfect Teaching. of view of content. In addition to its doctrinal basis in Indian These eight teachings here shown in Buddhist texts, the T’ian-t’ai school also different paths which are all capable of leading the emphasizes in the use of its own meditation texts practitioners to the final enlightenment. And the which emphasize the principles of amatha and techniques of achieving of nirvana are considered vipayanā. Of the T’ian-t’ai meditation treatises, universal because it advocates the notion of Chih-i's Concise amatha-vipayanā (小 止 観), universal liberation, which is possible because all Mahā-amatha-vipayanā (Mo-ho-chih-kuan 摩 訶 beings and things possess Buddha-nature and 止 観), in Mo-ho-chih-kuan, The Major Treatise on because they all make use of available means for Samatha-Vipasyana, he described four methods to the realization of enlightenment. attain . The first method is called Samadhi The first group of the teachings is Through Constant Sitting (常 坐 三 昧), the considered from the point of view 常 Of method, which includes: second, Samadhi Through Constant Walking ( - The Sudden method: is to be used with 行 三 昧). The third is Samadhi Through Half the most talented students who understand the truth Walking, Half Sitting (半 行 半 坐 三 昧). The directly. This is the method of the Avatamsaka fourth is The Samadhi Neither Through Walking sutra. Nor Sitting (非 行 非 坐 三 昧), and Six Subtle - The Gradual method: This progresses Dharma Gates (六 妙 法 門) are the most widely from elementary to more complex doctrines and studied in China. includes the Agama, Vaipulya-sutra, and The coming of Buddhism to china was an Prajnaparamita-sutra periods. The Lotus Sutra is event of far-reaching importance in the excluded. development of Chinese thought and culture and of - The Secret method: This is to be used Buddhism itself after a long and difficult period of only when addressing individuals. The Buddha's assimilation and this new teaching managed to teaching, in this case, was understood only by the establish itself as a major system of thought, selected disciples. Other disciples could have been contributing greatly to the enrichment of Chinese present, but owing to the supernatural power of the philosophy, and also as a major system of religious Buddha, they would not have been aware of what practice, which had an enduring influence on he said to them individually. Chinese popular religion. Indeed, it came to be - The Indeterminate method: In which, the spoken of along with the native traditions, individual disciples were attending the same and , as one of the three session, they heard and understood the Buddha's teachings or three religions, thus achieving a status words in different ways. of virtual equality with these beliefs. The last two methods were used by the By the time Buddhism reached china, it Buddha when he wanted to instruct disciples of had already undergone several centuries of different capacities at the same time. development in regard to both its philosophical The second group of the teachings is doctrines and its religious practices. This is not the considered from the point of view of content, place to attempt a summation of that historical which includes: development, but a brief statement of the major - The Tripitaka teachings: It is meant for principles and concepts of Buddhism in India is Shravakas and Pratyeka-buddhas. essential to understanding the forms it took in china - The Common teaching (common to the Buddhism was popular during the Six Hinayana and the Mahayana): It is meant for the Dynasties period that preceded the Sui dynasty, Shravakas, Pratyeka-buddhas, and lower-level spreading from India through Kushan Afghanistan Bodhisattvas. into China during the Late Han period. Buddhism - The Special teaching: It is dedicated for gained prominence during the period, when central the Bodhisattvas. political control was limited. Buddhism created a

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-5, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in unifying cultural force that uplifted the people out T’ien-t’ai indicates its place of geographical origin, of war and into the Sui Dynasty. In many ways, the T’ien-t’ai (Heaven Terrace) Mountain in Buddhism was responsible for the of culture Chekiang Province in China. But it is properly in China under the Sui. named “Fahua” after the title of the text When the T’ien-t’ai school was founded, Saddharmapundarīka from which the doctrine of in china then many other schools founded also. the school is derived, Fahua is translation of this “Sectarian Buddhism is a spectacular development title. As one of the most prominent patriarchs, of the Sui-T’ang period. From the later part of the Chih-i lived and taught his followers in mountain sixth century, till the eighth century, we find the T’ien-t’ai during the Ch’en and Sui dynasties. T’ien-t’ai sect founded by Chi-yi (538-597A.D), T’ien-t’ai’s basic text is the Lotus of the Wonderful the Three-Treatises sect founded by Chi-Tsang Law (Saddharmapundarīka Sūtra), a work from (549-623 A.D), the Fa-Hsiang and Chu-She sects India or , the school founded on the started by Hsuan-tsang (600-664 A.D), after his interpretation given this text by Chinese monk, mission to India, the San-Chieh (Three Stages) Chih-i. The doctrine in the Lotus Sūtra is always doctrine introduced by Hsin-Hsing (541-594 A.D), described as “Wonderful”, because it is complete the Pure-Land sect by Tao-Ch’o (562-645 A.D) and perfect in itself, and is pure and untainted. It is and Shan-Tao (613-681 A.D), the sect of the foremost, rare and inconceivable Dharma Tao-Hsuan (596-667 A.D), Fa-Li (569-635 accomplished by the Buddha. A.D)and Huai-su (624-697 A.D) respectively, the From the achievement above, we can say Hua-Yen sect by Fa-Tsang (643-712 A.D), the that the position and role of T’ien-t’ai School very Ch’an sect of Hung-Jen (602-675 A.D), Shen-Hsiu important in the history of the . (605-706 A.D) and Hui-Neng (638-713 A.D) and Today, with the system of philosophy and practice, his disciples and Tantrism by Sbdhakara-simha (d. the T’ien-t’ai sect has been following in so many 735 A.D), (669-741 A.D) and Buddhist Countries, which are special Asian (605-774 A.D)”1. country as Republic Korea, , Vietnam, etc. Historically, altogether there were ten principal schools, traditionally divided into two main categories, schools of being and schools of Nonbeing, depending on whether they affirm or denied the self-nature of the (here, “elements of existence”) and the ego. These schools are Disciplinary school, Three-Treatise school, Consciousness-Only school, T’ien-t’ai, Huayen, Meditation, schools and so on. Some introductions of the emergence of Buddhist sects in China I have mentioned above so as to prove that T’ien-t’ai is one of great schools of Chinese Buddhism and the presence of T’ien-t’ai tradition is to adapt to the Chinese thought and to understand a historical development of Buddhism schools in China at that time. As a whole, from the philosophical standpoint, and in terms of its influence on other schools in China, Korea, and Japan, The Lotus or T’ien-t’ai teaching is of major importance. Moreover, it has distinctively Chinese features. T’ien-t’ai sect, like another Chinese Buddhist sect, Huayen sect, is classified as Philosophical school. So, the common Chinese say that, “The T’ien-t’ai and Huayen schools for the doctrine and the Meditation and Pure Land schools for practice”2. It originated and developed in China,

1 A chronicle of Buddhism in China, 581-960 A.D.: translations from Monk Chih-pʻan's Fo-tsu tʻung- chi, Visva-Bharati, 1966, P. 5. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999, p. 2 Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, Sources 434. of Chinese Tradition, Second edition, Volume 1,

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