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Introduction About the T'ien-T'ai Buddhist School in China 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 China Le Van Muoi Ph. D Research Scholar in School of Buddhist Studies & 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-view 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 Sutra (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 Buddhahood) and Sutra. Chih-i's system of synthesizing the disparate The T’ian-t’ai School takes the Lotus teachings found in the Chinese Buddhist canon. As Sūtra (Saddharmapundarīka Sūtra) as the main this doctrine is based on the Lotus Sutra, 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 Buddhism 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 India, 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 Buddhist texts 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 Middle Way: Since a phenomenon is of the Middle Way, Nagarjuna is traditionally taken blended of emptiness and unreality, it is incorrect Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1753 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 meditation 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 sutras and regards the Hinayana as well as practice contains: the Mahayana as an authentic doctrinal expression Chih (Samatha, Concentration): This is a of the Buddha. technique to subdue those mental factors that fetter 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 Bodhisattvas 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 four noble truths, 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-Chu 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 Bodhisattva over an Arhat, and the (Chinese, Mo-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 nirvana, namely the eight years, true Dharma body (dharmakaya), wisdom of - The period of the Prajnaparamita-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 Mahayana sutras. 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-Zen-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, Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1754 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.
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