Part Three  -  EXPLAINING THE SUTRA

Content

    3.1   The Five Periods
    3.2   The Eight Teachings
    3.3   The Five Profound Meanings
      3.3.1   Explanation of the Title
      3.3.2   Discrimination of the Substance
      3.3.3   Clarification of the Doctrine
      3.3.4   Discussion of the Function
      3.3.5   Determination of the Teaching Mark


 

In studying Buddhist Sutras, some methods have to be used to analyse the nature of the teaching of each Sutra. According to Tien Tai School, the Buddha's Sutras are divided into Five Periods and Eight Teachings.

The Five Periods are:

  1. the Avatamsaka Period,
  2. the Agama Period,
  3. the Vaipulya Period,
  4. the Prajna Period, and
  5. the Dharma Flower-Nirvana Periods.

Within the Five Periods, the Eight Teachings are distinguished:

  1. the Storehouse Teaching,
  2. the Pervasive Teaching,
  3. the Separate Teaching,
  4. the Perfect Teaching,
  5. the Sudden Teaching,
  6. the Gradual Teaching,
  7. the Secret Teaching, and
  8. the Unfixed Teaching.

3.1   THE FIVE PERIODS

The Five Periods are:

  1. The Avatamsaka Period (21 days after enlightenment)

    After the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha, he spoke the Avatamsaka Sutra for 21 days, but only the Bodhisattva heard it. Those Arhats and Bhiksus of the Small Vehicle did not even see him. So the period of speaking the Avatamsaka Sutra was for the teaching of great Bodhisattvas. The Sutra expounds the Wonderful Dharma of infinite realm of "One Trueness" in the Buddhalands.

  2. The Agama Period (12 years during travelling in 16 countries)

    Agama, a Sanskrit word, means "incomparable Dharma", for none of the teachings of non-Buddhist religions can compare with it. So, the period of speaking the Agama Sutras was for the teaching of the Small Vehicle, and for those with the lowest root.

  3. The Vaipulya Period (8 years thereafter)

    Vaipulya, a Sanskrit word, means "extensive". The Vaipulya teaching pervades the former Agama teaching and the following Prajna teaching. Both those of the Small Vehicle and those of the Great Vehicle can study the Sutras of this period.

  4. The Prajna Period (22 years in preaching)

    The period of speaking the Sutras was for the beginners of the Great Vehicle. It is distinct and separate from the Vaipulya period and the Lotus-Nirvana Period. The teaching spoken in this period is basically collected in Mahaprajna Sutra.

  5. The Dharma Flower - Nirvana Period (8 years before Nirvana)

    This is the ultimate teaching of the Buddha. The teachings of the previous four periods are provisional, manifesting for the sake of the real. The Lotus Sutra was spoken in this period, which opened the provisional and manifested the real.

Sometimes, The Five Periods are represented by an analogy of milk products:

  1. The Avatamsaka Period - whole milk, raw and unprocessed.
  2. The Agama Period - coagulated milk, good for children
  3. The Vaipulya Period - curdled milk, good for children and adult.
  4. The Prajna Period - butter extracted from curdled milk, suitable for adult.
  5. The Dharma Flower-Nirvana Period - clarified butter, the finest and most subtle of tastes.


3.2   THE EIGHT TEACHINGS

The Eight Teachings are:

  1. The Storehouse Teaching

    The teachings in the Agama Period, i.e. teachings of the Small Vehicle, which is the beginning level of study of the Buddhadharma. From Storehouse Teaching, studying more deeply, one gradually process to the Vaipulya teachings and the Prajna teachings returning from the small towards great and entering the Great Vehicle Dharma door.

  2. The Pervasive Teaching

    The teaching in the Vaipulya Period as it pervades the Agama teaching and the Prajna teaching.

  3. The Separate Teaching / The Prajna Teaching

    The teaching in the Prajna Period, as it separates from the Vaipulya teaching and the Perfect teaching.

  4. The Perfect Teaching

    The teaching in the Dharma Flower-Nirvana Period, which is the teaching of One Buddha Vehicle represented by the Lotus Sutra.

  5. The Sudden Teaching

    The teaching in Avatamsaka Period. One is immediately enlightened in becoming a Buddha.

  6. The Gradual Teaching

    Also the teaching in Avatamsaka Period. One is gradually and slowly enlightened in becoming a Buddha.

  7. The Secret Teaching

    It refers to Mantras. The teaching is transmitted from one person to the other so that each is unaware of the teaching the other has received. Thus it is secret.

  8. The Unfixed Teaching

    The Dharma is taught in an unfixed manner, therefore it is so flexible and "alive" that it separates from all attachments, and is expounded according to the needs of a person.

The Five Periods and the Eight Teachings encompass all of the Dharma the Buddha spoke. After realizing Buddhahood, the Buddha taught the Dharma for forty-nine years in over three hundred Dharma assemblies, and it was all for the sake of The Dharma Flower Sutra. When he spoke the Avatamsaka Sutra, those with the dispositions of the Small Vehicle were unable to accept it. Later, he "hid the great and manifested the small." No longer did he expound the lofty, profound theories, but lead those of the Two Vehicles towards the Great Vehicle. After he spoke the Agamas, the Buddha spoke the Vaipulya Teaching. Progressing step by step, he next taught the Prajna Teachings so that his listeners might gain wisdom. With wisdom, they would be able to graduate to the wonderful Dharma of The Dharma Flower Sutra.

Shakyamuni Buddha labored for several decades, preparing to speak this Sutra. For the sake of the real he first bestowed the provisional teachings, but those provisional teachings were all given for the sake of the wonderful doctrines of the Perfect Teaching, the Real Mark, The Dharma Flower Sutra. The preceding Dharma assemblies -- Agama, Vaipulya, and Prajna -- were all spoken to pave the way for The Dharma Flower Sutra.


3.3   THE FIVE PROFOUND MEANINGS

According to the Tien Tai School, before lecturing the Sutra proper, one first examines its principles by means of the Five Profound Meanings. The five are:

  1. Explanation of the Title
  2. Discrimination of the Substance
  3. Clarification of the Doctrine
  4. Discussion of the Function, and
  5. Determination of the Teaching-mark.

3.3.1   Explanation of the Title

Sutras titles fall into seven classes according to their reference to person, Dharma and analogy. It is known as the Seven Title Classifications.

  1. Three Single

    Three of the seven classification are established by reference to either a person, a Dharma, or an analogy:

    1. Solely by reference to people,   e.g. The Amitabha Sutra
    2. Solely by reference to Dharma,   e.g. The Mahaparinirvana Sutra
    3. Solely by reference to analogy,   e.g. The Brahma Net Sutra

  2. Three Paired

    1. By reference to a person and a Dharma,   e.g.The Sutra of the Questions of Manjushri.
    2. By reference to a person and an analogy,   e.g.The Sutra of the Lion's Roar of the Thus Come One
    3. By reference to a Dharma and an analogy,   e.g.The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra

  3. Three-in-one

    1. By reference to person, Dharma and analogy altogether,   e.g.The Great Universal Buddha Flower Adornment Sutra.

It is obvious that the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is established by a Dharma and an analogy. The details in explaining the title of the Sutra has been discussed in the Preface Part 1 Section 1-4.

3.3.2   Discrimination of the Substance

The second of the Five Profound Meanings is to Discriminate of the Substance. If we don't know the substance of the Sutra, how can we expect to be able to understand its principles? This Sutra takes the Real Mark as its substance. The Real Mark is unmarked and yet there is nothing it does not mark. All marks are produced from the Real Mark. Not only do all marks come from the Real Mark, but all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Sound Hearers and Condition-enlightened Ones come from the Real Mark as well. And who created the Real Mark? No one. It was originally there. How did it get there? It was just there, that's all. Why ask such a question? The Real Mark preceded all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and is the mother of all things -- all creation is born from the Real Mark.

The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra takes the Real Mark as its substance and so all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Sound Hearers, Condition-enlightened Ones, and all living beings are born from this Sutra. But we have been away too long. We have forgotten our original home, we have forgotten our original mother and so we find the Sutra very new. Having the chance to study the Sutra is like finding the road which will take us back home. Thus, the Sutra takes the Real Mark as its substance.

3.3.3   Clarification of the Doctrine

The third of the Five Profound Meanings is to Clarify the Doctrine. This Sutra takes the cause and effect of the One Buddha Vehicleas its doctrine. As the text says, "There is only the One Buddha Vehicle. There are no other vehicles." Previously, the Buddha had spoken of the Three Vehicles -- the Bodhisattva Vehicle, the Sound Hearer Vehicle, and the Condition-enlightened Vehicle. He also taught the Five Vehicles which are those three plus the Vehicle of People and the Vehicle of Gods. But in this Sutra the Five Vehicles are dispensed with and only the One Vehicle, the Supreme Vehicle, the Buddha Vehicle, is expounded. So the doctrine of the Sutra is the cause and effect of the One Buddha Vehicle.

Why is the lotus flower used as an analogy? Because the lotus blooms and bears fruit at the same time. The cause is the cause of Buddhahood and the effect is the position of Buddhahood. Thus, the Sutra takes the cause and effect of the One Buddha Vehicle as its doctrine.

3.3.4   Discussion of the Function

The fourth of the Five Profound Meanings is to Discuss the Function. What is the function of this Sutra? The function of the Sutra is to sever doubts and awaken faith. While reciting The Dharma Flower Sutra, Great Master Chih-che became enlightened and obtained the Dharani of a Single Revolution. On the basis of that enlightenment, he systematized the T'ien T'ai School. So do not consider this Sutra a simple one. All the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Patriarchs are born from The Dharma Flower Sutra.

3.3.5   Determination of the Teaching Mark

The fifth of the Five Profound Meanings is to Determine the Teaching mark. The Teaching Mark of this Sutra is clarified butter. As previously mentioned, the Five Periods of the Buddha's teaching are represented by an analogy to milk products. The Avatamsaka Period may be compared to whole milk. The Agama Period is compared to coagulated milk. The Vaipulya Period is like curdled milk. The Prajna Period is like butter. The Dharma Flower-Nirvana Period is like clarified butter. It has a subtle, wonderful taste. The Teaching-mark of the Sutra is clarified butter. This has been a general explanation of the Five Profound Meanings.