天台宗

The Tiantai, or Tendai, sect founded by [lang id =1028]智顗 Zhiyi. It bases its tenets on the <Lotus Sutra> [lang id =1028]法華經 with the [lang id =1028]智度論, [lang id =1028]涅盤經, and [lang id =1028]大品經; it maintains the identity of the Absolute and the world of phenomena, and attempts to unlock the secrets of all phenomena by means of meditation. It flourished during the Tang dynasty. Under the Sung, when the school was decadent, arose [lang id =1028]四明 Ciming, under whom there came the division of [lang id =1028]山家 Hill or Tiantai School and [lang id =1028]山外 the School outside, the latter following [lang id =1028]悟恩 Wuen and in time dying out; the former, a more profound school, adhered to Ciming; it was from this school that the Tiantai doctrine spread to Japan. The three principal works of the Tiantai founder are called [lang id =1028]天台三部, i. e. [lang id =1028]玄義 exposition of the deeper meaning of the Lotus; [lang id =1028]文句 exposition of its text; and [lang id =1028]止觀 meditation; the last was directive and practical; it was in the line of Bodhidharma, stressing the 'inner light'.

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隋智者大師所立， 因居天台上， 故即以山名其宗， 此宗以法華經、 涅槃經、 大品般若經、 大智度論等為主， 明一心三觀的妙理。