[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [佛祖統紀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035) › 3.8 # 佛祖統紀 3.8 佛祖統紀 3.8 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.3.8) 八教者。妙樂云。化儀四教。是判教之大綱。化法四教。是釋義之綱目。是知頓等是判。藏等是釋。如判華嚴為頓。則以別圓釋之。乃至判法華為非頓非漸。以純圓釋之。此今家消經之軌則也。妙樂又云。若消諸經。但用藏等。其文稍通。若釋法華。無頓等八。舉止失措。謂餘經但論當部逗機得益。故未須頓等。若釋法華。須明一代。故用頓等以括始終。輔行云。藏等四教。遍收一切大小乘經。因果顯了。各立教主。各被機緣。始終備足。不過此四。頓等四教。但是如來不思議力。布措藏等。盈縮調停成熟物機。破邪立正引小歸大。廢偏顯圓會權入實故。有諸部五味相生。利物無方適時出沒。 > Regarding the eight teachings: the Miaole says, "The four teachings of converting methods are the main framework for classifying teachings; the four teachings of converting doctrines are the main outlines for explaining meanings." Thus one knows that "sudden" and the like are classifications, while "tripiṭaka" and the like are explanations. For example, if one classifies the Avataṃsaka as sudden, one then explains it through the separate and perfect teachings. Up to classifying the Lotus Sutra as neither sudden nor gradual, explaining it through the purely perfect teaching. This is our school's standard rule for interpreting the scriptures. The Miaole further says, "If interpreting various sutras, using only the tripiṭaka and the others will allow the text to flow fairly well. But if explaining the Lotus Sutra without the eight \[teachings\] of sudden and the rest, one will be at a loss in all actions." This means that other sutras merely address the specific assembly's capacities being matched and obtaining benefit, so they do not yet require the sudden and the rest. But if explaining the Lotus Sutra, one must elucidate the \[Buddha's\] entire lifetime; therefore, one uses the sudden and the rest to encompass the beginning and the end. The Fuxing says, "The four teachings of tripiṭaka and the rest comprehensively embrace all Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sutras. Cause and effect are clear; each establishes a lord of teaching, and each responds to opportune capacities. Beginning and end are fully provided for, not exceeding these four. The four teachings of sudden and the rest are merely the Tathāgata's inconceivable power arranging the tripiṭaka and the rest—expanding, contracting, harmonising, and maturing the capacities of sentient beings; refuting the perverse and establishing the correct; leading the lesser to return to the greater; setting aside the partial and revealing the perfect; converging the expedient into the real. Hence there is the mutual production of the five flavours in the various divisions, benefiting beings without fixed limit, appearing and disappearing in accordance with the times." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.3.7) - [Next: 3.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.3.9) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035~en-mt.3.8) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.3.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.3.8) · Pramāṇa