Classification of the Three Major Commentaries on the Lotus Sutra (法華三大部科文)

About 法華三大部科文

Tang · by 湛然述

149,211 · about 497 min

The *Categorization of the Three Great Commentaries on the Lotus Sutra*, authored by the eminent Tang Dynasty monk Zhanran, is a work of textual categorization for the three major commentaries on the *Lotus Sutra* by Master Zhiyi. Compiled during the zenith of Chinese Buddhism, this text aims to systematically categorize and interpret the teachings, clarifying the doctrinal layers within the *Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra*, the *Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra*, and the *Great Calming and Contemplation*. Its content is precise and rigorous, its logic meticulous, making it a significant document in the systematization of Tiantai doctrine. This work is esteemed as an authoritative guide to Tiantai exegesis, exerting a profound influence on later studies of the *Lotus Sutra* and Tiantai philosophy, and stands as a model work in the history of Buddhist textual categorization.