English
English version: The treatise states: The wise Zhang'an (Zhi Zhe Zhang An, a person's name) clearly elucidates this. Yet, people today completely disregard it, continuing to propagate the erroneous notion of the Agama (Ahan, Hinayana scriptures) lasting twelve years and the Vaipulya (Fangdeng, Mahayana scriptures) lasting eight years, which is extremely harmful. Therefore, I will first present a general discussion, followed by a specific one. First, concerning the 'Through Five Periods' (Tong Wushi, a Buddhist theory of periods of teaching): There is naturally a type of person with great capacity who, in this very world, sees the Vairocana (She na fo, short for Lushena Buddha) body and land of the Lotus Treasury World (Huazang Shijie, the Buddha-land described in the Avatamsaka Sutra) as eternally abiding and imperishable. Thus, the Avatamsaka Sutra (Huayan Jing) pervades the past and future. Furthermore, the 'Entering the Dharma Realm Chapter' (Rufa Jie Pin) of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Huayan Jing) was definitely not spoken within the three seven days (Sanqi Ri, the twenty-one days after the Buddha's enlightenment). There is also a type of person with lesser capacity who, from the Deer Park (Luyuan, where the Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma) to the Crane Grove (Helin, where the Buddha entered Nirvana), only hears the Agama (Ahan, Hinayana scriptures), Vinaya (Pini, monastic rules), and Abhidharma (Duifa, another name for Abhidhamma). Thus, the Three Baskets (San Zang, Sutra, Vinaya, and Shastra) clearly pervade the past and future. Zhang'an (Zhang An) refutes in this way, so why do foolish people still cling to their delusions? There is also a type of person with lesser capacity who is suited to hear criticism and praise, thereby generating shame and admiration. The Buddha then speaks the Vaipulya Dharma Gate (Fangdeng Famen, Mahayana scriptures) for them. How can it be limited to just eight years after twelve years? For example, the Vaipulya Dharani Sutra (Fangdeng Tuoluoni Jing) is said to be after the Lotus Sutra (Fahua Jing). Thus, the Vaipulya (Fangdeng) also clearly pervades the past and future. Furthermore, there are beings of the Three Vehicles (San Cheng, Shravaka Vehicle, Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, and Bodhisattva Vehicle) who must experience mundane and supramundane dharmas such as form and mind (Se Xin, matter and spirit), each one converging into the Mahayana Path (Mohe Yan Dao, the Great Vehicle Path). The Buddha then speaks Prajna (Bore, wisdom) for them. Therefore, it is said: 'From the initial attainment of enlightenment to Nirvana, Prajna (Bore) is constantly spoken in between.' Thus, Prajna (Bore) also clearly pervades the past and future. Furthermore, for beings whose roots are ripe, the Buddha then opens the provisional to reveal the real (Kaiquan Xianshi, opening expedient means to reveal the truth), and opens the traces to reveal the origin (Kaiji Xianben, revealing the Buddha's original identity through his manifested traces), with absolutely no reason to wait until forty years later. It is only that the Buddha, through his supernatural power, prevents those whose roots are not yet ripe from hearing. Therefore, the Great Master Zhi Zhe (Zhi Zhe Dashi, the de facto founder of the Tiantai school) says: 'The Lotus Sutra (Fahua Jing), from the perspective of what is revealed, is not in the front; from the perspective of what is secret, there is no obstacle in principle.' For example, the sutra says: 'In the past, I heard such a Dharma from the Buddha and saw various Bodhisattvas receiving predictions of Buddhahood.' Is this Dharma not the Wonderful Dharma? Furthermore, the Brahma Net Sutra (Fanwang Jing) says: 'I have come to this world eight thousand times, sitting on the Vajra Flower Light King Seat, etc.' Is this not also opening the traces to reveal the origin (Kaiji Xianben)? Furthermore, for beings who should attain liberation by seeing Nirvana (Nipan, extinction), the Buddha then demonstrates entering Nirvana (Nipan). Therefore, it is said: 'Within the Eight Aspects (Ba Xiang, the eight stages of the Buddha's life), each possesses eight aspects, which are inconceivable.' Moreover, the Great Nirvana Sutra (Da Ban Niepan Jing) recounts the causes and conditions of King Ajatashatru's (A she shi wang, King of Magadha in ancient India) repentance, etc., which were not matters of a single day and night. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
次明别五时者。乃约一类最钝声闻。具经五番陶铸。方得入实。所谓初于华严不见不闻。全生如乳(华严前八会中。永无声闻。故云不见不闻。至第九会入法界品。在祇园中。方有声闻。尔时已证圣果。尚于菩萨境界。如哑如聋。验知。尔前纵闻华严。亦决无益。然舍利弗等。由闻藏教。方证圣果。方预入法界会。则知。入法界品。断不说在阿含前矣。人胡略不思察。妄谓华严局在三七日内耶)次于阿含。闻因缘生灭法。转凡成圣。如转乳成酪(酪即熟乳浆也)次闻方等。弹偏斥小叹大褒圆。遂乃耻小慕大。自悲败种。虽复具闻四教。然但密得通益。如转酪成生酥。次闻般若。会一切法皆摩诃衍。转教菩萨。领知一切佛法宝藏。虽带通别。正明圆教。然但密得别益。如转生酥成熟酥。次闻法华。开权显实。方得圆教实益。如转熟酥而成醍醐。然只此别五时法。亦不拘定年月日时。但随所应闻。即便得闻。如来说法。神力自在。一音异解。岂容思议。又有根稍利者。不必具历五味。或但经四番三番二番陶铸。便得入实。若于阿含方等般若。随一悟入者。即是秘密不定二种化仪所摄。复有众生。未堪闻法华者。或自甘退席。或移置他方。此则更待涅槃捃拾。或待灭后余佛。事非一概。熟玩法华玄义文句。群疑自释。 化仪四教说 顿有二义。一顿教部。谓初成道为大根人之所顿说。唯局华严(凡一代中。直说界外大法。不与三乘共者。如梵网圆觉等经。并宜收入此部。是谓以别定通。摄通入别也)二顿教相。谓初发心时便成正觉。及性修不二生佛体同等义。则方等般若诸经。悉皆有之。 渐亦二义。一渐教部。谓惟局阿含为渐初(凡一代中。所说生灭四谛十二缘生事六度等。三乘权法并宜收入此部)方等为渐中(凡一代中。所说弹偏斥小叹大褒圆等经。及余四时所不摄者。并宜摄入此部。如增上缘名义宽故)般若为渐后(凡一代中。所说若共不共诸般若教。并宜摄入此部)二渐教相。谓历劫修行断惑证位次第。则华严亦复有之。法华会渐归顿。不同华严初说。故非顿。不同阿含方等般若隔历未融。故非渐。然仍双照顿渐两相。 秘密亦有二义。一秘密教。谓于前四时中。或为彼人说顿。为此人说渐等。彼此互不相知。各自得益(法华正直舍方便。但说无上道。故非秘密)二秘密咒。谓一切陀罗尼章句。即五时教中。皆悉有之。 不定亦有二义。一不定教。谓于前四时中。或为彼人说顿。为此人说渐。彼此互知。各别得益。即是宜闻顿者闻顿。宜闻渐者闻渐也(法华决定说大乘。故非不定教相) 现代汉语译本 化仪四教说 顿教有两层含义。一是顿教部，指佛陀最初成道时，为具有深厚根基的人直接宣说的教法。仅限于《华严经》（在佛陀一代教化中，直接宣说界外大法，不与声闻、缘觉、菩萨三乘共通的经典，如《梵网经》、《圆觉经》等，都应归入此部。这叫做以别教来确定通教，摄通教入别教）。二是顿教相，指初发菩提心时便成就正觉，以及自性与修行的不二，众生与佛陀本体相同等义理。那么《方等经》、《般若经》等，都包含这些内容。 渐教也有两层含义。一是渐教部，指仅限于《阿含经》作为渐教的开端（在佛陀一代教化中，所说的生灭四谛、十二因缘以及六度等三乘权巧方便之法，都应归入此部）。《方等经》作为渐教的中间阶段（在佛陀一代教化中，所说的弹偏斥小、赞大褒圆等经典，以及其余四个时期所未包含的经典，都应归入此部。如增上缘这个名义范围很广）。《般若经》作为渐教的最后阶段（在佛陀一代教化中，所说的共般若和不共般若等教法，都应归入此部）。二是渐教相，指经历漫长劫数修行，断除烦恼，证得果位的次第。那么《华严经》也包含这些内容。《法华经》会归渐教于顿教，不同于《华严经》最初就宣说顿教，所以不是顿教。也不同于《阿含经》、《方等经》、《般若经》那样隔阂分离而未融合，所以不是渐教。然而仍然同时照见顿教和渐教两种法相。 秘密教也有两层含义。一是秘密教，指在前面四个时期中，或者为某人说顿教，为另一人说渐教等，彼此互不相知，各自得到利益（《法华经》正直舍弃方便，只说无上道，所以不是秘密教）。二是秘密咒，指一切陀罗尼章句，在五时教中，都包含这些内容。 不定教也有两层含义。一是不定教，指在前面四个时期中，或者为某人说顿教，为另一人说渐教，彼此互相知道，各自得到利益。就是适合听闻顿教的人听闻顿教，适合听闻渐教的人听闻渐教（《法华经》决定宣说大乘，所以不是不定教相）。
English
English version The Explanation of the Four Teachings of Transformation The Sudden Teaching has two meanings. First, the Sudden Teaching Division, which refers to the teachings directly expounded by the Buddha upon his initial enlightenment for those with profound roots. It is limited to the Avatamsaka Sutra (Hua Yan) (Within the Buddha's lifetime of teachings, it directly expounds the great Dharma beyond the realms, not shared with the Three Vehicles [Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna]. Sutras such as the Brahma Net Sutra (Fan Wang) and the Perfect Enlightenment Sutra (Yuan Jue) should all be included in this division. This is called using the specific to define the general, incorporating the general into the specific). Second, the characteristic of the Sudden Teaching, which refers to the immediate attainment of perfect enlightenment upon the initial arising of the aspiration for enlightenment (bodhicitta), and the non-duality of inherent nature and cultivation, the equality of the essence of sentient beings and Buddhas. Then, the Vaipulya Sutras (Fang Deng), Prajna Sutras (Bo Re) and others all contain these meanings. The Gradual Teaching also has two meanings. First, the Gradual Teaching Division, which refers to the Agamas (A Han) being limited as the beginning of the gradual teaching (Within the Buddha's lifetime of teachings, the teachings on the Four Noble Truths of arising and ceasing, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, and the expedient methods of the Three Vehicles such as the Six Perfections should all be included in this division). The Vaipulya Sutras (Fang Deng) as the middle stage of the gradual teaching (Within the Buddha's lifetime of teachings, the sutras that criticize the biased and small, praise the great and perfect, and those not covered by the other four periods should all be included in this division, as the name 'Adhipati-pratyaya' [Zeng Shang Yuan] has a broad meaning). The Prajna Sutras (Bo Re) as the final stage of the gradual teaching (Within the Buddha's lifetime of teachings, all the Prajna teachings, both shared and unshared, should be included in this division). Second, the characteristic of the Gradual Teaching, which refers to the sequence of cultivating through eons, severing afflictions, and realizing positions. Then, the Avatamsaka Sutra (Hua Yan) also contains these aspects. The Lotus Sutra (Fa Hua) converges the gradual teachings into the sudden teaching, unlike the Avatamsaka Sutra (Hua Yan) which initially expounds the sudden teaching, so it is not sudden. It is also unlike the Agamas (A Han), Vaipulya Sutras (Fang Deng), and Prajna Sutras (Bo Re) which are separated and not yet integrated, so it is not gradual. However, it still simultaneously illuminates both the sudden and gradual aspects. The Secret Teaching also has two meanings. First, the Secret Teaching, which refers to, within the previous four periods, expounding the sudden teaching for some and the gradual teaching for others, without them knowing each other, and each benefiting individually (The Lotus Sutra (Fa Hua) honestly abandons expedient means and only speaks of the unsurpassed path, so it is not a secret teaching). Second, the Secret Mantra, which refers to all Dharani (Tuo Luo Ni) verses and phrases, which are all contained within the five periods of teaching. The Undetermined Teaching also has two meanings. First, the Undetermined Teaching, which refers to, within the previous four periods, expounding the sudden teaching for some and the gradual teaching for others, with them knowing each other, and each benefiting individually. That is, those who are suited to hear the sudden teaching hear the sudden teaching, and those who are suited to hear the gradual teaching hear the gradual teaching (The Lotus Sutra (Fa Hua) definitively speaks of the Mahayana, so it is not a characteristic of the Undetermined Teaching). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------