Combining, excluding, corresponding, and including
combining, excluding, corresponding, and including
兼但対帯 ( Jpn ken-tan-tai-tai )
A Template:Wiki propounded by T'ient'ai (538-597) in The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra that categorizes the various provisional sutras and differentiates between them and the Lotus Sutra.
These four categories show the relationship between the first four of the five periods and the four teachings of doctrine.
The five periods are T'ient'ai's Template:Wiki of Shakyamuni's teachings according to the order in which he believed they had been expounded.
They are the Flower Garland period, the Agama period, the Correct and Template:Wiki period, the Wisdom period, and the Lotus and Nirvana period.The four teachings of doctrine are T'ient'ai's Template:Wiki of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings according to their content.
They are the Tripitaka teaching, the connecting teaching, the specific teaching, and the Template:Wiki teaching.
T'ient'ai explained that during the Flower Garland period, the specific teaching, a higher level of Mahayana, was combined (hence, combining ) with the Template:Wiki teaching.
During the Agama period, only the Tripitaka, or Hinayana, teaching was expounded, and the connecting teaching, or introductory Mahayana, the specific teaching, and the Template:Wiki teaching were excluded (excluding ).
In the Correct and Template:Wiki period, all four teachings were taught in a manner corresponding to the people's capacity (corresponding ), while during the Wisdom period, the connecting and specific teachings were included in the Template:Wiki teaching (including ).
In contrast with the provisional doctrines preached during these periods, which either excluded the Template:Wiki teaching or mixed it with other teachings, the Lotus Sutra contains only the Template:Wiki teaching; hence it is referred to as the pure and Template:Wiki teaching. See also five periods; four teachings of doctrine.