Origination,Buddha Nature,and Buddhahood:the Creation And Application Of “Yinian Sanqian” In Tiantai Sect

When explaining the “observation of unimaginable conditions” in the Mo He Zhi Guan,Zhiyi,the founder of the Tiantai sect,proposed the “yinian sanqian”.The expression “yinian sanqian” refers to a mental thought-moment that encompasses the nature of three thousand universes.The ten dharma realms,ten realities,and three worlds make up the three thousand.Zhiyi imbues our minds with three thousand dharmas,implying that a thought-moment of mind is instantly connected to the dharmas of dye and purity,and that all sentient beings’ minds are presented with the dharmas in one moment.This is crucial in Tiantai doctrines.The “yinian sanqian” reflects the themes and directions in different periods in the history of the Tiantai sect.To begin,during the Chen and Sui dynasties,Zhiyi combined the content of“one mind,two doors” in the Da Cheng Qi Xin Lun and developed a theory of “yinian sanqian”by integrating the two sects of Zhong Guan and Yu Jia in response to the shortcomings of the Di Lun School and the She Lun School’s origination thought.He aimed to dispel the northern and southern theories’ preconceptions,explain the genesis of all dharmas and the relationship between mind and all dharmas,and present a cosmic picture of mind and all dharmas’ harmony and oneness for all sentient beings.This is a summary of “yinian sanqian” in relation to the origination theory.Second,following the establishment of the Huayan and Faxiang sects,Tiantai faded rapidly throughout the Tang dynasty.In order to restore the sect’s style,Zhanran used the doctrine of “the buddha nature of insentient beings” as his own fresh and distinct banner.He argued from the standpoint of the Nie Pan Jin’s expedient and real,the identity of the buddha nature and the thusness,the unity of one mind with all sentient creatures,Buddhas,and all dharmas,which is the result of the logical development of the “yinian sanqian” on the issue of buddha nature.Finally,in the Song Dynasty,after the An Shi Rebellion,the Huichang Suppression of Buddhism,and the wars of the Five Dynasties,the Tiantai Canon was lost overseas.The question of the legitimacy of the Jin Guang Ming Jing Xuan Yi’s long text sparked a debate within the Tiantai sect over mind truth and delusion.Zhi Li and others,who called themselves Shan Jia(meaning orthodoxy),contended that Zhiyi’s one mind is the one mind in the phenomenon,the mind of unintelligence and delusion,and that the practice should be based on phenomena and delusion.The Shan Wai(meaning unorthodoxy),Qingzhao,and Zhiyuan contended that Zhiyi’s one mind is the one mind in principle,which is the actual nature of spirituality,and that practice should simply expose the nature of the mind rather than conform to phenomena and delusion.The debate over the ways of practice,which is the outcome of the“yinian sanqian” on the issue of buddhahood,reflects the differences between the two schools.A look at the “yinian sanqian” reveals that it is a microcosm of the history of the Tiantai sect.The “yinian sanqian”(Chen-Sui to Song dynasties)revolves around three major issues:origination(the origin and manifestation of the human and world),buddha nature(the buddha nature of insentient beings),and buddhahood(the ways to become a buddha).It discusses the origins of the universe and life,the possibility of enlightenment for all beings,and the methods of practice.It is a living reflection of the evolution of Chinese Buddhism.