Learning Buddhism
謂賢首清涼，共判如來一代時教有五種：
- 小乘教
謂阿含等六百餘卷經、婆娑等六百餘卷論，說一切法從因緣生。明三界不安，了人空真理，修自利之行，忻小乘之果。
- 大乘始教有二
1.法相宗：為深密、佛地等數十本經，瑜伽、唯識等數百卷論，說一切皆是唯識，了二空之理。修六度萬行、趣大乘佛果，於中多談法相之義。
2.無相宗：謂諸部般若等千餘卷經，中、百門等數本論文，說一切法本來是空，無始迷情妄認為有，欲證菩提以為所得，修習萬行，於中多談無相空義。
斯之二宗，皆是大乘初門，故名曰始。始者，初也。
（三）一乘終教
謂法華、涅槃等四十餘部經，寶性、佛性等十餘部論。說一切眾生皆有佛性，從本以來，靈明不昧，了了常知，無始迷倒，不自覺悟。欲成佛果，須先了悟自家佛性，後方稱性修習本有無量妙行。多談法性，是大乘盡理之教，故名曰終。終者，盡也。
（四）一乘頓教
謂楞伽經、思益經文，達磨所傳禪宗，說一切妄相本空、真心本淨，元無煩惱、本是菩提，唯談真性，不依位次成佛，故名曰頓。
（五）不思議乘圓教
謂華嚴一經、十地一論，全說毗盧法界、普賢行海，於中所有，若事、若理、若因、若果，一具一切、重重無盡，總含諸教。無法不收，稱性自在，無障無礙，迥殊徧說，故名為圓。
此之五教，前前者是淺是權，後後者是深是實，若以圓教望之，前四皆是應根權施設也。且據對待而論，言前四是權、圓教為實。若定執圓教為實、缺前四教亦非圓暢。若五教俱傳，偏圓共讚、逗根方足。
資料來源：心靈甘露(二)，隆門圓通法師著。英文翻譯：張惠平
Learning Buddhism
There were five schools of Buddhist education in the days of foremost in virtue, coolness, and co-judgment of the Tathagata.
(1) The Small Vehicle School: There were more than six hundred volumes of sutras including the Agama Sutra, and more than six hundred volumes of treatises including the Treatise on Vibhasa. All these stated that all dharmas arise from affinities, and the practitioner of the Small vehicle should know that the Three Realms are unstable and that all are empty for a person. One should cultivate to benefit himself and enjoy the fruit (achievements) of the Small Vehicle.
(2) The Great Vehicle School: There were two sects of this school. One was the Sect of the Dharma Form that had dozens of sutras including Understanding the Deep, Secret Sutra and the Buddhabhumi Sutra, and hundreds of volumes of treatises including Yogacarabhumi-sastra and Mere Consciousness. All these stated that everything belongs to consciousness only. The practitioner should know the truth of Dual Emptiness, cultivate the Six Perfections and 84,000 Heaps of Dharmas, and enter the Buddha fruit. The meanings of dharma forms were discussed most.
The other sect was the Sect of the Formless which had more than one thousand sutras including the Eight Division Prajna and several treatises including the Treaties on Middle Gate and the Treatise on Hundred Gates. This sect held that all Dharmas are empty and confirming the Bodhi is what a practitioner should attain. The 84,000 Heaps of Dharmas were practiced and the meanings of formlessness and emptiness were mostly discussed.
The above two sects were in the initial stage of the Great Vehicle, so the term “beginning” came into being.
(3) The One Vehicle Utmost School: There were more than forty sutras including the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra and the Mahaparinirvana Sutra and more than ten treatises including the Treatise on Treasure Nature and the Treatise on Buddha Nature. This school held that all sentient beings possess the Buddha nature and are smart and understanding, but they are enchanted by greed, hatred, and stupidity without noticing it. So if they want to attain Buddhahood, they have to realize their own Buddha nature first and cultivate the existing boundless wondrous Dharmas. This school mostly dealt with dharma nature and expounded doctrines to the utmost, thus the term “utmost” arose.
(4) The One Vehicle Immediate School: There were the Lankavatara Sutra, the Brahma-visesa-cinti-pariprccha Sutra, and the Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma. This school held that all false forms are originally empty, the true mind is originally pure, the primary mind has no vexations, and the root is the Bodhi. Only the real nature was discussed. One does not attain Buddhahood according to the position or order, therefore they had the name including the word “immediate.”
(5) The Incredible Vehicle Perfect School: There were the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Treatise of the Ten Grounds that dealt with the Vairocana Dharma Realm and the Samantabhadra’s sea of practice. Matters, principles, causes and conditions are included. “One” is replete with “all” and had endless layers that included various kinds of teachings. All Dharmas were admitted to this school which was unrestrained and without hindrance. Widely different doctrines were all lectured, so the term “perfect” arose.
Among these five schools, the former two were shallow and temporary, while the latter two were deep and solid. Seen from the Perfect School, the first four were expedients which were set in response to different capabilities. In terms of treatment, the first four were temporary and the Perfect School was solid. If the Perfect School were defined as solid, it wouldn’t be perfect without the first four. If these five were all expounded, the deviated and the perfect would both be praised and the lingering capabilities would be enough.
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. II), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong. Translated by Huei Ping Chang.