Rev. Shimingzhili (四明知禮) revived the Buddhist School of Tiantai. His successors, Guangzhi (廣智), Shenzhao (神照), and Nanping (南屏) continued his work and disseminated the moral outlooks of Tiantai. They eventually formed the three major branches of the Mountain Sect (Sangjia) in the Tiantai School. The Guangzhi Branch resided in the Yanqing Temple where Rev. Zhili once lived. They used the Shiming District as their base to promote the practices of Tiantai School. Rev. Guangzhi continued Rev. Zhili’s teachings and completed his unfinished work, namely The Lost Principle of Tiantai School. This is how we could have the opportunity to thoroughly understand Rev. Zhili’s thoughts and Tiantai’s works. Rev. Guangzhi maintained Rev. Zhili’s authority by defending his teaching that the three thousand worlds are inseparable from the real laksanal world, that the real laksanal is Trisatya, which means that “Trisatya is also the three thousand worlds.” Because of Rev. Guangzhi’s repeated elaboration and reinforcement of this “Theory of Satya” among his followers, Rev. Zhili’s teachings were broadly taught among the followers and also influenced the scholars of other schools. Moreover, Rev. Guangzhi also enhanced the interactions between Chinese and Japanese Buddhism. As the leader of Tiantai School, Rev. Guangzhi’s contribution to the Mountain Sect has been recognized. It is a fair comment when the historians describe him as one who “excels in his achievements while assisting and enhancing the great Buddhist teaching, a master who integrates sutra discourses and practice and is especially proficient in developing and elaborating Tiantai teachings.”
