Guanding, who is known as inheriting the thought of Zhiyi, regards the Nirvāṇa Sūtra as belonging to the highest rank, which is in fact different from Zhiyi’s hierarchical taxonomy of teachings 教判. Concerning the sūtra’s title, although both of them accept the translation of the expression “摩訶般涅槃那修多羅” as “大滅度,” Guanding uses the word “ji” in the Perfect Teaching 円教 to interpret this “大滅度,” whereas Zhiyi, analytically takes a different approach. Zhiyi refers to only the Lotus Sūtra 法華経 as the Perfect Teaching, which is characterized by “純円独妙,” and this description is also used in the sense of the meaning of “ji” in the Perfect Teaching. On the other hand, Guanding employs both the same description and the word “ji” as applying to the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, which indicates his distinct understanding to the Nirvāṇa Sūtra.
