The Four Noble Truths in the Niepan jing: Da banniepan jing jijie and Zhiyi

Abstract

Zhiyi （538-579） interprets his own theory of Four Kinds of Four Nobles based on the Four Noble Truths in the “Shengxing” chapter 聖行品 of the Niepan jing 涅槃経. For Zhiyi, the theory of Four Ways of interpreting the Four Noble Truths四種四諦was closely related to this sūtra. Taking up the Da banniepan jing jijie 大般涅槃経集解, in which studies on the sutra from before Zhiyi are taken into account, I compare the Da banniepan jing jijie with the interpretation of Zhiyi and clarify the characteristics of his theory of Four Ways of interpreting the Four Noble Truths.