The ‘Middle Way’ in Tiantai teachings has been generally interpreted as the simultaneous, balanced, and complete realization of both ‘Emptiness’ and ‘Conventionality’. However, Zhiyi's explanation on this term in his Weimojing wenshu (Commentary on the Passages of the Vimalakirti-nirdesa _??__??__??__??__??__??__??_) can be summarized as follows: “Both all things in the worldly realm and the inevitable consequences of sentient beings in six existences originate in ‘Ignorance’, whereas both all things in the transcendent realm and the results of the four holy attainments originate in understanding ‘Ignoiance’. Thus, ‘Ignorance’ is the originating factor of everything, and thereby ‘Ignorance’ and ‘Dharma-nature’ are neither two nor separated. When this indivisibility is applied to the observation of sentient beings, it is revealed that the ‘Middle Way’ is concealed by means of ‘Ignorance’.” In conclusion, to contemplate the Middle Way is nothing but to have an insight into ‘Ignorance’ as the ultimate origin of 'Dharma of Sentient Beings (_??__??__??_ [Fahua xuanyi _??__??__??__??__??__??_ T33. 693b]).
