The Three Major Commentaries are Sui-period commentarial works on Kumarajiva's translation of the Lotus Sutra. To define their characteristics, it is necessary to understand the underlying thoughts in commentaries of the period in general.
Commentaries of the period conform to the critical classification, which systematizes a mass of translated scriptures. Therefore, commentaries are made, in line with the already-determined overall picture. This means that commentarial activity as a whole is “interpretation”. Because all scriptures are Buddha's teaching, however, their interpretation is limited and eventually directed only to Buddha or Nirvana.
On the other hand, the lectures of scriptures played a role in the production of commentaries and the development of the critical classification. It is regarded as “elucidation” among possession, recitation, elucidation and transcription in scripture worship. Since the Lotus Sutra attaches importance on these practices, they are emphasized in the Three Major Commentaries. What is behind them is worship and understanding that the teaching in a scripture itself is the truth.
These two aspects are found in the Three Major Commentaries. It is, therefore, necessary to take both of them into consideration when texts are examined.
