三时教
(三时教判) The three periods and characteristics of Buddha's teaching, as defined by the Dharmalakana school 法相宗. They are: (1) 有, when he taught the 实有 reality of the skandhas and elements, but denied the common belief in 实我 real personality or a permanent soul; this period is represented by the four 阿含经 gamas and other Hnayna stras. (2) 空 nya, when he negatived the idea of 实法 the reality of things and advocated that all was 空 unreal; the period of the 般若经 praj stras. (3) 中 Madhyama, the mean, that mind or spirit is real, while things are unreal; the period of this school's specific stra the 解深密经, also the 法华 and later stras. In the two earlier periods he is said to have 方便 adapted his teaching to the development of his hearers; in the third to have delivered his complete and perfect doctrine. Another division by the 空宗 is (1) as above; (2) the early period of the Mahyna represented, by the 深密经; (3) the higher Mahyna as in the 般若经. v. also 三.
