The three periods of the Buddha's teaching as defined by Paramrtha: (a) 转法轮 the first rolling onwards of the Law-wheel, the first seven years' teaching of Hnayna, i.e. the 四谛 four axioms and 空 unreality; (b) 照法轮 illuminating or explaining the law-wheel, the thirty years' teaching of the 般若prajor wisdom stras, illuminating 空 and by 空 illuminating 有 reality; (c) 持法轮 maintaining the law-wheel, i.e. the remaining years of teaching of the deeper truths of 空有 both unreality and reality. Also the three-fold group of the Lotus School: (a) 根本法轮 radical, or fundamental, as found in the 华严经 stra; (b) 枝末法轮 branch and leaf, i.e. all other teaching; until (c) 摄末归本法轮 branches and leaves are reunited with the root in the
Lotus Sutra, 法华经.
