T'ien-t'ai (Tiantai)

T'ien-t'ai (Tiantai) is a Chinese Buddhist tradition founded in the 6th century, emphasizing the integration of wisdom and compassion through comprehensive teachings. It advocates that all Buddhist teachings are interconnected and layers of understanding, with the Lotus Sutra as its core text. Practitioners aim to see the unity of all phenomena and achieve enlightenment through meditation, study, and ethical conduct. T'ien-t'ai also developed the concept of the "Threefold Truth"—emptiness, conventional existence, and the integration of both—guiding individuals to realize the true nature of reality and attain spiritual awakening.