On the Eighteen Perfections Chapter7

“The five major principles of the Buddha’s intention are endowed with the five types of vision that characterize the enlightenment of the Buddhas and which are represented by the five characters Myoho-renge-kyo. These five types of vision are the Buddha eye, which is myō; the Dharma eye, which is hō; the wisdom eye, which is ren; the heavenly eye, which is ge; and the eye of ordinary mortals, which is kyō.

“Myō means inconceivable, and therefore it corresponds to true non-substantiality and tranquillity, which is the Buddha eye. Hō is designated discrimination, and therefore it corresponds to the Dharma eye, which is temporary in nature and embodies discrimination. The wisdom eye corresponds to non-substantiality, being the embodiment of effects, and it is represented by ren. Ge represents function, and therefore it is designated the heavenly eye, which is the function of conversion exercised by transcendental powers. Kyō means to smash delusion, and because it deals with delusion, it is designated the eye of ordinary mortals.

“The enlightenment of the Buddha wisdom is endowed with all the five types of vision. They are the five characters Myoho-renge-kyo, and the five characters are the five major principles. Therefore we speak of them as the five major principles of the Buddha wisdom.

“Again, the five types of vision correspond to the five kinds of wisdom. The wisdom of the essence of the phenomenal world is the Buddha eye; the great round mirror wisdom is the Dharma eye; the non-discriminating wisdom is the wisdom eye; the wisdom of insight into the particular is the heavenly eye; and the wisdom of perfect practice is the eye of ordinary mortals.

“Question: Are these five types of wisdom propounded by the T’ien-t’ai school?

“Answer: The school has already postulated the nine kinds of consciousness, and therefore it propounds the five types of wisdom. Among the nine consciousnesses, the first five correspond to the wisdom of perfect practice. The sixth consciousness corresponds to the wisdom of insight into the particular, the seventh to the non-discriminating wisdom, the eighth to the great round mirror wisdom, and the ninth to the wisdom of the essence of the phenomenal world.