One may inquire: in what sense does the Threefold Track represent all dharmas? This should be viewed with regard to the three Subtleties (Objects as Truth, Knowledge, and Practice). In Chih-i’s system of understanding Buddhism, these three categories of Subtlety are most significant in outlining the elements required to strive for liberation. These three Subtleties are inseparable: truth as an object has to be perceived in attaining liberation; knowledge is required in order to penetrate truth; and actual practice is the means to attaining knowledge in reaching truth. Chih-i considers truth as substance (T’i), knowledge as gist (Tsung), and practice as function (Yung). All three of these elements are prerequisite for reaching liberation, and the Three Tracks are the representation of these three elements, given that the three Subtleties already signify the characteristics of the Three Tracks respectively. The Track of Real Nature, which concerns the true reality, represents the Subtlety of Objects; the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom, which concerns the knowledge of penetrating the true reality, represents the Subtlety of Knowledge; and the Track of Accomplishment, which concerns the practice of striving to obtain knowledge in penetrating reality, represents the Subtlety of Practice. Therefore, the first three Subtleties are considered by Chih-i to be the cause of attaining Buddhahood, and the Three Tracks the effect of Buddhahood. Although the three Subtleties are the cause, and the Three Tracks are the effect, the cause and effect are contained in each other: cause leads to effect, and effect arises from cause. Fundamentally, the cause and effect are one entity, and both are delineated by the Threefold Track.

What, then, is the distinction between the cause and effect that are named and presented separately? First, Chih-i points out, the three Subtleties that are taken as the Three Tracks can depict the cause of attaining enlightenment, and the One Buddha-vehicle that is formed by the Threefold Track is the effect of Buddhahood. Second, the three Subtleties Objects, Knowledge, and Practice are presented individually in order to describe the process of reaching enlightenment. The Threefold Track is discussed together as one unity in order to portray the effect as the One Buddha-vehicle. Third, the three Subtleties and Threefold Track illustrate respectively the beginning and end of one’s practice of reaching liberation. The three Subtleties are the Threefold Track in terms of virtue of nature (Hsing-te San-kui), and the Threefold Track is the Threefold Track in terms of virtue of cultivation (Hsiu-te San-kui). (Vol. 2, Page 241-242)

[T]he Threefold Track and the One Buddha-vehicle are two names of the same thing: the one is in the three, and the three are in the one. Chih-i illustrates this indefinite nature by quoting the formula of affirmation, negation and double negation (i.e., one, not one, neither one nor not one). (i) The formula of affirmation “one” expresses the concept “Supreme Truth” (Ti-i-i Ti) so that the absoluteness of the True Reality is denoted. Chih-i uses this term Supreme Truth to declare that all dharmas are converged into One Buddha-vehicle. (ii) The formula of negation “not one” expresses the concept tathāgatagarbha (Ju-lai-tsang), indicating the functional nature of the True Reality. This term is used by Chih-i to refer to the richness of the tathāgatagarbha in terms of its immeasurable dharma-doors for teaching sentient beings. To suite the different faculties of beings, the Buddha expounds upon various vehicles in his teaching. (iii) The formula of double negation “neither one nor not one” delineates the concept “Supreme Meaning of Emptiness” (Ti-i-i K’ung). This term refers to the function that rises from the nature of emptiness, and Chih-i associates it with the skillful and expedient means of True Reality: The Relative contains the Ultimate, and vice versa. The Buddha teaches the dharma according to these conditions. The teaching seems to be definite but not definite, since the Buddha expounds the Ultimate of the One Buddha-vehicle as well as the Relative of the Three Vehicles (śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva). Although there is Relative of the Three Vehicles in the teaching of the Buddha, in the end, all of them are converged into the Ultimate of the One Vehicle. (Vol. 2, Page 241)

In Chih-i’s view, track is dharma and dharma is track: “What is called the dharma can be named as the track, which is tracked by all Buddhas in attaining Buddhahood.”

To be specific, the Threefold Dharma, also called Threefold Track (San-kui), refers to the Track of Real Nature (Chen-hsing Kui), the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom (Kuan-chao Kui), and the Track of Accomplishment (Tzu-ch ‘eng Kui). These Three Tracks are Chih-i’s theoretical delineation of the phenomenal world: there are three dharmas that can be tracked and all things in the Ten Dharma-realms contain these three dharmas. In other words, the whole universe is constituted by these Three Tracks. Horizontally, the Three Tracks cover the width of the ten directions; vertically they penetrate the three periods of time, including the beginning as the cause and the end as the effect. According to Chih-i’s definitions, the Track of Real Nature refers to the never-changing true reality of sentient beings that is characterized by non-illusion and non-differentiation; the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom refers to the wisdom that destroys delusions and reveals the real nature of beings; and the Track of Accomplishment concerns the wholesome performance of deeds that is required in realizing this wisdom of penetrating the true reality. The Threefold Track is related to the Buddha-nature as the Triple Cause of Buddhahood. The Track of Real Nature corresponds to the Fundamental Cause (Chen-yin), which refers to the fact that all beings are inherently endowed with the true nature of reality. The Track of the Illumination of Wisdom corresponds to the Understanding Cause (Liao-yin), that is, the inherent potential for wisdom in all sentient beings which allows them to eventually uncover their true nature from within. The Track of Accomplishment corresponds to the Conditional Cause (Yüan-yin), or the inherent potential and propensity for Buddhahood within all sentient beings, which allows them to perform meritorious deeds in order to attain wisdom. According to this definition, Chih-i believes that the Threefold Buddha-nature is an invisible state of Buddhahood that causes the attainment of Buddhahood, and sheds light on the universal salvation of all sentient beings. The Threefold Track, on the other hand, is the visible state as the effect of Buddhahood the ultimate fruition of enlightenment. Chih-i names the Triple Buddha-nature as the “Threefold Track of the Virtue of Nature” (Hsing-te San-kui).

Furthermore, Chih-i’s theory of the Threefold Track attempts to illustrate the One Buddha-vehicle as the core of the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra. Chih-i points out that this One Buddha-vehicle consists of the Threefold Track. Only if the practitioner rides on the vehicle that is formed by the Threefold Track, can he directly arrive at the bodhimaṇḍa and attain perfect enlightenment. This indicates that the Threefold Track is the “Threefold Track of the Virtue of Cultivation” (Hsiu-te San-kui). To Chih-i, the Threefold Track in Buddhism is extremely significant as it reflects all the causes and effects of attaining Buddhahood. Considering that the Threefold Track contains all dharmas from beginning to end, the noumenon and the phenomenon of the universe can all be concluded and delineated by the Threefold Dharma. The Threefold Track that forms the great vehicle can be taken as noumenon, and the Threefold Track that contains all things can be taken as phenomenon. (Vol. 2, Page 239-240)

Chih-i cites another allegory from the twenty-seventh chapter in the Nirvāṇa sūtra:

“It is like someone who puts poison in milk that can kill people, even the flavor of ghee can also kill people.”

This allegory is used for the purpose of illustrating that the Buddha nature is everywhere, and that all positions of the Perfect Teaching are equally significant, seeing that one can realize truth at any one of these stages. Chih-i analogizes fresh milk with the mind of an ignorant man, and poison with the knowledge of the Ultimate Truth. Poison can perish a life. Similarly, knowledge of the Ultimate Truth that is symbolized by poison possesses power to destroy ignorance. Chih-i points out that like poison, knowledge of the Ultimate Truth is always right here embedded in the mind of an ignorant man. This provides an underlying meaning of uncertainty, viz. it is not certain whether or not poison might start to break out in any given moment. Since the Five Flavors are filled with poison, all of them can kill. This means that a person can attain knowledge of the Buddha in any one of these given stages without having to go through each of them gradually. (Vol. 2, Page 232-233)

With regard to the five flavors that are used to analogize five levels of the position of the Perfect Teaching, Chih-i cites an allegory from the Nirvāṇa Sūtra:

“In the Snow Mountains, there is a type of grass named ‘enduring humility.’ If a cow eats the grass, it immediately attains ghee.” “The cow is analogous with an ignorant man, and the grass is analogous with the Eightfold Correct Path. [If one] can cultivate the Eightfold Correct Path, [one] instantaneously perceives the Buddha-nature, which is called the attainment of ghee. This is analogous with the Perfect Teaching, with which [one] walks on the wide and straight road and observes that all sentient beings are identical to the characteristic of Nirvāṇa, which can no longer be extinguished.”

By quoting the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, Chih-i intends to say that the bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching does not need to go through the first four stages of flavor before he can directly arrive at the final stage of ghee. This is an expression of the superiority of the Perfect Teaching. Chih-i affirms that there are four subtleties that constitute the Perfect Teaching and can be drawn from this analogy. (i) The fact that the cow can instantly attain the ghee as truth through eating grass signifies that the conception of truth of the Perfect Teaching is ultimate. Thus, the grass of acquiescence (Jents ‘ao) is the metaphor for the Subtlety of Objects (Ching-miao). (ii) The attainment of liberation as the result of the cow eating grass suggests that the cow is the metaphor for the Subtlety of Knowledge (Chih-miao) that penetrates truth. (iii) The fact that the actualization of liberation is due to the action of eating grass indicates that this action of eating is used as the metaphor for the Subtlety of Practice (Hsing-miao). (iv) Finally, ghee is used as the metaphor for the Subtlety of Positions (Weimiao). (Vol. 2, Page 232)

Chih-i offers an explanation for his preference of the position of the Perfect Teaching over those of the other three teachings in terms of the Relative and the Ultimate. The relative teachings contain two characteristics. First, they are not upright rivers and are winding and roundabout, considering that the Buddha did not directly express his true intention of guiding beings to attain Buddhahood in relative teachings. Second, the relative teachings serve to suit the dispositions of sentient beings (Sui-ch’ing) like all forests that must have trees. By means of presenting the Three Vehicles (śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva), the Buddha uses the relative teaching to mature sentient beings so that they will be able to eventually receive the Perfect Teaching, and enter the One Buddha-vehicle. Obviously, the relative positions, which are represented by three kinds of herbal grass and two kinds of tree, are not ultimate, and have to be abolished. The ultimate positions, which are represented by the Perfect Teaching, are analogous with “the great river [named] Golden Sand that flows straight into the Western Sea” and are analogous with “all golden and silver trees that are part of precious forest.” Since these positions are not winding (i.e., entailing no expedient purpose), but straightforward (i.e., direct attainment of the Ultimate Truth), they are not to be abolished. In addition, from the point of view of integrating the three relative teachings (i.e., Tripiṭaka, Common and Separate) with the one ultimate teaching (i.e., Perfect Teaching), positions of the former teachings should be abolished, and positions of the latter teaching should not be abolished. In other words, since the One Vehicle of Buddhahood is the result of an integration of the Three Vehicles, these three no longer need to exist, but this One Buddha-vehicle is necessary to remain. (Vol. 2, Page 228)

With regard to the abandonment of the position of the Tripiṭaka Teaching, Chih-i says that the Tripiṭaka Teaching is intended for the practitioner to get rid of evil and to aspire for wholesomeness. If his wholesomeness is established, the doctrine of this teaching should be abolished for the sake of motivating the practitioner to continue to pursue his practice. Along with the abandonment of the doctrine of the Tripiṭaka Teaching, its practice and position should be abandoned as well.

With regard to the abandonment of the position of the Common Teaching, Chih-i denotes that the Common Teaching is intended for the person not to remain satisfied with the perception of emptiness. As the truth of emptiness is only a partial truth, the practitioner should continue to perceive no-emptiness (e.g. provisional existence). From this point of view, the doctrine of the Common Teaching, along with its knowledge, practice and position, should be abolished.

With regard to the abandonment of the position of the Separate Teaching, Chih-i asserts that the Separate Teaching is intended for the bodhisattva to destroy delusions of lacking innumerable knowledge of saving beings. When this task is fulfilled, the teaching is complete, whereby the position of the Separate Teaching should be demolished. In addition, Chih-i states that another reason for the abandonment of the Separate Teaching is that the Separate Teaching still expresses the word of other’s mind to suit the inclination of beings. To be specific, Chih-i stresses that all practices and positions before the Ten Stages should be abolished. However, the position of the Ten Stages and the position of the Buddha should not be abandoned (if speaking in terms of attainment of the Buddhahood), and should be abandoned (if speaking in terms of different levels of attainment). Finally, for the sake of establishing the position of the Perfect Teaching, the position of the Separate Teaching should be abandoned.

With regard to the position of the Perfect Teaching, Chih-i affirms that as all eight positions of the Perfect Teaching are true positions which are not the result of the expedient teaching, but rather, derived directly from the ultimate teaching that expresses the word of the Buddha’s own mind, they do not have to be abolished.

Chih-i’s argumentation of the arising of different positions demonstrates an ascending order of the positions of the Four Teachings. Each position functions as the step for the later position to arise. The later position aroused is based on the previous position to further server delusions and realize truth. Among various positions, positions of the Tripitaka and Common Teachings are concerned with emptiness as the Absolute Truth. As these two positions cannot transcend the truth of emptiness, they can only originate wholesomeness in terms of the facts and principle within the three realms and destroy evil in terms of the facts and principle within the three realms. Positions of the Separate and Perfect Teachings advance to be concerned with the Middle Way that embraces both the truth of emptiness and the provisional existence. Thus, they transcend the three realms, originate the wholesomeness in terms of the facts and principle beyond the three realms, and destroy evil in terms of the facts and principle beyond the three realms. Apparently, positions of each of the Four Teachings are closely connected: the previous position leads to the later position, and such a progress enables one to eventually conceive the principle of the Middle Way. Consequently, position of the Perfect Teaching is confirmed to be the ultimate position that eradicates fundamental ignorance and enables one to attain Buddhahood. This is Chih-i’s dialectic approach in highlighting the supremacy of the position of the Perfect Teaching while confirming the indispensable value of various tentative positions of other three teachings. According to Chih-i’s view, tentative and ultimate are fundamentally the same entity: without the tentative, the ultimate cannot be manifested; without the ultimate, the tentative loses its value of existence. (Vol. 2, Page 226-227)

Chih-i gives an overview of different levels of positions in terms of their coarseness or subtlety. Among the three herbal grasses and two trees, the four are coarse, except the big tree that can be considered as subtle. However, the position of the big tree is coarse as well, compared with the position of the Perfect Teaching, because the door of the former entails expedient means, and the door of the latter is straightforward without any expedient means. Therefore, only the position of the Perfect Teaching is subtle. With regard to the position of the inferior grass of human and heavenly vehicle, Chih-i states that because of the defilement of the four destinies, this vehicle stays within the three realms of transmigration without moving and outgoing. With regard to the position of the intermediate grass of the Two Vehicles (śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha), Chih-i confirms that it can move in and out (e.g. transcend the three realms) by severing defilements within the three realms. Nevertheless, the knowledge of the Two Vehicles only concerns emptiness, which does not exhaust the nature of truth, and what they pursue is only for self-liberation, which does not benefit others. As for the position of the superior grass of the bodhisattva of the Tripiṭaka Teaching, Chih-i comments that though this bodhisattva practices the Six Perfections by means of helping others with kindness and compassion, this position is still coarse as his goal is to extinguish forms, e.g. cannot identify emptiness with the provisional existence. With regard to the position of the small tree, Chih-i illustrates that by perceiving emptiness within dharmas, one’s knowledge of entering emptiness is skillful, but this type of knowledge functions to eliminate false views and wrong attitudes within the three realms, which cannot manage to sever delusions beyond the three realms. Thus, this position is coarse. With regard to the position of the big tree of the Separate Teaching and that of the Perfect Teaching, Chih-i asserts that both positions practice the contemplation of the Middle Way, whereby the knowledge of the Middle Way functions to destroy ignorance beyond the three realms. Therefore, both positions are subtle. Nevertheless, to make further distinction, Chih-i points out that the Separate Teaching enters truth through the door of expedience, e.g. by means of going through immeasurable practices before reaching the Middle Way. Furthermore, its knowledge of the Middle Way does not enable one to perceive all dharmas as an integrated whole, since all dharmas are viewed as separate. Thus, the ignorance the bodhisattva of the Separate Teaching destroys is not so penetrating and complete as that in the Perfect Teaching. Compared with the Perfect Teaching, Chih-i regards the door of the Separate Teaching as unskillful (e.g. winding and roundabout) and its position as coarse. On the other hand, Chih-i claims that the bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching penetrates the principle of the Middle Way and understands that all flavors and fragrance of the phenomenal world are nothing else but the manifestation of the Middle Way. One’s knowledge of the Middle Way is perfect and integrated starting from the initial practice of the Perfect Teaching. One’s every thought corresponds with the Ten Dharma-realms, and one is mindful of the Ultimate Truth. Thus, the door of the Perfect Teaching is straightforward without any expedience in reaching truth and attaining ultimate enlightenment of Buddhahood, whereby its position is subtle. (Vol. 2, Page 224-225)

In order to support his classification about the number of positions of the Perfect Teaching, Chih-i quotes citations from the Lotus Sūtra to demonstrate that this is not his own creation. In actuality, the Fourfold Teaching is his own system of classifying the teaching of the Buddha, and his illustration of the position of the Perfect Teaching is certainly derived from his own understanding of Buddhism.

With regard to the Position of the Five Preliminary Grades of Disciples, Chih-i argues that the chapter on Fen-pieh Kung-te P’in (Distinguishing Merits and Virtues) in the Lotus Sūtra provides a description of these positions. In the chapter on Fang-pien P’in (Expedient Means), the phrase about “to cause sentient beings to open the Buddha’s knowledge and insight” (Yü-ling Chung-sheng K’ai-fo Chih-chien) denotes the Ten Dwellings; “to reveal the Buddha’s knowledge and insight” (Shih-fo Chih-chien) signifies the Ten Practices; “to be awakened to the Buddha’s knowledge and insight” (Wu-fo Chih-chien) indicates the Ten Merit transferences; “to enter the Buddha’s knowledge and insight” (Ju-fo Chih-chien) denotes the Ten Stages, and the Stage of Preliminary Enlightenment. The Stage of Subtle Enlightenment is revealed in the citation “only Buddhas and Buddhas can exhaust the Ultimate Truth of all dharmas” (Wei Fo-yü-fo Nai-neng Chiu-ching Chu-fa Shih-hsiang). These associations of various phrases in the Lotus Sūtra with various positions are made by Chih-i according to his teacher Hui-ssu’s explanation. Moreover, Chih-i stresses that the number of positions of the Perfect Teaching in severing and destroying ignorance is for an expedient purpose only. By nature, positions of the Perfect Teaching are inconceivable: integrated, they can become a single position; divided, they can be of various levels. (Vol. 2, Page 222-223)