The Lotus Sūtra has two subtleties. Grand Master T’ien-t’ai said in his Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra, “The Lotus Sūtra explains the two subtleties.” They are (1) relative subtlety (sōdaimyō) and (2) absolute subtlety (zetsudaimyō). The relative subtlety means to compare the Lotus Sūtra with the various sūtras expounded in the first four periods of Flower Garland, Āgama, Expanded, and Wisdom, disparaging those various sūtras as “pre-Lotus.” The pre-Lotus sūtras are called “tōbun (for a while)” meaning that they only assess their own sūtras, and therefore, are nothing but expedients. On the other hand, the Lotus Sūtra is called “kasetsu (across a fence)” meaning that the Lotus Sūtra is the supreme teaching revealing the true intent of the Buddha, which He tried to expound throughout His lifetime. The true purpose of the absolute subtlety is to reveal that all the holy teachings of the Buddha are for the purpose of preaching the Lotus Sūtra. Two things concerning this are mentioned in the Lotus Sūtra: one is that provisional teachings are revealed to show the single path to enlightenment, and the other is the revealing of the single path to enlightenment. For example the “open, show, perceive and enter” passage in the second chapter, “Expedients,” of the Lotus Sūtra explaining why Buddhas appeared in this world, or the passage in the same chapter saying, “All have attained Buddhahood;” and the fact that each of the 69,384 letters of the Lotus Sūtra consisting of eight fascicles is equipped with subtlety are all “revealing the single path to Buddhahood.” Those who study Buddhism without knowing the subtle utility of the Lotus Sūtra will only gain the expedient merits of pre-Lotus sūtras.

Ichidai Shōgyō Tai-I, Outline of All the Holy Teachings of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 92-93