In order to teach and transform others, the connection between the Buddha and living beings has to be established. The establishment of this connection is based on the empathy of living beings toward the Buddha. The empathy and response are interactive. On the one hand, only if there is empathy of beings, can they receive the Buddha’s response. On the other hand, the Buddha’s response is everywhere in approaching beings with their wholesomeness that is about to rise. As there are different capacities of beings, empathy of beings is also different. Accordingly, the Buddha’s responses are also different that are suitable to different beings in different circumstances. This is demonstrated by Chih-i in terms of different phases of correspondence between the capacities of beings with different types of empathy and different responses of the Buddha. The most important cases of correspondence are the four primary phases and the thirty-six phases between Chi and Ying. When these thirty-six phases are in the context of the Ten Dharma-realms, there are total number of sixty-four thousand and eight hundred phases of correspondence between Chi and Ying. Chih-i’s detailed elaboration of these different phases of correspondence exhausts all possible interactive relationship between beings and the Buddha and reflects his perfect harmonization philosophy that enables him to present every aspect of Buddhism comprehensively. With Chih-i’s vivid description of empathy and response, the Buddha’s teaching and transformation of beings is no longer a historical event that only happened in the past but is happening in the present and will happen in the future. What Chih-i asserts through this category Subtlety of Empathy and Response is that the Buddha’s entering into Nirvāṇa does not mean that his activity of saving beings ends. The Buddha is always present, and his response is always available regardless of time and space. Therefore, one’s goal of striving for Buddhahood is not far fetching, considering that one is always benefited by the response of the Buddha. This can be seen in different phases of correspondence between Chi and Ying, whether hidden or manifest, and whether in the past, present and future. (Vol. 2, Page 275)