Clarification of the Precepts
Clarification of The Precepts, A
[顕戒論] ( Jpn Kenkai-ron )
A work written in 820 (819 according to another account) by Dengyo, the founder of the Japanese Tendai school, and submitted to the imperial court. This work clarifies the significance of the Mahayana precepts of perfect and immediate Enlightenment and stresses the necessity of building an ordination platform for administering these precepts. In 819 Dengy opetitioned the throne for permission to build a Mahayana ordination platform on Mount Hiei, pointing out that the ordination platform in Nara initiated priests only in the Hinayana precepts. At that time he faced strong opposition by Gomyoand other eminent priests of the six schools of Nara. A Clarification of The Precepts was written to refute their argu-ments. See also Mahayana ordination platform.
