Three kinds of wisdom
three kinds of wisdom
三智 (Jpn san-chi )
Three kinds of wisdom explained in The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom. They are as follows:
(1) The wisdom to understand the universal aspect of phenomena. This is the wisdom of persons of the two vehicles (voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones) who understand the truth of nonsubstantiality or the non-substantial nature of existence.
(2) The wisdom to understand the various paths to enlightenment. Bodhisattvas possess this wisdom, which enables them to understand the individual aspects of existence, or the truth of temporary existence, as well as the various paths to enlightenment, so that they may save others accordingly.
(3) The wisdom to understand both the universal aspect and individual aspects of phenomena. This is the Buddha wisdom, which perceives both the universal aspect and individual aspects of all phenomena, or the Middle Way, as well as the various paths to enlightenment.
In T'ient'ai's teaching, one can obtain the three kinds of wisdom simultaneously through meditation aimed at perceiving the unification of the three truths in a single mind. Hence it is called the three kinds of wisdom in a single mind. Specifically, through perception of the truth of nonsubstantiality, one obtains the wisdom of the two vehicles; through perception of the truth of temporary existence, one acquires the wisdom of bodhisattvas; and through perception of the truth of the Middle Way, one gains the Buddha wisdom.
