천태 三種止觀에서 不定止觀의 의미

The meaning of the indeterminate calming and discerning in the three kinds of calming and discerning on T"ien t"ai

  The Patriarch Chi-i had taught the three kinds of calming and discerning(三種止觀), which was succeeded from his master Hae-su(慧思), in all of the his writings such as Six Subtle Writings, Ci Di Chan Men, Moho chih kuan etc..   In the aspect of the ultimate result, the three kinds of calming and discerning are equal. Only in the aspect of the pratical mathod, they are different. Many people consider a certain superiority and inferiority in three of them. But in fact, they are the Dharma teaching of expediencies[方便法門] corresponding to the various capacities or conditions of the praticers.   Especially, the concept of the indeterminate calming and discerning(不定止觀) used very effectively in the teaching of the rest two calming and discernings.   The indeterminate calming and discerning makes the gradual calming and discerning(漸次止觀) not only be gradual but also a sudden.   And in the sudden and complete calming and discerning(圓頓止觀), the skillful and comfortable calming and dicerning(巧安止觀) is nothing but an expression of the indeterminate calming and dicerning in the sight of the complete-teaching(圓敎). It is the merciful expediency with which we can consider the many different capacities or conditions of the praticers. And it also makes us go in the undogmatic and complete way of practice.   So the indeterminate calming and discerning in the three kinds of calming and discerning is neither a sudden nor a gradual, but in the other hand it completes the other two calming and discerning.