The founder of Tiantai Sect is Zhiyi.

The Tiantai Sect has declined rapidly since its initiation and death. Although there are many internal reasons, one thing cannot be ignored, and that is the influence of Zen concepts. Zhiyi, the founder of the Tiantai Sect, was listed as the fourth ancestor. After the initiation of the fifth ancestor, he was listed as the sixth ancestor Zhiwei, the seventh ancestor Huiwei, and the eighth ancestor Xuanlang. Although these people have a certain reputation in the history of Buddhism, their actions are not. Promote Tiantai Sect.

For example, Zhiwei likes to hide in the mountains and practice alone. During the day, he preaches to the stubborn rocks in the mountains, and at night he meditates alone. His skill in sitting meditation is really good, because the place where he meditates is completely barren. Then Huiwei, like Zhiwei, liked to "live deep in the valley and rarely interact with people."

Introduction to Zhiyi

Zhiyi (February 16, 538 AD - August 3, 597 AD), the fourth ancestor of the Tiantai Sect of Chinese Buddhism and the actual founder . His common surname is Chen and his courtesy name is De'an. A native of Huarong, Jingzhou (now Gong'an County, Hubei) in the Sui Dynasty, his ancestral home was Yingchuan (Xuchang, Henan). The world is known as the wise master and the Tiantai master.

When I was seven years old, I went to Jialan. The monks orally taught the Universal Gate Principle once and then recited it. At the age of eighteen, Faxu became a monk at Touguoyuan Temple. Not long after, he followed Hui Kuang to study the Vinaya and other prescriptions. Later, he went to Taixian Mountain and recited the Sutras of Lotus Sutra, Infinite Meaning, and Samantabhadra, and he understood their meaning in twenty days.

In the first year of Chen Tianjia (AD 560), he went to Dasu Mountain in Guangzhou and paid a visit to Huisi. One day, I recited the Lotus Sutra and became enlightened. Then he held a lecture on behalf of Huisi, and was even entrusted by him to go to Jinling to spread the Zen method. He opened the title of Lotus Sutra in Waguan Temple, thereby establishing new sectarian principles, interpreting scriptures and teachings, and laying the foundation of Tiantai religious view.