The Meditation Sutra, however, is considered to express the truth through expedient means. This sutra is considered to express the truth using the “principle of describing expedient means obviously” (kenzetsu). This means explaining the intent of the 19th Vow which is the practice of the “two goods, fixed and dispersed” (josan nizen). The reason for josan nizen is to explain the “Nembutsu of ‘Buddhacentered power’” based on the 18th Vow. This is referred to as “the principle of expressing dimly-seen truth” (onsho).

Finally, the Amida Sutra is also considered to express the truth through expedient means.

The “principle of expedient means expressed obviously” in this sutra expresses the intent of the 20th Vow, which is “reciting the Nembutsu through ‘self-centered effort’” and the “principle of the truth expressed in an obscure way” expresses the intent of the 18th Vow, namely, reciting the Nembutsu through “Buddha-centered power.”

This explanation of “revealing the truth implicitly and explicitly” is similar to the division of the 48 Vows into those that are “true” and those that are “provisional,” and can be considered the Venerable Master’s counter-argument to criticisms of Master Honen’s “Buddha-centered power” teaching by other Buddhist schools.

Many of Master Honen’s other disciples also attempted to counter the criticisms by other Buddhist schools, but they did so based on a “self-centered effort” Path of Sages position. The Venerable Master must be considered to have taken the most extreme “Buddha-centered power” position, and thus was most faithful in upholding Honen Shonin’s teaching.