From the viewpoint of the thesis that the Mahayana teachings do not stem from the historical Buddha as well as the history of scriptures, attention also should be paid to the fact that even Nichiren admitted the history of sutras was not confirmed while he adopted the Fivefold Periods thesis which Chigi had determined.
また智顗が分類した五時説を日蓮が採用しつつも、次第不定で前後していることを既に認知していたという事実があることを、大乗非仏説及び経典成立史の観点から留意しなくてはならない。