Buddha had completed his teachings in the first three of these categories, zo, tsu and to, before his "Lotus Sutra" sermons, in which he explained the ultimate truth that he had finally grasped the teaching of en.
蔵・通・別の前三教は、すでに『法華経』までの経典で説いた、そして『法華経』で円教を開会（かいえ）し説き終ったとする。