branch teaching [枝末法輪・枝末教] ( shimatsu-hōrin or shimatsu-kyō): (1) One component of the “thrice turned wheel of the Law,” a division of Shakyamuni’s lifetime teachings into three categories set forth by Chi-tsang (549–623) of the Three Treatises (San-lun) school in China. See thrice turned wheel of the Law.
(2) The term used by Fa-tsang (643–712), the third patriarch of the Flower Garland (Hua-yen) school in China, in reference to all sutras except the Flower Garland Sutra, including the Lotus Sutra. Fa-tsang called the Flower Garland Sutra the root teaching.