four stages of faith ［四信］ ( shi-shin): Stages of faith of those who embrace the Lotus Sutra during Shakyamuni’s lifetime. T’ien-t’ai (538–597) formulated these four stages in The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra on the basis of the “Distinctions in Benefits” (seventeenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. They are (1) to believe in and understand the sutra even for a moment, (2) to generally understand the import of the words of the sutra, (3) to expound the teaching of the sutra widely for others, and (4) to realize with deep faith the truth expounded by the Buddha. The first stage, for example, derives from the passage of the “Distinctions in Benefits” chapter that reads, “If there are living beings who, on hearing that the life span of the Buddha is of such long duration, are able to believe and understand it even for a moment, the benefits they gain thereby will be without limit or measure.” The remaining stages similarly derive from passages in the “Distinctions in Benefits” chapter.