robe, seat, and room ［衣座室］ ( e-za-shitsu): Also referred to as the three rules of preaching. The robe, the seat, and the room of the Thus Come One—the three essentials for propagating the Lotus Sutra after Shakyamuni Buddha’s death that are mentioned in the “Teacher of the Law” (tenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The chapter states: “These good men and good women should enter the Thus Come One’s room, put on the Thus Come One’s robe, sit in the Thus Come One’s seat, and then for the sake of the four kinds of believers [i.e., monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen] broadly expound this sutra. The ‘Thus Come One’s room’ is the state of mind that shows great pity and compassion toward all living beings. The ‘Thus Come One’s robe’ is the mind that is gentle and forbearing. The ‘Thus Come One’s seat’ is the emptiness of all phenomena.” In effect, this passage means that one who wishes to expound the Lotus Sutra after the Buddha’s death should abide in gentleness and forbearance, possess insight into the emptiness or non-substantiality of all phenomena, and dwell in pity and compassion. See also three rules of preaching.