Panjiao

East Asian classification systems (panjiao)

The classification of Buddhist teachings or "doctrinal taxonomies" (Chinese: 判教 panjiao) became a central feature of East Asian Buddhist scholasticism and doctrinal debate. By 600 AD there were 10 main classifications. The term is a shortened form of jiāoxiāng pànshì 教相判釋, referring to the systematic classification of Buddhist teachings based on factors such as thematic content and historical period. This form of doctrinal organization was typically carried out by exegetes who aimed to reconcile the wide variety of Buddhist scriptures by integrating them into a unified doctrinal framework.