Zhiyi (538–597)
• Fa-hua wen-ju (Commentary on the Lotus Sūtra): A verse-by-verse exegesis that weaves together doctrinal peaks like the “Three Thousand Realms” and the Five Periods/Eight Teachings classification. It became the bread and butter of Tiantai scholarship, showing how every moment of mind hides the potential for Buddhahood.
• Mohe zhiguan (Great Concentration and Insight): Though not a direct Lotus commentary, it fuses its universal-Buddhahood ethos with guided meditation methods—proof that philosophy and practice can dance together without missing a beat.

Saichō (767–822)
• Record of the Rituals of the Lotus Sūtra: A practical handbook for Tendai ceremonies, underscoring how ritual life and ethics—vegetarian precepts included—bring the sutra’s vision of oneness into everyday action.
• Treatise on Vegetal Offerings in the Lotus Sūtra: Emphasizing compassion in diet, it anticipated today’s plant-based trend by a millennium, hitting home the idea that universal Buddhahood stretches even to how meals are prepared.

Nichiren (1222–1282)
• Risshō Ankoku Ron (On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land): A fiery appeal linking social stability with devotion to the Lotus, as relevant now as civic leaders seeking moral anchors in turbulent times.
• Kanjin no Hon (On Observing the Object of Devotion for Attaining Buddhahood): Lays out the central honzon—chanting Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō—as the direct route to embodying the sutra’s core promise.
• Kaimoku-sho (The Opening of the Eyes): A crisp manifesto declaring that the Lotus Sūtra, once awakened to, becomes a living force—for individuals and entire societies—echoing today’s viral mantras that galvanize communities worldwide.

All three thinkers carved out distinct paths to show that Buddhahood isn’t a far-off mountaintop but a hidden treasure in every heartbeat. Their commentaries keep sparking insight—whether through Zhiyi’s systematic clarity, Saichō’s blending of ritual and ethics, or Nichiren’s unshakeable faith in the lotus flower that blooms even through mud.