爾に前ぜん

noun

pre-Lotus Sutra period

Buddhist term referring to the period of Shakyamuni's teaching before the Lotus Sutra was expounded.

• 爾に前ぜんの教おしえは、法ほ華け経きょう以い前ぜんの経きょう典てんを指さす。

  The pre-Lotus Sutra teachings refer to the sutras before the Lotus Sutra.

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

prior; before; previous

Used as a noun or adjectivally with の to mean 'prior' or 'previous' in a general sense, often in formal or written contexts.

• 爾に前ぜんの会かい議ぎで決けっ定ていされた事じ項こうを確かく認にんする。

  Confirm the matters decided at the previous meeting.

noun

unripe or inferior thing

Rare term for something unripe or of low quality; not in common modern use.

• 古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、爾に前ぜんが未み熟じゅくなものを指さす例れいが見みられる。

  In old documents, there are examples where 爾前 refers to something unripe.