三草二木

A parable in the <Lotus Sutra>; the small plants representing ordinary men and devas, medium sized plants (sa) śrāvakas and pratyeka-buddhas, and 大草, 小樹 and 大樹 tall plants and small and large trees three grades of bodhisattvas. Another definition applies the term to the 五乘 five "vehicles". There are also others.