華嚴宗所立五教中第二為大乘始教，此始教，分空始教，相始教之二，詮般若三論等諸法皆空之理者為空始教。建立深密瑜伽等諸法者為相始教。俱為大乘之初門，故謂為始教。起信論義記上曰：「一、隨相法執宗，即小乘諸部是也。二、真空無相宗，即般若等經，中觀等論所說是也。三、唯識法相宗，即解深密等經，瑜伽等論所說是也。四、如來藏緣起宗，即楞伽密嚴等經，起信寶性等論所說是也。」此中第二為空始教，第三為相始教也。
The initial teaching of the undeveloped Mahāyāna doctrines is the second of the five periods of Śākyamuni's teaching as defined by the Huayan School. This consists of two parts: 空始教 the initial doctrine of śūnya, the texts for which are the 般若, 三論, etc.; and 相始教, the initial doctrine of the essential nature as held by the esoterics; intp. in the 深密 and 瑜伽 texts.
一空始教 詮說空理之教。華嚴宗所立五教之中，第二為大乘始教，此始教復分「空始教」與「相始教」二門。依般若、三論等經論，詮說諸法皆空，揭示真空無相之義者，稱為空始教。依解深密、瑜伽等經論，從現象作用肯定諸法存在之唯識說，稱為相始教。上記二教俱為大乘之初門，故稱始教。〔大乘起信論義記卷上〕（參閱「五教十宗」1505、「始教」3949）p4382