Master Taixu lived from 1890 to 1947, and is described as "the leading Buddhist reformer of the Republican era" in China. Defying conservative Buddhist thought at the time, he endeavored to organize Buddhism in the West.
Taixu practiced and further developed the Consciousness-only school, and its practice in both China and the West. Taixu is important to Buddhism as he is responsible for some of the greatest changes to "modern" Buddhism, as well as responsible for the establishment of a number of Buddhist communities in the West.
"Although the Tiantai and Xianshou traditions include all the Buddha's teachings -- the lesser, beginning, final, immediate, tripitaka, shared, distinct, and perfect teachings -- these different teachings have been established for those with lesser capacities; they are not really needed by those with superior abilities. Although it is said that people who have the ability to become enlightened can use them as a teaching, they need to do so only when they are unable to attain enlightenment through other means. But who wants to admit -- by following a given teaching -- to being a person of lesser capacity? So the teachings of the Tiantai and Xianshou traditions are also abandoned." – the Venerable Master Taixu, according to The Way to Buddhahood, by the Venerable Yin-shun.