佛告阿難 十方世界 諸天人民 其有至心願生彼國 凡有三輩 其上輩者 捨家棄欲 而作沙門 發菩提心 一向專念無量壽佛 修諸功德 願生彼國 此等衆生 臨壽終時 無量壽佛 與諸大衆 現在其前 即隨彼佛往生其國 便於七寶花中 自然化生 智慧勇猛 神通自在 其中輩者 十方世界 諸天人民 其有至心願生彼國 雖不能行作沙門 大修功德 當發無上菩提之心 一向專念無量壽佛 多少修善 奉持齋戒 起立塔像 飯食沙門 懸繒然燈 散花燒香 以此迴向 願生彼國 其人臨終 無量壽佛化現其身 光明相好 具如眞佛 與諸大衆 現其人前 即隨化佛往生其國 功德智慧 次如上輩 其下輩者 十方世界 諸天人民 其有至心欲生彼國 假使不能作諸功德 當發無上菩提之心 一向專念無量壽佛 歡喜信樂 不生疑惑 以至誠心 願生其國 此人臨終 夢見彼佛 亦得往生
Fó gào ā nán shí fāng shì jiè zhū tiān rén mín qí yǒu zhì xīn yuàn shēng bǐ guó fán yǒu sān bèi qí shàng bèi zhě shě jiā qì yù ér zuò shā mén fā pú tí xīn yī xiàng zhuān niàn wú liàng shòu fó xiū zhū gōng dé yuàn shēng bǐ guó cǐ děng zhòng shēng lín shòu zhōng shí wú liàng shòu fó yǔ zhū dà zhòng xiàn zài qí qián jí suí bǐ fó wǎng shēng qí guó biàn yú qī bǎo huā zhōng zì rán huà shēng zhì huì yǒng měng shén tōng zì zài qí zhōng bèi zhě shí fāng shì jiè zhū tiān rén mín qí yǒu zhì xīn yuàn shēng bǐ guó suī bù néng xíng zuò shā mén dà xiū gōng dé dāng fā wú shàng pú tí zhī xīn yī xiàng zhuān niàn wú liàng shòu fó duō shǎo xiū shàn fèng chí zhāi jiè qǐ lì tǎ xiàng fàn shí shā mén xuán zēng rán dēng sàn huā shāo xiāng yǐ cǐ huí xiàng yuàn shēng bǐ guó qí rén lín zhōng wú liàng shòu fó huà xiàn qí shēn guāng míng xiàng hǎo jù rú zhēn fó yǔ zhū dà zhòng xiàn qí rén qián jí suí huà fó wǎng shēng qí guó gōng dé zhì huì cì rú shàng bèi qí xià bèi zhě shí fāng shì jiè zhū tiān rén mín qí yǒu zhì xīn yù shēng bǐ guó jiǎ shǐ bù néng zuò zhū gōng dé dāng fā wú shàng pú tí zhī xīn yī xiàng zhuān niàn wú liàng shòu fó huān xǐ xìn lè bù shēng yí huò yǐ zhì chéng xīn yuàn shēng qí guó cǐ rén lín zhōng mèng jiàn bǐ fó yì dé wǎng shēng
Key Message
The three grades of rebirth guarantee that the path to birth is available to every level of practitioner who sincerely aspires — each at a level appropriate to their capacity.
▸The Chapter on the Rebirth of the Three Grades explains that those who aspire to be born in Sukhāvatī are divided into three levels according to their accumulated merit.
The Chapter on the Rebirth of the Three Grades explains that those who aspire to be born in Sukhāvatī are divided into three levels according to their accumulated merit. Those of the highest grade (上輩) have left home life, given rise to bodhicitta, and single-mindedly practiced nembutsu with all their various meritorious acts — at the moment of death, Amitābha Buddha appears before them with a great assembly and welcomes them; they are born spontaneously within flowers of the seven precious substances, endowed with courageous wisdom and unobstructed supernormal powers. Those of the middle grade (中輩) have not left home but have given rise to supreme bodhicitta, practiced nembutsu single-mindedly, performed various virtuous acts, upheld precepts, erected stūpas and images, given food to monastics, lit lamps, scattered flowers, and burned incense — dedicating this merit toward birth in the Pure Land. At death, a transformation body of Amitābha appears and guides them. Those of the lowest grade (下輩) have not accumulated specific merit but have given rise to bodhicitta, single-mindedly trusted Amitābha with joyful faith and no doubt, and aspired to be born — at death, they see Amitābha in a dream and also attain birth. This threefold division assures that the path to birth is open to every sentient being who sincerely aspires.