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English version Immediately descending from the golden dais, he bows to the Buddha with palms together, praising the World Honored One. After seven days, he instantly attains non-retrogression in Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (supreme perfect enlightenment). He can immediately fly to the ten directions, serve all the Buddhas, and cultivate various samadhis (meditative states) in the presence of the Buddhas. After one small kalpa (an extremely long unit of time), he attains the forbearance of non-origination of dharmas (understanding of the non-arising and non-ceasing of all phenomena), and receives a prediction of Buddhahood in the present moment. This is called the upper-grade middle rebirth. ‘Those of the upper-grade lower rebirth also believe in cause and effect, do not slander the Mahayana (Great Vehicle) teachings, but generate the supreme Bodhi mind (mind of enlightenment), and with this merit, dedicate their aspiration to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. When this practitioner is about to die, Amitabha Buddha, along with Avalokiteshvara (Bodhisattva name) and Mahasthamaprapta (Bodhisattva name), and their retinue, holding golden lotus flowers, transform into five hundred transformation Buddhas to welcome this person. The five hundred transformation Buddhas simultaneously extend their hands, praising, ‘Child of the Dharma! You are now pure, having generated the supreme Bodhi mind, we have come to welcome you.’ Upon seeing this, he immediately sees himself sitting on a golden lotus flower. Once seated, the lotus closes, and following the World Honored One, he is immediately reborn in the seven-jeweled pond. After one day and night, the lotus opens, and within seven days, he is able to see the Buddha. Although he sees the Buddha's body, his mind is not clear about the various marks and characteristics (auspicious marks of a Buddha), and only after twenty-one days does he fully understand. He hears all the sounds, all expounding the wonderful Dharma. He travels to the ten directions, making offerings to all the Buddhas. In the presence of the Buddhas, he hears the profound Dharma, and after three small kalpas, he attains the hundred gates of understanding of all dharmas (wisdom to understand all phenomena), and dwells in the ground of joy (stage of Bodhisattva practice). This is called the upper-grade lower rebirth. This is called the contemplation of the upper-grade rebirth, known as the fourteenth contemplation. One who practices this contemplation is called a correct contemplation. If one practices other contemplations, it is called an incorrect contemplation.’ The Buddha told Ananda (Buddha's disciple name) and Vaidehi (Queen's name): ‘Those of the middle-grade upper rebirth, if there are sentient beings who uphold the five precepts (not killing, not stealing, not committing sexual misconduct, not lying, not taking intoxicants), observe the eight precepts (eight rules of conduct and fasting), practice various precepts, do not commit the five heinous crimes (killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing an Arhat, shedding the blood of a Buddha, causing disunity in the Sangha), and have no various faults or evils; with this root of goodness, they dedicate their aspiration to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. When this practitioner is about to die, Amitabha Buddha, surrounded by various Bhikkhus (ordained monks) and their retinue, emits golden light to the place where this person is, expounding suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self (basic Buddhist doctrines), praising the renunciation of worldly life as a way to escape all suffering. Upon seeing this, the practitioner is greatly delighted. He sees himself sitting on a lotus platform, long --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
跪合掌为佛作礼。未举头顷即得往生极乐世界，莲花寻开。当华敷时，闻众音声赞叹四谛，应时即得阿罗汉道，三明、六通、具八解脱；是名中品上生者。 “中品中生者，若有众生，若一日一夜持八戒斋，若一日一夜持沙弥戒，若一日一夜持具足戒，威仪无缺。以此功德，回向愿求生极乐国。戒香薰修，如此行者命欲终时，见阿弥陀佛与诸眷属放金色光，持七宝莲花至行者前，行者自闻空中有声，赞言：‘善男子！如汝善人，随顺三世诸佛教故，我来迎汝。’行者自见坐莲花上，莲花即合，生于西方极乐世界。在宝池中，经于七日莲花乃敷。花既敷已，开目合掌，赞叹世尊。闻法欢喜，得须陀洹，经半劫已成阿罗汉；是名中品中生者。 “中品下生者，若有善男子、善女人，孝养父母，行世仁义，此人命欲终时，遇善知识为其广说阿弥陀佛国土乐事，亦说法藏比丘四十八大愿。闻此事已，寻即命终。譬如壮士屈伸臂顷，即生西方极乐世界。生经七日，遇观世音及大势至，闻法欢喜得须陀洹。过一小劫，成阿罗汉。是名中品下生者。是名中辈生想，名第十五观。作是观者，名为正观。若他观者，名为邪观。” 佛告阿难及韦提希：“下品上生者，或有众生作众恶业，虽不诽谤方等经典，如此愚人， 现代汉语译本 合掌跪拜，向佛行礼。在还未抬起头的时候，就往生到极乐世界，莲花随即开放。当莲花盛开时，听到各种声音赞叹四谛（苦、集、灭、道），应时就证得阿罗汉道（佛教修行最高果位），具足三明（宿命明、天眼明、漏尽明）、六通（天眼通、天耳通、他心通、宿命通、神足通、漏尽通），以及八解脱（内有色想观外色解脱、内无色想观外色解脱、净解脱身作证具足住、空无边处解脱、识无边处解脱、无所有处解脱、非想非非想处解脱、灭受想定解脱）；这称为中品上生者。 ‘中品中生者，如果有众生，如果能一日一夜持守八戒斋（佛教在家信徒所受持的八条戒律），如果能一日一夜持守沙弥戒（佛教出家男子所受持的戒律），如果能一日一夜持守具足戒（佛教比丘、比丘尼所受持的戒律），并且威仪没有缺失。以此功德，回向发愿求生极乐世界。戒香熏修，如此修行的人在临命终时，会见到阿弥陀佛（西方极乐世界的教主）与诸眷属放出金色光芒，手持七宝莲花来到修行者面前，修行者自己会听到空中有声音赞叹说：‘善男子！像你这样的善人，随顺三世诸佛的教诲，所以我来迎接你。’修行者自己会看到自己坐在莲花上，莲花随即合拢，往生到西方极乐世界。在宝池中，经过七日莲花才开放。花开之后，睁开眼睛合掌，赞叹世尊。听闻佛法欢喜，证得须陀洹（佛教声闻乘初果），经过半劫（佛教时间单位）之后成就阿罗汉；这称为中品中生者。 ‘中品下生者，如果有善男子、善女人，孝养父母，奉行世间的仁义，此人在临命终时，遇到善知识（引导修行的人）为他广说阿弥陀佛国土的快乐之事，也说出法藏比丘（阿弥陀佛的前身）的四十八大愿。听闻这些事后，随即命终。譬如壮士屈伸手臂的瞬间，就往生到西方极乐世界。往生后经过七日，遇到观世音（西方三圣之一）及大势至（西方三圣之一），听闻佛法欢喜证得须陀洹。经过一小劫，成就阿罗汉。这称为中品下生者。这称为中辈往生的观想，名为第十五观。作这种观想的人，称为正观。如果作其他观想，称为邪观。’ 佛告诉阿难（佛陀十大弟子之一）及韦提希（古印度王后）：‘下品上生者，或许有众生造作各种恶业，虽然没有诽谤方等经典（大乘佛教经典），像这样的愚人，
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English version Kneeling with palms together, they pay homage to the Buddha. Before they even raise their heads, they are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and a lotus flower immediately opens. When the flower blooms, they hear various voices praising the Four Noble Truths (suffering, origin, cessation, path), and they instantly attain the state of Arhat (the highest state of Buddhist practice), possessing the Three Clear Knowledges (knowledge of past lives, divine eye, and extinction of outflows), the Six Supernatural Powers (divine eye, divine ear, knowledge of others' minds, knowledge of past lives, magical powers, and extinction of outflows), and the Eight Deliverances (deliverance through contemplating external forms while having internal form, deliverance through contemplating external forms while having no internal form, deliverance through the body witnessing and abiding in purity, deliverance through the sphere of infinite space, deliverance through the sphere of infinite consciousness, deliverance through the sphere of nothingness, deliverance through the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and deliverance through the cessation of perception and feeling); this is called the Upper Level of the Middle Grade Rebirth. ‘Those of the Middle Level of the Middle Grade Rebirth are those beings who, if they uphold the Eight Precepts (eight rules of conduct for lay Buddhists) for one day and one night, or if they uphold the Śrāmaṇera Precepts (rules of conduct for novice monks) for one day and one night, or if they uphold the Full Precepts (rules of conduct for fully ordained monks and nuns) for one day and one night, and their conduct is without fault. With this merit, they dedicate their aspiration to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The fragrance of their precepts permeates their practice. When such practitioners are about to die, they see Amitābha Buddha (the Buddha of the Western Pure Land) and his retinue emitting golden light, holding a seven-jeweled lotus flower, and coming before the practitioner. The practitioner will hear a voice in the sky praising, ‘Good man! Because you are a good person who follows the teachings of all Buddhas of the three times, I have come to welcome you.’ The practitioner will see themselves sitting on the lotus flower, and the lotus flower will immediately close, and they will be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. In the jeweled pond, after seven days, the lotus flower will open. Once the flower has opened, they will open their eyes, put their palms together, and praise the World-Honored One. Hearing the Dharma, they will rejoice and attain the state of Srotāpanna (the first stage of enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism), and after half a kalpa (a Buddhist unit of time), they will become an Arhat; this is called the Middle Level of the Middle Grade Rebirth. ‘Those of the Lower Level of the Middle Grade Rebirth are those good men and good women who are filial to their parents and practice benevolence and righteousness in the world. When these people are about to die, they encounter a good teacher (a guide in spiritual practice) who extensively explains the joys of Amitābha Buddha’s land and also speaks of the forty-eight great vows of the Bhikṣu Dharmākara (Amitābha Buddha in his past life). Upon hearing these things, they immediately die. Just as a strong man stretches and bends his arm, they are reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. After seven days, they encounter Avalokiteśvara (one of the three holy beings of the Western Pure Land) and Mahāsthāmaprāpta (one of the three holy beings of the Western Pure Land), and hearing the Dharma, they rejoice and attain the state of Srotāpanna. After one small kalpa, they become an Arhat. This is called the Lower Level of the Middle Grade Rebirth. This is called the contemplation of the rebirth of the Middle Grade, and it is called the Fifteenth Contemplation. Those who practice this contemplation are said to have the correct view. Those who practice other contemplations are said to have the wrong view.’ The Buddha told Ananda (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples) and Vaidehi (an ancient Indian queen), ‘Those of the Upper Level of the Lower Grade Rebirth are those beings who have committed various evil deeds, although they have not slandered the Vaipulya Sutras (Mahayana Buddhist scriptures). Such foolish people, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
多造恶法，无有惭愧，命欲终时遇善知识，为赞大乘十二部经首题名字。以闻如是诸经名故，除却千劫极重恶业。智者复教合掌叉手，称南无阿弥陀佛。称佛名故，除五十亿劫生死之罪。尔时彼佛，即遣化佛，化观世音，化大势至，至行者前，赞言：‘善哉！善男子！汝称佛名故诸罪消灭，我来迎汝。’作是语已，行者即见化佛光明，遍满其室，见已欢喜，即便命终。乘宝莲花，随化佛后，生宝池中，经七七日莲花乃敷。当花敷时，大悲观世音菩萨，及大势至菩萨，放大光明，住其人前，为说甚深十二部经。闻已信解，发无上道心。经十小劫，具百法明门，得入初地；是名下品上生者；得闻佛名、法名及闻僧名，闻三宝名即得往生。” 佛告阿难及韦提希：“下品中生者，或有众生，毁犯五戒、八戒及具足戒，如此愚人，偷僧祇物，盗现前僧物，不净说法，无有惭愧，以诸恶法而自庄严。如此罪人，以恶业故应堕地狱。命欲终时，地狱众火一时俱至，遇善知识以大慈悲，即为赞说阿弥陀佛十力威德，广赞彼佛光明神力，亦赞戒、定、慧、解脱、解脱知见。此人闻已，除八十亿劫生死之罪。地狱猛火化为凉风，吹诸天华。华上皆有化佛菩萨，迎接此人。如一念顷，即得往生七宝池中莲花之内，经于六劫，莲花乃敷 现代汉语译本：造作诸多恶业，毫无惭愧之心。临命终时，遇到善知识，为他赞颂大乘十二部经典的名称。因为听闻这些经典的名字，便能消除千劫的极重恶业。智者又教他合掌叉手，称念‘南无阿弥陀佛’（皈依阿弥陀佛）。因为称念佛的名号，便能消除五十亿劫的生死重罪。这时，阿弥陀佛便派遣化身佛，化身观世音（菩萨名，意为观察世间声音的菩萨），化身大势至（菩萨名，意为大力量到达的菩萨），来到修行者面前，赞叹说：‘善哉！善男子！你因为称念佛的名号，所以诸罪消灭，我来迎接你。’说完这些话后，修行者便看见化身佛的光明，充满他的房间，看见后心生欢喜，随即命终。乘坐宝莲花，跟随化身佛之后，往生到宝池之中，经过七七四十九天，莲花才开放。当莲花开放时，大悲观世音菩萨，以及大势至菩萨，放出大光明，站在那人面前，为他说甚深十二部经典。听闻后信受理解，发起无上道心。经过十小劫，具足百法明门，得以进入初地（菩萨修行阶位）；这称为下品上生者；能够听闻佛的名号、法的名号以及僧的名号，听闻三宝的名号便能往生。 佛告诉阿难（佛陀十大弟子之一，以多闻著称）和韦提希（古印度摩揭陀国王后）：‘下品中生者，或者有众生，毁犯五戒（不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒）、八戒（在家佛弟子受持的八条戒律）以及具足戒（比丘、比丘尼受持的戒律），这样的愚人，偷盗僧祇物（僧团的公共财物），盗取现前僧物（现前僧人使用的财物），以不清净的言语说法，毫无惭愧之心，用各种恶法来装饰自己。这样的罪人，因为恶业的缘故应当堕入地狱。临命终时，地狱的众火一时俱到，遇到善知识以大慈悲心，就为他赞说阿弥陀佛的十力（佛的十种力量）威德，广泛赞叹那佛的光明神力，也赞叹戒、定、慧（佛教修行的三个方面）、解脱、解脱知见（佛教修行的果位）。这个人听闻后，消除八十亿劫的生死重罪。地狱的猛火化为凉风，吹来诸天之花。花上都有化身佛菩萨，迎接这个人。如一念之间，就得往生到七宝池中的莲花之内，经过六劫，莲花才开放。