English
English version: 槃 (Parinirvana). If there are sentient beings who, due to reciting the Buddha's name, even scatter a single flower in the air, the resulting merit and reward are inexhaustible. If there are sentient beings who, with sincere hearts, recite the Buddha's merit, even scattering a single flower in the air, in future lives they shall attain the positions of Śakra-devānām-Indra (King of the Gods), Brahmā-devānām-Indra (King of the Brahma Heaven), and Cakravartin (Wheel-Turning King). Their blessings will also be inexhaustible. Because their roots of goodness and blessings are inexhaustible, they will surely enter Parinirvana (complete Nirvana). Why is this so? Ānanda, the field of merit from giving to the Buddha cannot be exhausted by conditioned rewards. I say that this person will surely attain Nirvana, reaching the very edge of Nirvana. Ānanda, even a single utterance of the Buddha's name, or a lifetime of faith, will not render one's merits vain. Suppose there are pure-hearted sentient beings who utter the name 'Namo Buddha' (Homage to the Buddha), Ānanda, that person, through this root of goodness, will surely attain Nirvana, drawing near to the stream of Nirvana, continuously entering the edge of Nirvana. That is the meaning. From below, the description of rebirth begins. First, the transformation body of the Buddha (Nirmanakaya) comes to greet them. Second, praise is given for their merits. Third, the rebirth is formally described. Fourth, it is explained that those who have already attained enlightenment, after ten small kalpas (units of time), are able to enter the first Bhumi (the first stage of a Bodhisattva). This refers to ordinary beings, so they are reborn there and only after ten small kalpas are they able to enter the first Bhumi. Those who can hear the names of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (Three Jewels of Buddhism) can be reborn. Furthermore, there are sentient beings who, at the time of their death, hear the names of the Three Jewels and are able to be reborn. Why is this so? Because the merits of the Three Jewels are inconceivable, enabling those who hear them to be reborn in the Pure Land. Therefore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra (Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra) says, 'Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas (Great Bodhisattvas) use their supernatural powers to fly to all directions where there are no names of the Three Jewels, praising the merits of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Sentient beings who hear this are reborn before the Buddhas.' The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra (Great Assembly Sutra) says, 'If there are sentient beings who, even for a single thought, deeply believe in the Tathagata (Buddha), revering and respecting him, praising him as unprecedented, because of their reverence and faith, they are able to become Cakravartins (world-ruling monarchs), ruling the four continents, possessing the seven treasures, and even able to become Śakra-devānām-Indra (King of the Gods), Mara (King of Desire Realm), the Lord of the Sahā World (the ruler of the Saha world), and Brahmā-devānām-Indra (King of the Brahma Heaven). How much more so for those who are constantly able to fully believe in the Three Jewels.' That is the meaning. From below, the description of rebirth in the Lower Grade of the Middle Level begins. The text has four parts. First, the name of the grade is stated. Second, the characteristics are displayed. Third, the appearance of rebirth is explained. Fourth, a summary is given. Or there are sentient beings who violate the five precepts (basic Buddhist precepts). This describes the person being reborn, first showing their faults, having violated the five precepts. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
八戒是在家人。犯具足戒是出家人。偷僧祇物者。十方常住僧物也。现前僧物者。一住处属现在人物也。不净说法者。乘诸法实相我心中说或为名利。或为胜他皆名不净说法也。地狱猛火一时俱至者。恶因既成中阴恶相现也。遇善知识为说阿弥陀佛十力者。此明其德也。能摧邪慢故名为力。并以智为体。一智在十处。名为十力名者。一是处非处力。二业力。三定力。四根力。五欲力。六性力。七至处道力。八宿命力。九天眼力。十漏尽力。威德者神通息慢名为威德。亦赞戒定慧解脱解脱知见者。此即如来五分法身。戒身以三聚净戒为体。惠身以一切智为体。定身以大乘光明三昧等一切定为体。解脱身以有为解脱无为解脱为体。解脱知见身以后得智为体。自下明说利益。谓闻如来功德除八十亿劫生死之罪。所以尔者。如来名号及功德皆不可得闻。若闻其名获福无量故。观佛三昧经云。念佛功德者。所谓戒定惠解脱解脱知见。金色身三十二相八十随形好。十力四无畏。十八不共法。大悲三念处。是若有众生一闻佛身如上功德相好光明。亿亿千劫不堕恶道不生邪见。杂恶之处常得正见。勤修不息。但闻佛名获如是福。何况系念观佛三昧。即其义也 自下次明往生相。初明中阴相灭。谓地狱猛火化为凉风。二明化佛来迎。三明 现代汉语译本 八戒是在家人。（八戒：指在家居士所受持的八条戒律）犯具足戒是出家人。（具足戒：指出家比丘、比丘尼所受持的全部戒律）偷僧祇物者，（僧祇物：指寺院或僧团的公共财物）是十方常住僧物。（十方常住僧物：指属于十方所有寺院和僧众的公共财物）现前僧物者，（现前僧物：指现前寺院或僧团的财物）是一住处属现在人物也。（指属于现在居住在此处的僧人的财物） 不净说法者，（不净说法：指动机不纯的说法）乘诸法实相我心中说或为名利，或为胜他皆名不净说法也。（指内心并非为了弘扬佛法实相，而是为了名利或胜过他人而说法，都称为不净说法）地狱猛火一时俱至者，（地狱猛火：指地狱中的猛烈火焰）恶因既成中阴恶相现也。（指恶业的因已经成熟，中阴身（中阴：指死亡到投胎之间的过渡阶段）显现出恶劣的景象） 遇善知识为说阿弥陀佛十力者，（善知识：指能够引导人们走向正道的良师益友；阿弥陀佛：西方极乐世界的佛；十力：佛所具有的十种力量）此明其德也。（这是说明阿弥陀佛的功德）能摧邪慢故名为力。（能够摧毁邪见和傲慢，所以称为力）并以智为体。（并且以智慧为本体）一智在十处，名为十力名者。（一种智慧在十个方面发挥作用，称为十力）一是处非处力。（处非处力：知是处非处智力，正确判断事物的能力）二业力。（业力：知一切众生过去、未来、现在诸业及其果报的智力）三定力。（定力：知诸禅定解脱三昧及其染净分别的智力）四根力。（根力：知一切众生诸根胜劣的智力）五欲力。（欲力：知种种欲解智力）六性力。（性力：知种种性智力）七至处道力。（至处道力：知一切至所道智力）八宿命力。（宿命力：知过去宿命智力）九天眼力。（天眼力：知死生智力）十漏尽力。（漏尽力：知永断烦恼智力） 威德者神通息慢名为威德。（威德：指佛菩萨的威严和德行；神通：指超自然的能力）亦赞戒定慧解脱解脱知见者。（戒定慧解脱解脱知见：指五分法身，是佛所证悟的五种功德）此即如来五分法身。（五分法身：指戒身、定身、慧身、解脱身、解脱知见身）戒身以三聚净戒为体。（三聚净戒：指摄律仪戒、摄善法戒、饶益有情戒）惠身以一切智为体。（一切智：指佛所证悟的遍知一切法的智慧）定身以大乘光明三昧等一切定为体。（大乘光明三昧：指大乘佛教中的一种高级禅定）解脱身以有为解脱无为解脱为体。（有为解脱：指通过修行而获得的解脱；无为解脱：指证悟涅槃而获得的解脱）解脱知见身以后得智为体。（后得智：指证悟之后所获得的智慧） 自下明说利益。（自下：以下）谓闻如来功德除八十亿劫生死之罪。（如来：佛的称号之一）所以尔者。（所以尔者：之所以如此）如来名号及功德皆不可得闻。（指佛的名号和功德难以听闻）若闻其名获福无量故。（如果能够听闻佛的名号，就能获得无量的福报）观佛三昧经云。（观佛三昧经：一部佛教经典）念佛功德者。（念佛：忆念佛的功德）所谓戒定惠解脱解脱知见。（指戒、定、慧、解脱、解脱知见）金色身三十二相八十随形好。（金色身：指佛的金色身躯；三十二相：指佛所具有的三十二种殊胜的相貌；八十随形好：指佛所具有的八十种细微的特征）十力四无畏。（四无畏：指佛所具有的四种无所畏惧的品质）十八不共法。（十八不共法：指佛所独有的十八种功德）大悲三念处。（大悲：指佛的慈悲心；三念处：指佛在三种情况下保持正念）是若有众生一闻佛身如上功德相好光明。（如果众生一旦听闻佛身具有上述功德、相好和光明）亿亿千劫不堕恶道不生邪见。（在亿亿千劫中不会堕入恶道，不会产生邪见）杂恶之处常得正见。（在充满邪恶的地方也能保持正见）勤修不息。（勤奋修行，永不停止）但闻佛名获如是福。（仅仅听闻佛的名号就能获得如此福报）何况系念观佛三昧。（更何况是系念观佛的三昧）即其义也。（就是这个道理） 自下次明往生相。（往生：指往生到西方极乐世界）初明中阴相灭。（中阴相灭：指中阴身的景象消失）谓地狱猛火化为凉风。（指地狱的猛火化为凉爽的风）二明化佛来迎。（化佛：指佛的化身）三明
English
English version Bājiè (Eight Precepts) are for lay practitioners. Vinaya (Complete Precepts) are for ordained monks. Stealing Saṃgha property (Saṃgha: monastic community) refers to the property of the Saṃgha that is permanently present in the ten directions. Present Saṃgha property refers to the property belonging to the present people in a dwelling place. 'Impure Dharma teaching' refers to speaking from one's mind, not based on the true nature of all Dharmas, whether for fame and gain or to surpass others; all of these are called 'impure Dharma teaching'. 'Hell's fierce fire arrives all at once' means that when evil causes are completed, the evil signs of the intermediate state (Antarābhava) appear. Meeting a good teacher (Kalyāṇa-mittatā) who speaks of the Ten Powers of Amitābha Buddha (Amitābha: Buddha of Infinite Light; Daśabala: Ten Powers of a Buddha) clarifies his virtues. Being able to destroy evil and arrogance is called 'power'. It takes wisdom as its essence. One wisdom is in ten places, called the Ten Powers. The names are: first, the power of knowing what is possible and impossible; second, the power of karma (Karma); third, the power of meditation (Dhyāna); fourth, the power of faculties (Indriya); fifth, the power of desires (Chandas); sixth, the power of nature (Prakṛti); seventh, the power of the path to all destinations; eighth, the power of past lives (Pūrva-nivāsānusmṛti); ninth, the power of the divine eye (Divyacakṣus); tenth, the power of the exhaustion of outflows (Āsravakṣaya). Majesty and virtue (Ānubhāva) means that supernatural powers (Ṛddhi) subdue arrogance. It also praises the virtues of morality (Śīla), meditation (Samādhi), wisdom (Prajñā), liberation (Vimukti), and the knowledge and vision of liberation (Vimukti-jñāna-darśana). This is the fivefold Dharma body (Pañca-dharma-kāya) of the Tathāgata (Tathāgata: 'Thus Gone One', an epithet of the Buddha). The body of morality takes the three pure precepts (Tri-saṃvara-śīla) as its essence. The body of wisdom takes all-knowing wisdom (Sarvākāra-jñatā) as its essence. The body of meditation takes all meditations such as the Great Vehicle's Light Samādhi as its essence. The body of liberation takes conditioned liberation (Sa-upadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa) and unconditioned liberation (An-upadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa) as its essence. The body of the knowledge and vision of liberation takes subsequent wisdom (Pṛṣṭhalabdha-jñāna) as its essence. From here onwards, the benefits are explained. It is said that hearing the virtues of the Tathāgata removes the sins of eighty billion kalpas (Kalpa: an aeon) of birth and death. The reason for this is that the name and virtues of the Tathāgata are difficult to hear. If one hears his name, one obtains immeasurable blessings. The Sutra of the Samādhi of Visualizing the Buddha (Guan Fo Sanmei Jing) says: 'The merits of reciting the Buddha's name are morality, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation, the golden body with the thirty-two marks (Lakṣaṇa) and eighty minor characteristics (Anuvyañjana), the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses (Vaiśāradya), the eighteen unshared qualities (Āveṇika-dharma), great compassion (Mahākaruṇā), and the three establishments of mindfulness (Smṛtyupasthāna). If there is a sentient being who hears of the Buddha's body, such as the above virtues, marks, and light, they will not fall into evil paths for billions of kalpas and will not generate wrong views. In places mixed with evil, they will always obtain right views and diligently cultivate without ceasing. Just hearing the Buddha's name obtains such blessings, how much more so for the Samādhi of focusing the mind on visualizing the Buddha?' That is the meaning. From here onwards, the signs of rebirth are explained. First, the signs of the intermediate state disappear. It is said that the fierce fire of hell transforms into a cool breeze. Second, a manifested Buddha (Nirmāṇa-buddha) comes to greet them. Third, --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
往生。四生已获益。此人由业力劣故莲华六劫乃开也 自下总结可解。 自下次明下品下生相。文中有四。一标品名。二显行相。三明往生相。四总结。或有众生作不善业者。此明行相也。先明其失。五逆者。杀父。害母。杀阿罗汉。出佛身血破和合僧 问。无量经云。唯除五逆诽谤正法。何以此中五逆业得生净土耶 答。造五逆者。有二种。一谓此人先发菩提心。中间忽造五逆。后时由正念佛名故伏灭业障得生净土。此经据此而论二者。此人先无菩提之心而复造五逆罪。复无念佛功德。此人不生。无量寿经据此而说。下明其德。善友为说妙法者。说大乘法也。闻大乘经能除重罪教令念佛者。念佛功德能除业障也。不遑念佛者。犹无暇也。此人为死苦所逼无暇念佛功德名号也。具足十念者明时分也。十念之业能除重罪生于净土。故智度论云。有人一生造恶临命终时得生善道。有人一生造善临命终时生于恶道。此有二义。一由后报业熟。二由临命终时善心心数法生 问。此人一生造恶。云何临终一念心能胜终身行业 答。譬如大将一人能破大敌。临命终心亦尔。如火如毒一念之心能胜终身。能胜终身行业。以舍诸根事急故。即其义也 自下次明往生相。初见莲华。二正明往生。三明已获益。为其广说诸法实相者。 现代汉语译本 往生：指四种生命形态（四生）都已经获得利益。这个人由于恶劣的业力，需要六劫的时间莲花才会开放。 下面的总结可以理解。 下面开始说明下品下生的景象。这段文字包含四个部分：一、标明品名；二、显示行为状态；三、说明往生景象；四、总结。 ‘或有众生作不善业者’：这是说明行为状态。首先说明其过失。‘五逆’指的是：杀父、害母、杀阿罗汉（Arhat，断尽烦恼，证得解脱的圣者）、出佛身血、破坏僧团的和合。 问：在《无量寿经》（Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life）中说，‘唯独五逆和诽谤正法的人不能往生’，为什么这里说造五逆罪的人也能往生净土呢？ 答：造五逆罪的人，有两种情况：第一种是这个人先前发了菩提心（Bodhi mind，觉悟之心），中间忽然造了五逆罪，后来因为以正念称念佛的名号，所以伏灭了业障，得以往生净土。这部经是根据这种情况而说的。第二种是这个人先前没有菩提心，而且又造了五逆罪，又没有念佛的功德，这个人就不能往生。《无量寿经》是根据这种情况而说的。 下面说明其功德。‘善友为说妙法者’：指的是说大乘佛法。 ‘闻大乘经能除重罪教令念佛者’：念佛的功德能够消除业障。 ‘不遑念佛者’：就是没有空闲。这个人被死亡的痛苦所逼迫，没有空闲念佛的功德名号。 ‘具足十念者’：说明时间短暂。十念的业力能够消除重罪，往生到净土。所以《智度论》（Mahaprajnaparamita-sastra）中说：‘有的人一生造恶，临命终时却能往生善道；有的人一生行善，临命终时却堕入恶道。’这有两种原因：一是由于后报的业力成熟；二是由于临命终时善心和心数法生起。 问：这个人一生造恶，为什么临终一念心力能够胜过终身的行业呢？ 答：譬如大将一人能够击破强大的敌人，临命终时的一念心也是这样。如同火和毒药一样，一念之心能够胜过终身的行业，因为舍弃诸根，情况紧急的缘故，就是这个意思。 下面说明往生的景象。首先是见到莲花，其次是正式说明往生，再次是说明已经获得利益。‘为其广说诸法实相者’：