..續本文上一頁lden light and carrying a seven-jewelled lotus-flower. He hears a voice in the sky above praising him, saying ”Man of good deeds, since you are virtuous and have followed the teachings of the Buddhas of the three periods, I have come to welcome you.” The aspirant finds himself seated upon the lotus-flower. The flower having closed, the aspirant is born on a jewelled pond of the Western Land of Utmost Bliss. After seven days the lotus-bud unfolds, and then he opens his eyes. With joined palms he pays homage to the World-Honored One, rejoices at hearing the Dharma and reaches the Stage of a Stream-Winner. After half a kalpa, he becomes an Arhat. Such a person is called one who attains birth on the middle level of the middle grade. [345c]
[26]中品中生者。若有衆生。若一日一夜持八戒齋。若一日一夜持沙彌戒。若一日一夜持具足戒。威儀無缺。以此功德。回向願求生極樂國。戒香薰修。如此行者命欲終時。見阿彌陀佛與諸眷屬放金色光。持七寶蓮花至行者前。行者自聞空中有聲。贊言。善男子。如汝善人。隨順叁世諸佛教故。我來迎汝。行者自見坐蓮花上。蓮花即合。生于西方極樂世界。在寶池中。經于七日蓮花乃敷。花既敷已。開目合掌贊歎世尊。聞法歡喜得須陀洹。經半劫已成阿羅漢。是名中品中生者。
6) the lowest level of the middle grade
[27] "Those who attain birth on the lowest level of the middle grade are good men and women who are dutiful to and care for their parents and do benevolent deeds for others. When such a person is about to die, he may meet a good teacher, who fully explains to him the bliss of the land of Amitayus and the Forty-eight Great Vows of the Bhiksu Dharmakara. Having heard this, he dies and in the short time it takes a strong man to bend and straighten his arm, he attains birth in the Western Land of Utmost Bliss. Seven days after his birth there, he meets Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, rejoices at hearing the Dharma from them and so reaches the Stage of a Stream-Winner. After one smaller kalpa, he becomes an Arhat. Such a person is called one who attains birth on the lowest level of the middle grade. These three together are known as the contemplation of the middle grade of aspirants and the fifteenth contemplation. To practice in this way is called the correct contemplation, and to practice otherwise is incorrect."
[27] 中品下生者。若有善男子善女人。孝養父母行世仁義。此人命欲終時遇善知識。爲其廣說阿彌陀佛國土樂事。亦說法藏比丘四十八大願。聞此事已尋即命終。譬如壯士屈伸臂頃。即生西方極樂世界。生經七日遇觀世音及大勢至。聞法歡喜得須陀洹。過一小劫成阿羅漢。是名中品下生者。是名中輩生想。名第十五觀。作是觀者名爲正觀。若他觀者名爲邪觀。
7) the highest level of the lowest grade
[28] The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "Those who attain birth on the highest level of the lowest grade are the sentient beings who commit various evil acts but do not slander the Mahayana sutras of greater scope. When a foolish person such as this, who has committed much evil but feels no remorse, is about to die, he may meet a good teacher, who praises the titles of the twelve pisions of the Mahayana scriptures. By hearing these sutra-titles, he is released from the burden of evil karma which he has accumulated during a thousand kalpas. Furthermore, this wise teacher advises him to join his palms and call, ”Homage to Amitayus Buddha” [Na-mo-o-mi-t”o-fo].” Calling the name of the Buddha extinguishes the evil karma that the dying person has committed during fifty kotis of kalpas of Samsara.
The Buddha then sends his transformed body and those of Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta to the aspirant; they praise him, saying, ”Well done, man of good deeds! By calling the Name of the Buddha your evil karma has been extinguished, and so we have come to welcome you.” When these words are uttered, the aspirant sees a flood of light from that transformed Buddha fill his room. Having seen this, he rejoices and dies. Seated on a jewelled lotus-flower, he follows the transformed Buddha and is born on a jewelled pond. In seven weeks the lotus-bud opens and Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, and Mahasthamaprapta appear before him, releasing great floods of light, and explain to him the extremely profound teachings of th…
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