..續本文上一頁，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。
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."
7) the highest level of the lowest grade
佛告阿難及韋提希：下品上生者，或有衆生，作衆惡業，雖不誹謗方等經典，如此愚人，多造惡法，無有慚愧，命欲終時，遇善知識，爲說大乘十二部經首題名字，以聞如是諸經名故，除卻千劫極重惡業。智者複教合掌叉手，稱南無阿彌陀佛。
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.
稱佛名故，除五十億劫生死之罪。爾時彼佛，即遣化佛，化觀世音，化大勢至，至行者前，贊言：善男子！以汝稱佛名故，諸罪消滅，我來迎汝。
"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.”
作是語已，行者即見化佛光明，偏滿其室，見已歡喜，即便命終。乘寶蓮華，隨化佛後，生寶池中，經七七日，蓮華乃敷，當華敷時，大悲觀世音菩薩，及大勢至菩薩，放大光明，住其人前，爲說甚深十二部經。
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 the twelve pisions of the scriptures.
聞已信解，發無上道心，經十小劫，具百法明門，得入初地，是名下品上生者。
Having heard these, the aspirant accepts them in faith, and awakens aspiration for the highest Enlightenment. After ten smaller kalpas, he acquires clear understanding of the one hundred dharmas and enters the First Stage of Bodhisattvahood. Such a person is called one who attains birth on the highest level of the lowest grade. Thus he is born by hearing the Name of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha -- that is, the Three Treasures."
8) the middle level of the lowest grade
佛告阿難及韋提希：下品中生者，或有衆生，毀犯五戒、八戒，及具足戒，如此愚人，偷僧只物，盜現前僧物，不淨說法，無有慚愧，以諸惡業而自莊嚴。如此罪人，以惡業故，應墮地獄，
[29] The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, "Those who attain birth on the middle level of the lowest grade are the sentient beings who violate the five precepts, the eight precepts or the complete precepts of a monk or a nun. A foolish person such as these steals from the Sangha or takes the personal belongings of monks, or preaches the Dharma with impure motives but feels no remorse. Thus he defiles himself by evil karma, and because of this he will fall into hell.
命欲終時，地獄衆火，一時俱至，遇善知識，以大慈悲，即爲贊說阿彌陀佛十力威德，廣贊彼佛光明神力，亦贊戒、定、慧、解脫知見。
"When he is about to die and the flames o…
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