..续本文上一页，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。
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，多造恶法，无有惭愧，命欲终时，遇善知识，为说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。
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.
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：善男子！以汝称佛名故，诸罪消灭，我来迎汝。
"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.”
作是语已，行者即见化佛光明，偏满其室，见已欢喜，即便命终。乘宝莲华，随化佛后，生宝池中，经七七日，莲华乃敷，当华敷时，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。
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.
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。
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，偷僧只物，盗现前僧物，不净说法，无有惭愧，以诸恶业而自庄严。如此罪人，以恶业故，应堕地狱，
[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、解脱知见。
"When he is about to die and the flames o…
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