The Soul Engineerin—II
070 心靈工程（二）
中文原著：隆門圓通法師
英文翻譯：張惠平
Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong
Translated by Huei Ping Chang
中品上生：受持五戒、持八戒齋，修行諸戒，不造五逆、無眾過惡。此人臨命終時，阿彌陀佛與諸比丘眷屬圍繞，放金色光，至其人所，其人見已，心大歡喜，見己身坐蓮花臺。
中品中生：一日一夜持八戒齋、或一日一夜持沙彌戒、或一日一夜持具足戒，威儀無缺。此人臨命終時，見阿彌陀佛與諸眷屬，放金色光，持七寶蓮華至行者前。
中品下生：若有善男子善女人，孝養父母、行世仁義。此人臨命終時，遇善知識為說阿彌陀佛國土樂事，及法藏比丘四十八願，至心信樂即得往生。
下品上生：或有眾生作眾惡業，雖誹謗方等經典、多造惡法、無有慚愧。此人臨命終時，遇善知識為讚大乘十二部經題，除卻千劫極重惡業。復教令合掌叉手，稱「南無阿彌陀佛」名號，除卻五十億劫生死重罪。爾時，彼佛即遣化佛，化觀世音、大勢至菩薩來迎。
下品中生：或有眾生毀犯五戒、八戒及具足戒，偷僧衹物、盜現前僧物，不淨說法、無有慚愧，以諸惡法而自莊嚴。如此罪人臨命終時，地獄眾火一時俱至。遇善知識，為讚阿彌陀佛，十力威德，除八十億劫生死重罪。地獄猛火化為涼風，吹諸天華，華上皆有化佛菩薩迎接此人。
下品下生：或有眾生作五逆十惡，具諸不善。此人臨命終時，遇善知識，種種安慰，為說妙法，教令念佛。如是至心，令聲不絕，具足十念，稱南無阿彌陀佛…於念念中，除八十億劫生死重罪，即見金蓮花猶如日輪，住其人前。
略述以上九品往生，慧遠大師以之為，求生淨土者之九種觀法。善導大師則以之為，求生淨土之實踐方法。
慧遠以四地至六地之菩薩為上品上生。初地、二地、三地之菩薩為上品中生。種性以上之菩薩為上品下生。又以小乘前三果之聖者，為中品上生。見道以前之內外二凡，為中品中生。見道以前之凡夫，為中品下生。而以始學大乘之人未辨階位，故依過之輕重分為：下品上生、下品中生、下品下生。
天台則以習種性（十住）以上之菩薩為上品。外凡至十信為中品。凡夫為下品。
有關九品往生之階位，諸家異說頗多。日僧親鸞以為九品淨土係方便化土，然與阿彌陀佛之真實報土並無二至。
參考資料：觀無量壽經、觀無量壽經義疏卷未（淨影寺慧遠）、觀無量壽佛經疏卷四、觀無量壽佛經疏（智頫）、觀無量壽經義疏（吉藏）
資料來源：心靈甘露(二)，隆門圓通法師著。
The Soul Engineerin—II
(Continued from the High Level Low Rebirth of the Nine Positions in the Pure Land)
Middle Level High Rebirth:
One who intends to be reborn into this position has to abide by the Five Precepts as well as the Eight Precepts, and cultivate various kinds of precepts. He should not commit the Five Sins or other evil faults so that he can be reborn to this position.
When the life of such a person is coming to an end, Amitabha Buddha and His bhiksu dependents come to his place, surround him, and emit golden light. Upon seeing this, this person becomes happy and sees his own body sitting in the lotus seat.
Middle Level Middle Rebirth:
One who intends to be reborn into this position has to abide by the Eight Precepts, or the Novice Precept, or the Repletion Precept for 24 hours and also has to be flawless in appearance.
When the life of such a person is coming to an end, Amitabha Buddha and His dependents come to this practitioner’s place with the lotus flower of seven jewels in the hand, giving out golden light.
Middle Level Low Rebirth:
The virtuous men and women who look after their parents and do benevolent and righteous deeds are qualified to be reborn to this position.
When the life of such people is coming to an end, there will be virtuous friends coming to lecture on the pleasant things in Amitabha Buddha’s realm as well as the forty-eight vows of Bhiksu Dharma Treasure until these people are wholeheartedly faithful and satisfied and get reincarnated to the Pure Land.
Low Level High Rebirth:
If someone creates various kinds of bad karmas, slanders extensive sutras, and does evil deeds without feeling ashamed, and when he is about to die, his virtuous friends praise the Twelve Sutras of the Great Vehicle for him, then his severe bad karmas created for a thousand kalpas will be exempted. Besides, if he is made to repeat the name “Namo Amitabha Buddha” with his hands joined or fingers crossed, his severe sins of five billion kalpas will be eradicated. Then Amitabha Buddha will send Buddhas in the forms of Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta to welcome him.
Low Level Middle Rebirth:
If someone disobeys the Five Precepts or the Eight Precepts or the Replete Precepts, steals things of the monastics, talks about the Dharma in impure language, and dignifies himself in evil ways without feeling ashamed, and when such a sinful person is about to die, all the fires in the Hell come all of a sudden. If there are virtuous friends coming to his side and praising the Merits of Ten Powers of Amitabha Buddha, then his severe death guilt of eight billion kalpas will be exempted. Furthermore, the fierce fires in the Hell will turn into cool breezes that blow the Heavenly flowers on which there are Bodhisattvas transforming into Buddhas to welcome this person.
Low Level Low Rebirth:
There might be living beings that commit the Five Sins or Ten Evil Faults and possess evil characteristics. When a person like these is about to die and encounters virtuous friends who comfort him, lecture on wondrous Dharmas for him, and instruct him to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha sincerely and non-stop, during the recitation his death guilt of eight billion kalpas will be exempted and he will immediately see the golden lotus flowers like the sun wheel appearing before him.
The above reincarnation of nine positions is regarded as nine ways of viewing in seeking reincarnation to the Pure Land by Master Huei Yuan. But Master Shan Dao thinks of this as nine ways of fulfillment in seeking reincarnation to the Pure Land.
In Master Huei Yuan’s definition, Bodhisattvas between the fourth and sixth ground can be reborn to the High Level High. Those in the first, second, and third ground can be reborn to the High Level Middle. Those who rank higher than Gotra can be reborn to the High Level Low. The sages in the first three fruits of the Small Vehicle can be reborn to the Middle Level High.
The interior and exterior ordinary beings who have not seen doctrines yet can be reborn to the Middle Level Middle, while the ordinary beings who have not seen doctrines can be reborn to the Middle Level Low. Those who just start to learn the Great Vehicle and are not ranked yet can be reborn to the Low Level High, Low Level Middle, or Low Level Low, based on different degrees of faults they committed.
On the other hand, according to the School of Tian Tai, Bodhisattvas who have practiced the Gotra or higher can be reborn to the High Levels, those ranking from exterior ordinary to the Ten Faiths can be reborn to the Middle Levels, and ordinary beings to the Low Levels.
As far as the theory about the rebirth to the nine positions is concerned, it differs from school to school. The Japanese monk Chin Luan thinks of the nine position Pure Land as a Convenience Transformational Land, which is actually the same as Amitabha Buddha’s Real Retribution Land.
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol.II), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong.