The Nine Grades' Own Text, Turned Against Their Misreading

Third, refuting it again by citing the nine grades' own text against it. These masters say that the person born in the upper-upper grade is a bodhisattva from the fourth ground through the seventh ground. Why, then, does the Contemplation Sūtra say: "Three kinds of beings will attain rebirth there. What are the three? First, those able only to keep the precepts and cultivate loving-kindness; second, those unable to keep the precepts and cultivate loving-kindness, but able only to recite the Great Vehicle scriptures; and third, those unable to keep the precepts or recite the sūtras, but able only to be mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Each of these three people, with single-minded, exacting resolve devoted to their own particular karma, whether for a single day and night or continuing unbroken for seven days and seven nights, dedicates whatever karma they have thus made, seeking and vowing to be reborn there. When their life comes to its end, Amitābha Buddha, together with transformation-buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the great assembly, emit light and extend their hands to receive them, and, as swiftly as a finger-snap, they are reborn in that land." Taking this text as proof, this is plainly, after the Buddha's own passing, an ordinary being of the Great Vehicle, of the very highest grade of goodness, whose days of practice, though few, were marked by fierce, intense effort — how could this possibly be judged the same as a sage of the grounds above? For a bodhisattva from the fourth ground through the seventh ground, considering his own accomplished function, is inconceivable — how could he possibly need to rely on a single day's, or seven days', worth of goodness, to be received by a hand extended from a lotus throne, welcomed into rebirth? This concludes the refutation, by the text itself, of the upper-upper grade.

Next, addressing the upper-middle grade. These masters say this is a bodhisattva from the first ground through the fourth ground. Why, then, does the Contemplation Sūtra say: "It is not necessary to have upheld the Great Vehicle"? What does "not necessary" mean here? Whether he has read it or not — this is why it says "not necessary." It says only that he understands it well, without ever discussing his own actual practice. It further says: "He deeply believes in cause and effect, and does not slander the Great Vehicle. Dedicating this wholesome root, he vows to be reborn there. When his life comes to its end, Amitābha Buddha, together with transformation-buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the great assembly, extend their hands to him all at once, and he is reborn in that land." Taking this text as proof, this, too, is, after the Buddha's own passing, an ordinary being of the Great Vehicle, whose practice and karma are somewhat weaker, and so his welcome, at the moment of death, differs accordingly. Yet a bodhisattva from the first ground through the fourth ground, considering his own accomplished function, is, as the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says, entirely inconceivable — how could he possibly need to rely on Vaidehī's own request in order to attain rebirth at all? This concludes the refutation of the upper-middle grade.

Next, addressing the upper-lower grade. These masters say this is a bodhisattva from the stage of fixed lineage up through the first ground. Why, then, does the Contemplation Sūtra say: "He also believes in cause and effect"? What does "also" mean here? Whether he believes it or not — this is why it says "also." It further says: "He does not slander the Great Vehicle, but only gives rise to the unsurpassed aspiration for the path. Taking this single line alone as his true practice, with no further goodness besides — dedicating this one practice, he vows to be reborn there. When his life comes to its end, Amitābha Buddha, together with transformation-buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the great assembly, extend their hands to him all at once, and he attains rebirth." Taking this text as proof, this is nothing but, after the Buddha's own passing, any being at all who has given rise to the Great Vehicle aspiration, whose practice and karma are not yet strong, and so his welcome, at the moment of departure, differs accordingly. Were one to consider the actual power and strength of a bodhisattva at this rank, he could be reborn at will in any pure land of the ten directions — how, then, could he possibly need Vaidehī to request the Buddha on his behalf, urging him toward rebirth in the western land of Ultimate Bliss? This concludes the refutation of the upper-lower grade.

These same three grades differ, then, at the very moment of their departure. How do they differ? At the upper-upper's departure, the Buddha, together with countless transformation-buddhas, extends his hand all at once. At the upper-middle's departure, the Buddha, together with a thousand transformation-buddhas, extends his hand all at once. At the upper-lower's departure, the Buddha, together with five hundred transformation-buddhas, extends his hand all at once. This is simply because their karma differs in strength, which is exactly what brings about this difference.

Next, addressing the three people of the middle rank. These masters say the middle-upper is a person of the third fruit of the lesser vehicle. Why, then, does the Contemplation Sūtra say: "If there is a sentient being who upholds the five precepts or the eight precepts, cultivating every precept, committing none of the five heinous offenses, free of every fault — when his life comes to its end, Amitābha Buddha, together with an assembly of bhikṣu-sages, emits light and expounds the Dharma, appearing before him, and this person, upon seeing this, attains rebirth at once"? Taking this text as proof, this, too, is, after the Buddha's own passing, an ordinary being who upholds the precepts of the lesser vehicle — how could this be any kind of lesser-vehicle sage at all?

As for the middle-middle: these masters say this is an "inner ordinary being," one who has not yet seen the path directly. Why, then, does the Contemplation Sūtra say: "Upholding the precepts for a single day and night, and dedicating this, vowing to be reborn there — when his life comes to its end, he beholds the Buddha and attains rebirth at once"? Taking this text as proof, how could this possibly be called an inner ordinary being at all? This is nothing but, after the Buddha's own passing, an ordinary being without any particular goodness, whose life extends only a day or a night further, who happens to encounter some minor condition, is given some minor precept, and dedicates this, vowing to be reborn there — and, through the power of the Buddha's own vow, attains rebirth at once. Were one to speak of a lesser-vehicle sage, there would certainly be no harm in his going there as well — but this Contemplation Sūtra is spoken by the Buddha for the sake of ordinary beings; it has nothing to do with sages at all.

As for the middle-lower: these masters say this is an ordinary, worldly being, prior even to being an "inner ordinary being" of the lesser vehicle, cultivating only worldly blessings while seeking to escape the world. Why, then, does the Contemplation Sūtra say: "If there is a sentient being who is filial and devoted to his parents, and carries out worldly benevolence and kindness — when his life comes to its end, he encounters a good teacher, who explains for him the blissful matters of that buddha's land, and the forty-eight vows, and the rest; and this person, upon hearing this, is reborn at once in that land"? Taking this text as proof, this is simply a person who has never once encountered the Buddha-dharma at all — though he carries out filial devotion, he has never yet had any mind that seeks to escape the world at all. It is only that, at the very moment of death, he happens to encounter goodness, and is urged toward rebirth — and this person, on account of this urging, turns his mind around, and attains rebirth at once. And further, such a person, in his own life, carries out filial devotion entirely naturally, not for the sake of seeking escape from the world at all.

Next, addressing the three people of the lower rank. These masters say that such people are ordinary beings only just beginning to study the Great Vehicle, divided into three grades according to the weight of their transgressions, not yet having attained any stage of the path at all, and difficult to distinguish by rank. I take this to be mistaken as well. Why is this so? These three grades of people possess neither of the two kinds of wholesome root, whether of the Buddha-dharma or of worldly virtue — they know only how to commit evil. How is this known? As the text on the upper of these three grades itself says: they simply have not committed any of the five heinous offenses or slandered the Dharma — every other kind of evil, they have committed in full, without the slightest sense of shame. Then, at the very moment their life is about to end, in a single thought, they encounter a good teacher, who expounds the Great Vehicle for them, and teaches them to call upon the Buddha's name even once. At that moment, Amitābha Buddha at once sends transformation-buddhas and bodhisattvas to welcome this person, and he attains rebirth at once. But people as evil as this meet the eye everywhere one looks. Should they encounter a wholesome condition, they attain rebirth at once; should they fail to encounter one, they will certainly fall into the three evil destinies, with no escape at all.

As for the lower-middle: this person has previously received the Buddhist precepts, but, having received them, fails to keep them, and breaks them outright. He further steals property belonging to the permanent assembly of monks, or property set out before them, teaches the Dharma with impure motives, and carries not even a single moment's sense of shame. When his life comes to its end, the fierce fires of hell arrive all at once, appearing before him. At the very moment he sees these flames, he happens to encounter a good teacher, who explains for him the merit of that buddha's land, and urges him toward rebirth — and this person, upon hearing this, at once beholds the Buddha, and, following this transformation, attains rebirth. At first, having not yet encountered goodness, the flames of hell come to greet him; but then, having finally encountered goodness, transformation-buddhas come to greet him instead. All of this, without exception, comes about through the power of Amitābha's own vow.

As for the lowest of the lower, the lower-lower: such beings commit unwholesome karma, the five heinous offenses and the ten evils, every kind of unwholesome act in full. On account of this evil karma, such a person is certain to fall into hell, for kalpas without end. When his life comes to its end, he encounters a good teacher, who teaches him to call upon the name of Amitābha Buddha, and urges him toward rebirth. This person, following this teaching, calls upon the Buddha's name, and, riding upon this very thought, is reborn at once. Had this person not encountered goodness, he would certainly have sunk down into hell — but because, at the very end, he encountered goodness, the seven treasures come to welcome him instead.

Looking again at this sūtra's own contemplative goodness, and at the text and meaning of these three ranks, upper, middle, and lower, all of it, taken together, describes ordinary beings of the five turbidities, living after the Buddha's own passing — differing only in what condition they happen to encounter, and it is exactly this that brings about the differences among the nine grades. How so? The three people of the upper grade are ordinary beings who happen to encounter the Great Vehicle. The three people of the middle grade are ordinary beings who happen to encounter the lesser vehicle. The three people of the lower grade are ordinary beings who happen to encounter evil. It is precisely because of their evil karma that, at the very end of life, relying on goodness and riding upon the power of the Buddha's own vow, they attain rebirth at all — and it is only upon arriving there, once their lotus opens, that they first give rise to the aspiration for enlightenment at all. How, then, could one possibly call these people already "beginning students of the Great Vehicle"? Should one hold to this view, one would lead oneself astray and mislead others as well — a harm exceedingly grave indeed. I have now, one by one, brought forward the text itself as clear proof, precisely so that the good and evil ordinary beings of the present age alike may equally share in these nine grades, giving rise to faith without any doubt, and, riding upon the power of the Buddha's own vow, all without exception attain rebirth there.