Collected Sayings of Master Da'an — The Three Grades and Nine Levels of Rebirth

The Contemplation Sutra on Amitayus (Sutra of the Visualization of the Buddha of Infinite Life) discusses the conditions for rebirth in the highest grade as the study and recitation of the great Mahayana scriptures, and the realization of the ultimate truth. The realization of the ultimate truth is none other than the great, perfect awakening spoken of in the Chan school, and this is the condition for rebirth in the highest grade. Practitioners of the Pure Land path should first establish faith and aspiration to secure the baseline guarantee of rebirth, and on this foundation, strive for rebirth in the highest of the highest grade.

Master Shandao, with the definitive vision that set the standard for all ages, demonstrated that the nine grades of rebirth are all matters pertaining to ordinary beings, having nothing to do with sages of the Mahayana or Hinayana vehicles. The three grades in the upper tier are ordinary beings who encountered the Mahayana teaching; the three in the middle tier are ordinary beings who encountered the Hinayana teaching; the three in the lower tier are ordinary beings who encountered adverse conditions. Master Shandao affirmed with great certainty that the Pure Land teaching universally encompasses all three capacities. Every being who recites the Buddha's name — whether throughout an entire lifetime at the upper end, or with ten recitations at the moment of death at the lower end — can rely on the power of Amitabha Buddha's vows to be reborn in the Pure Land.

The Contemplation Sutra on Amitayus discusses the nine grades of rebirth to fully reveal Amitabha Buddha's great compassion and majestic spiritual power in rescuing all beings, especially sinful ordinary beings. When a being who has recklessly committed evil deeds sees the signs of hell appearing at the moment of death, and meets a virtuous friend of the Pure Land teaching who urges him to recite the Buddha's name, he is able to accept it in faith and recite with utmost sincerity. Each utterance of the Buddha's name can extinguish the grave offenses of eight billion kalpas of birth and death. Responding to Amitabha's great compassionate vows, the power of the six-character great name (Namo Amitabha) can transform the raging fires of hell into the Pure Land realm.

When the Buddha spoke of scattered merit, he first expounded the Three Blessings of Pure Karma, and then discussed the nine grades of rebirth; these all fall within the scope of scattered merit. The teaching on scattered merit was not requested by Queen Vaidehi; it was expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha himself, that is, it was spoken in accordance with his own intention.

The teaching on concentrated merit was spoken in accordance with the other's intention. The scattered merit spoken in accordance with his own intention — the Three Blessings and the nine grades — truly gives full expression to all Buddhas' original vow to universally save all beings with perfect impartiality. How truly compassionate this is!

Among the grades of rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, the three grades of the middle tier are all attained through the merit of observing precepts. If one maintains the precepts purely and perfectly throughout one's entire lifetime, and dedicates the merit of precept-keeping, one can attain rebirth in the highest of the middle grade. Whether one observes the Five Precepts, the Eight Precepts, or the Bhikshu or Bhikshuni Precepts, the merit of observing them purely for even one day and one night, when dedicated, qualifies one for rebirth within the middle tier.

The evil beings of the lower three grades, who fortunately encounter a virtuous friend at the moment of death, demonstrate that they possess seeds of Pure Land affinity from many lives and many kalpas. These Pure Land seeds are forced out under the intense pressure of the excruciating agony of the deathbed moment. Once the seeds of Pure Land karma emerge, phenomenologically this calls forth a virtuous friend skilled in rebirth guidance to appear before them.

If we uphold the name with faith and aspiration without having cut off the afflictions — that is, while the delusions of views and thoughts still remain — whether in a concentrated or scattered mind, we can all receive the supportive power of Amitabha's vows. At the moment of death, we will be received and guided by Amitabha and reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is called the Land of Common Residence of Saints and Ordinary Beings. The three grades discussed in the Infinite Life Sutra and the nine grades discussed in the Contemplation Sutra on Amitayus all fall within the scope of the Land of Common Residence of Saints and Ordinary Beings.

The nine grades of rebirth are the core content of scattered merit, and the core content that reveals the merit and virtue of Amitabha Buddha's great compassionate vows. This content transcends conceptual reasoning, departs from ordinary views, and is supremely inconceivable. It is the crystallized essence of the great compassion and wisdom that universally saves all beings equally. We must take this standpoint when examining the identities within the nine grades of rebirth.

Those reborn in the nine grades must all perfectly arouse three kinds of mind in order to be reborn. What are these three kinds of mind? First, the mind of ultimate sincerity; second, the mind of profound faith; third, the mind that dedicates all merit and aspires for rebirth. Beings who possess these three minds will, according to the differences in their causal practices, attain the ranks of the nine grades of rebirth.

The one reborn in the highest of the highest grade is "the most excellent ordinary being of the Mahayana." This kind of Pure Land practitioner cultivates three kinds of causal practice. First, with a compassionate heart, they do not harm living beings and observe various precepts; second, they read and recite the great Mahayana scriptures; third, they practice the Six Recollections (recollection of the Buddha, of the Dharma, of the Sangha, of the precepts, of giving, and of the heavens). With the merit of these practices, they skillfully dedicate it, aspiring to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Practicing for one day up to seven days is sufficient to attain the rank of the highest of the highest grade.

The one reborn in the middle of the highest grade is "the next-best ordinary being of the Mahayana." This kind of Buddha-reciter may or may not read and recite the Mahayana scriptures, but must skillfully understand the truth of ultimate reality. Upon hearing the meaning of the empty nature and wondrous existence of all dharmas, they silently comprehend it in their heart; they have profound faith in both worldly and supramundane cause and effect; they neither doubt nor slander the various principles of the great Mahayana Dharma. Dedicating these merits, aspiring to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, they attain the rank of the middle of the highest grade.

The one reborn in the lowest of the highest grade is "the lesser-good ordinary being of the Mahayana." Whether they believe in cause and effect or not, they do not doubt or slander the great Mahayana Dharma. The most important condition for rebirth in this grade is to arouse, from a sincere mind, the bodhicitta of renouncing suffering, delighting in rebirth in the Pure Land, attaining Buddhahood, and saving all beings. Dedicating this merit, aspiring to be born in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, they attain the rank of the lowest of the highest grade.

The one reborn in the highest of the middle grade is "the most excellent ordinary being of Hinayana capacity." Hinayana capacity means one has the aspiration to escape birth and death, but cannot arouse the Mahayana bodhicitta. To be the most excellent ordinary being is to possess the awareness of observing precepts. The practice they undertake is to observe the Five Precepts, the Eight Precepts, and various other precepts; they do not commit the five heinous crimes, are free from faults and errors, and maintain precept-based merit throughout life until the end. Dedicating these roots of goodness and precept-practice, aspiring to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, they attain the rank of the highest of the middle grade.

The one reborn in the middle of the middle grade is "the lesser-good ordinary being of Hinayana capacity" — that is, of Hinayana disposition, belonging to the realm of ordinary beings. Their practice is to observe the Eight Precepts for one day and one night, or to observe the Shramana precepts for one day and one night, or to observe the full Bhikshu or Bhikshuni precepts for one day and one night, with no deficiency in even the minor precepts governing the deportment of body, speech, and mind. Dedicating the merit of precept-keeping, aspiring to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, they attain the rank of the middle of the middle grade.

The one reborn in the lowest of the middle grade is "the ordinary being of worldly goodness and superior merit." Worldly goodness refers to worldly virtuous practices; superior merit refers to the practice of filial piety toward one's parents. Such a person is neither a monastic nor a lay practitioner, but simply an ordinary being of inherently good nature. Moved by their filial conduct, at the moment of death they encounter a virtuous friend who extensively expounds Amitabha Buddha's original vows and merits, the merits of the sacred name, and the pure adornments of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Upon hearing, they accept in faith and resolve to seek rebirth. After death, in the time it takes for a strong man to bend and extend his arm, they are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The one reborn in the highest of the lower grade is an ordinary being who has committed the lighter of the ten evils. Such beings have committed many evil deeds. Although they do not slander the great Mahayana scriptures, these foolish beings commit numerous evil acts and have no sense of shame. At the moment of death, tormented by all manner of suffering, they encounter a virtuous friend who praises and expounds for them the title names of the great Mahayana scriptures, and instructs them, with sincere reverence, to "press their palms together and fold their hands" and recite the name "Namo Amitabha." Immediately, the offenses of five billion kalpas of birth and death are extinguished, and they are received by the Buddha and guided to rebirth in the Pure Land.

The one reborn in the middle of the lower grade is the ordinary being who has broken precepts and committed secondary offenses. Such beings violate the Five Precepts, the Eight Precepts, and the Bhikshu and Bhikshuni precepts. These foolish people have also stolen property belonging to the Sangha of the ten directions, and have stolen the belongings of the present assembly of monastics; some teach the Dharma for the sake of fame and material gain, with no sense of shame, adorning themselves with all manner of evil karma. At the critical moment when such offenders are about to fall into hell, they encounter a virtuous friend of Buddha-recitation who expounds Amitabha Buddha's ten powers and majestic virtues. Upon hearing and believing, the offenders immediately extinguish the offenses of eight billion kalpas of birth and death, and are received by the Buddha and guided to rebirth in the Pure Land.

The one reborn in the lowest of the lower grade is the ordinary being who has committed the five heinous crimes and the ten heavy evils. Such beings commit all manner of unwholesome deeds, including the five heinous crimes and ten evils — there is nothing they do not do. Due to such extreme evil karma, these foolish beings are destined to fall into the Avici Hell. They endure intense suffering with no end or release. However, if a being who has committed the five heinous crimes can still generate faith and aspiration and recite the name, Amitabha Buddha will also compassionately receive them and enable their rebirth, although they must remain within the lotus for twelve great kalpas before they can emerge to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma.

There is also a category of beings who, with a mind of doubt, cultivate many meritorious deeds and aspire to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, but who cannot comprehend Amitabha Buddha's wisdom of all modes, his deep, vast, and inconceivable wisdom, his inexpressible wisdom, his great Mahayana wisdom that universally saves all beings, and his supreme, incomparable, and wondrous wisdom. They doubt and do not believe in the profound wisdom and merit of Amitabha Tathagata. However, they can still believe in the causal principles of good and evil, merit and demerit. Cultivating the merits and wisdom of the six paramitas, they aspire to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. At the end of their lives, they can only be reborn in the border-land city of doubt, where they remain for five hundred years before emerging to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma.

Regarding rebirth itself, it does not depend on whether one's good roots are mature or immature; it only depends on whether one has faith and aspiration. However, the height of the grade of rebirth is indeed related to whether one's good roots are mature, the gravity of one's evil karma, and the depth of one's cultivation. As the saying goes, no effort is made in vain.

In this age of the kalpa of decrease, the collective karma of the age is hard to transform. We should follow the Buddha's instructions, recite the Buddha's name with utmost sincerity, and seek rebirth in the Pure Land. We should do the Three Blessings of Pure Karma to the best of our ability according to our circumstances; doing them well can elevate the grade of our rebirth.