The Three Levels of Rebirth 三辈往生
Introduction
The Three Levels of Rebirth (三 辈 往 生) is one of the most important chapters (Chapter Twenty-four) in the Infinite Life Sutra (Full title: The Buddha Speaks of the Mahayana Infinite Life Adornment Purity Impartiality and Enlightenment Sutra 佛说大乘无量寿庄严清净平等觉经), along with the Forty-eight Great Vows of Amitabha Buddha. This new translation is based on the compiled version by Upasaka Xia Lianju (夏莲居), which we have chosen for its completeness (see Shifu Shengchi’s Introduction to The Forty-Eight Great Vows). For instance, in the version translated by Sanghavarman, it does not mention if other Mahayana practitioners (practitioners of other Mahayana paths) can also seek rebirth in the Pure Land if they practise Nianfo, whereas the compiled version deals with this question clearly in the last part of Chapter Twenty-four). When you read this sutra, you can also combine your study with a review of Shifu Shengchi’s sutra talks on the Three Levels of Rebirth (a total of three sessions), in which she goes through each level in great detail.
Namo Amitabha Buddha!
Namo Amituofo!
南无阿弥陀佛!
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南无本师释迦牟尼佛 (三称)
Namo Fundamental Teacher
Shakyamuni Buddha (three times)
南无阿弥陀佛 (三称)
Namo Amitabha Buddha (three times)
开经偈
无上甚深微妙法, 百千万劫难遭遇。
我今见闻得受持, 愿解如来真实义。
Sutra Opening Verse
The unsurpassed, profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma
Is rarely encountered in hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas.
I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,
May we understand the true meaning of the Tathagata.
南无莲池海会佛菩萨 (三称)
Namo Lotus Pond Ocean-wide Assembly of
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (three times)
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《佛说大乘无量寿庄严清净平等觉经》
之
三辈往生第二十四
The Three Levels of Rebirth
(Chapter Twenty-four)
From
The Buddha Speaks of the Mahayana Infinite Life Adornment Purity
Impartiality and Enlightenment Sutra
Or simply
The Infinite Life Sutra
(The Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra)
The Compiled Version by Upāsaka Xia Lianju
上辈往生
(1) The Highest Level of Rebirth
佛告阿难，十方世界诸天人民，其有至心愿生彼国，凡有三辈。其上辈者，舍家弃欲而作沙门。发菩提心。一向专念阿弥陀佛。修诸功德，愿生彼国。此等众生，临寿终时，阿弥陀佛，与诸圣众，现在其前。经须臾间，即随彼佛往生其国。便于七宝华中自然化生，智慧勇猛，神通自在。是故阿难，其有众生欲于今世见阿弥陀佛者，应发无上菩提之心。复当专念极乐国土。积集善根，应持回向。由此见佛，生彼国中，得不退转，乃至无上菩提。
The Buddha said to Ananda, "In the worlds of the ten directions, among the heavenly beings and humans, there are those who, with utmost sincerity, vow to be born in the Pure Land. They are of three levels. Beings in the highest level are those who leave their homes and renounce worldly pleasures to become śramaṇas (monks) (1). They generate bodhicitta and single-mindedly recite the Name of Amitabha Buddha. Cultivating all kinds of merits, they vow to be born in that Land.
When such beings approach the end of their lives, Amitabha Buddha, together with a multitude of Sages, will appear before them. In an instant, they will follow the Buddha and attain rebirth in His Land. At once, they will be born through spontaneous transformation from seven-jewelled lotuses, endowed with vigorous wisdom and complete mastery of Divine Powers. Therefore, Ananda, if there are beings who vow to see Amitabha Buddha in this life, they should generate the supreme bodhicitta. They should also single-mindedly contemplate the Land of Ultimate Bliss, accumulate good roots, and transfer the merit towards rebirth. By means of these causes, they will see the Buddha and be born in His Land, where they will attain the Stage of Non-regression (2) and, ultimately, Supreme Bodhi (Perfect Enlightenment).
中辈往生
(2) The Middle Level of Rebirth
其中辈者，虽不能行作沙门，大修功德，当发无上菩提之心。一向专念阿弥陀佛。随己修行，诸善功德，奉持斋戒，起立塔像，饭食沙门，悬缯燃灯，散华烧香，以此回向，愿生彼国。其人临终，阿弥陀佛化现其身，光明相好，具如真佛，与诸大众前后围绕，现其人前，摄受导引。即随化佛往生其国，住不退转，无上菩提。功德智慧次如上辈者也。
For beings in the middle level, although they cannot become śramaṇas and extensively cultivate merit like them, they should generate the supreme bodhicitta and single-mindedly recite the Name of Amitabha Buddha. They should, according to their abilities, cultivate various wholesome merits – upholding the precepts and fasting practices, erecting stupas and Buddha images, giving alms to śramaṇas, hanging banners, lighting lamps, offering flowers, and burning incense – and transfer the merit towards their vow to be born in that Land. When such a person is near the time of death, Amitabha Buddha will manifest in a transformed body, whose radiance and marks will be like that of the real Buddha. He (Amitabha Buddha) and a great assembly will surround and appear before this person to receive and guide him. Then, this person will immediately follow the transformed Buddha to be reborn in that Land, where he will abide in the Stage of Non-regression and then Supreme Bodhi. In terms of their merit and wisdom, such beings are second to those of the highest level.
下辈往生
(3) The Lowest Level of Rebirth
其下辈者，假使不能作诸功德，当发无上菩提之心，一向专念阿弥陀佛。欢喜信乐，不生疑惑。以至诚心，愿生其国。此人临终，梦见彼佛，亦得往生。功德智慧次如中辈者也。
For beings in the lowest level, if they cannot cultivate much merit, they should generate the supreme bodhicitta and single-mindedly recite the Name of Amitabha Buddha. They should joyfully believe (in this teaching) and not give rise to any doubts. With a mind of utmost sincerity, they should vow to be born in that Land. Near the time of death, such a person will see Amitabha Buddha in a dream, and he will also be able to attain rebirth. In terms of their merit and wisdom, such beings are second to those of the middle level.
住大乘者
(4) Other Mahayana Practitioners
若有众生住大乘者，以清净心，向无量寿。乃至十念，愿生其国。闻甚深法，即生信解。乃至获得一念净心，发一念心念于彼佛。此人临命终时，如在梦中，见阿弥陀佛，定生彼国，得不退转无上菩提。
Suppose there are beings who practise the Mahayana path, and, with minds of purity, turn towards Amitabha Buddha. With even as few as ten recitations (of Amitabha Buddha’s Name), they vow to be born in that Land. Upon hearing the profound Dharma, they instantly give rise to belief and understanding, so that a single thought of pure mind is attained, from which they generate one thought of mindfulness of that Buddha. When such a person is approaching the time of death, he will see Amitabha Buddha as if in a dream, and he shall certainly be born in that Land, where he will attain Non-regression from Supreme Bodhi.
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往生咒 (拔一切业障根本得生净土陀罗尼)
Rebirth Mantra
(The Dharani for Removing the Roots of All Karmic
Obstacles and Attaining Rebirth in the Pure Land)
南无阿弥多婆夜 哆他伽多夜 哆地夜他 阿弥利都婆毗
阿弥利哆 悉耽婆毗
阿弥唎哆 毗迦兰帝
阿弥唎哆 毗迦兰多
伽弥腻 伽伽那 枳多迦利 娑婆诃
Romanized Sanskrit:
namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya
tadyathā amṛtod-bhave
amṛta-siddhaṃ bhave
amṛta-vikrānte
amṛta-vikrānta
gāmine gagana kīrta-kare svāhā
English:
Adoration to the Exalted one of Infinite Light
namely: Oh! Nectar-producing one!
Nectar-creation-perfecting one!
Nectar-miracle one!
(he) performs miracle with nectar,
he makes (nectar) glory in sky,
All Hail!
赞佛偈
In Praise of Amitabha
阿弥陀佛身金色，相好光明无等伦。
白毫宛转五须弥，绀目澄清四大海。
光中化佛无数亿，化菩萨众亦无边。
四十八愿度众生，九品咸令登彼岸。
Amitabha Buddha's body is golden in hue,
His marks and radiance are beyond compare.
The urna between his brows coils like five Sumerus,
His deep blue eyes are as clear as the four great oceans.
Within his light appear countless transformation Buddhas,
And innumerable Bodhisattvas manifest as well.
With forty-eight great vows he rescues all sentient beings,
Leading them to the other shore through the Nine Grades of Rebirth.
三皈依
The Three Refuges
自皈依佛，当愿众生，体解大道，发无上心。
自皈依法，当愿众生，深入经藏，智慧如海。
自皈依僧，当愿众生，统理大众，一切无碍，和南圣众。
I take refuge in the Buddha. May all living beings
understand the great path and generate the
unsurpassed bodhicitta.
I take refuge in the Dharma. May all living beings enter
deeply into the treasury of the sutras, with wisdom as
deep as the sea.
I take refuge in the Sangha. May all living beings guide
the masses without obstacles, to pay homage to the
assembly of sages.
普贤菩萨十大愿
The Ten Great Practices and Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
一者礼敬诸佛。二者称赞如来。三者广修供养。四者忏悔业
障。五者随喜功德。六者请转法轮。七者请佛住世。八者常随
佛学。九者恒顺众生。十者普皆回向。
First, to pay homage to all Buddhas;
Second, to praise the Tathagatas;
Third, to extensively cultivate making offerings;
Fourth, to repent of karmic obstacles;
Fifth, to rejoice in others’ merit;
Sixth, to request the turning of the Dharma Wheel;
Seventh, to invite the Buddhas to remain in the world;
Eighth, to constantly follow and learn from the Buddhas;
Ninth, to constantly accord with living beings;
Tenth, to universally transfer all merit.
功德回向
Merit Transfer
愿生西方净土中
九品莲花为父母
花开见佛悟无生
不退菩萨为伴侣
May we be born in the Western Pure Land,
Have the nine grade lotuses as our parents.
When the lotuses open, we will see the Buddha
and realise the truth of non-arising,
With Non-regressing Bodhisattvas as our companions.
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Footnotes:
(1) śramaṇas: A person who has renounced the household life in pursuit of spiritual liberation. In this context, “renunciation” takes on two layers of meaning: (1) physical renunciation — physically leaving the home and becoming a renunciant, and (2) internal renunciation — although one has not physically left the home, one has renounced one’s attachment to worldly things, which makes one a renunciant at heart. Queen Vaidehi, the main interlocutor in the Visualisation Sutra, is an example of a renunciant at heart. She ultimately attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land in the Highest Level of the Highest Grade. (Note: The three grades of the Nine Grades of Rebirth from the Visualisation Sutra are not the same as the Three Levels set forth in this sutra. They are different systems. As Master Yinguang has explained, if we absolutely had to fit the Three Levels into the Nine Grades, then the Lowest Level of the Three Levels would (very roughly) correspond to the Middle Grade of the Nine Grades. Queen Vaidehi’s example is only being used to illustrate that one can achieve a very high level of rebirth even if one does not become a śramaṇa in the physical sense.)
(2) Stage of Non-regression (Avaivartika): a high level of enlightenment on the Bodhisattva Path, which means one will never regress from one's position of Sagehood, one's Bodhisattva practice, and one's resolve to help sentient beings (bodhicitta). Among the fifty-one stages of the Bodhisattva path, the Stage of Non-regression refers to, at the minimum, the First Stage of Abiding (at which point one has attained non-regression in the three above-mentioned aspects).
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