Nine Grades of Rebirth: Contemplation Stages 14-16

1. Nine Grades of Rebirth: Contemplation Stages 14-16 • Highest Grade (14th Contemplation) • Highest Level • Middle Level • Lowest Level • Middle Grade (15th Contemplation) • Highest Level • Middle Level • Lowest Level • Lowest Grade (16th contemplation) • Highest Level • Middle Level • Lowest Level

2. 15 good deeds • 1. The sincere faith 2.  The deep faith 3. The faith that seeks birth there by transferring one's merit 4.  Have compassionate heart, abstain from killing, and observe the precepts; 5. Those who [uphold and] chant the Mahayana sutras of greater scope; 6.  Those who practice the six forms of mindfulness, aspiring to be born in that Buddha-land by transferring there the merit of practice 7.  Comprehend the teachings of the Buddha so well that when they hear the supreme truths, they are not dismayed. 8.  Have deep faith in the law of karmic causes and effects and do not speak slightingly of the Mahayana, [awaken aspiration for the highest Enlightenment] 9.  Transfer the merit acquired to the Pure Land, aspiring to be born there. 10. Keep the five precepts, observe the eight abstinences: 1) refrain from killing; 2) stealing; 3) sexual acts; 4) lying; 5) drinking intoxicants; 6) such idle pleasures as using perfumes, singing and dancing, wearing bodily decoration and going to see dances or plays; 7) sleeping on a raised bed; 8) eating after noon.

3. 15 good deeds (cont) • 11. Abstain from committing the five greatest offenses and other transgressions. 12. Care for their parents and do benevolent deeds for others. 13. Commit various evil acts, commit much evil but feel no remorse, but do not slander the Mahayana sutras of greater scope;. • 14. Commit five gravest offenses: 1) patricide, 2) matricide, 3) killing an arhat, 4) maliciously causing a Buddha's body to bleed, 50 causing disharmony in the Sangha • 15.Ten evil deeds: killing, stealing, committing adultery, lying, uttering harsh words, uttering words that cause hatred and distrust among people, engaging in idle talk, envy, malice, and having wrong views.

4. Highest Grade/Highest Level • Sentient beings who resolve to be born in that land, awaken to three kinds of faith: 1,2,3. Those who follow 4,5,6 • Amitayus…. arrives, with light, welcomes the aspirant, who sees himself sitting on the vajra-seat, is born into that land • Reaches the insight into the non-arising of all dharma; immediately receives from each Buddha the prediction of his future Buddhahood

5. Highest Grade/Middle Level • Those not necessarily do 5 but do 7, 8, 9 • Amitayus…. Appears, with light, welcomes the aspirant, who sees himself sitting on the purple-gold seat, is born in a 7-jeweled pond of the Land • 7 days later, reaches the Stage of Non-retrogression; be able to fly in the ten directions; a smaller kalpa later, attains insight into non-arising of all dharmas and receives from each Buddha the prediction of his future Buddhahood

6. Highest Grade/Lowest Level • Those do 8, 9 • Amitayus….come, with light, to welcome the aspirant, who findhimself seated upon a golden lotus flower, immediately attains birth on a 7-jeweled pond • 3 weeks later can travel in all the ten directions, after three smaller kalpas, acquires clear understanding of the 100 dharmas and dwells in the Stage of Joy

7. Middle Grade/Highest Level • Those do 9, 10, 11 • Amitayus appears, with light,(no bodhisattvasAvalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta?) • The aspirant finds himself seated upon a lotus flower, hearing the sounds and voices extolling the 4 Noble Truth after the flower bud open, immediately attains arhatship, acquires the tree kinds of transcendent knowledge and the six supernatural powers and realize the eight samadhis of emancipation

8. Middle Grade/Middle Level • Those do 9, 10, 11 at least a day and a night • Amitayus comes, with light, toward him with his attendants (Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta?) • The aspirant finds himself seated upon a lotus flower, born on a jeweled pond of the Land. After 7 days, reaches the Stage of a Stream-Winner, after a half a kalpa becomes an arhat

9. Middle Grade/Lowest Level • Those who do 12 • May meet a good teacher who explains to him 48 Great Vows and the bhiksu Dharmakara, • attains birth in the Land, 7 days later meets Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta. After 7 days, reaches the Stage of a Stream-Winner, after one smaller kalpa becomes an arhat

10. Lowest Grade/Highest Level • Those do 13 • May meet a good teacher, who praises titles of the Mahayana scripture…makes him release from the burden of evil karma and chant "Homage to Amitayus Buddha," invoking Amitayus' name • Transformed bodies of the Buddha and bodhisattvas come to the aspirant, who later finds himself seated on a jeweled lotus flower. • In 7 weeks bodhisattvas appear before him, teach the aspirant do 8; after 10 smaller kalpas, he understand the 100 dharmas and enters the 1st stage of bodhisattva; (born in the Land by hearing the Name of the 3 Jewels

11. Lowest Grade/Middle Level • Those violate precepts in 10 • May meet a good teacher before the flames of hell burn him. The teacher explains the ten supernal powers of Amitayus, his light, and virtues, extinguish the aspirant's evil karma • Transformed Buddhas accompanied bodhisattvas come to welcome him; attains birth within a lotus bud on a 7-jeweled pond. Bodhisattvas teach him Mahayana sutras and he immediately awakens aspiration for the highest Enlightenment

12. Lowest Grade/Lowest Level • Those who do 14, 15 • May meet a good teacher before falling into evil realms; The teacher will teach him the Dharma and urge him to be mindful of the Buddha and to invoke Amitayu's name by chanting “Homage to Amitayus Buddha” • Sees golden lotus flower like the disk of the sun, is born with a lotus bud in the Land; After 12 great kalpas the lotus bud opens. Boddhisattvas teach him the ultimate reality of all dharmas and heimmediately awakens aspiration for the highest Enlightenment