[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751) › 6.5 # 觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 6.5 觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 6.5 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.5) 六、第十二、普往生觀，二：初、疏科，二：初、對雜辯異；二、「普中」下，就普分科。二、經文，二：初、作自身往想。上來諸觀先依次正，先主次徒，雖皆觀成，未為普總，又未想身生彼親見。故今令想身終生彼一時普見，非獨所觀境界頓足，亦乃往生心想成就。可類前文依報之觀，初地樹池等別觀，至樓觀成四事總見，名為總觀，然但能總依報四事。今想生彼普見普聞依正諸相，故名普觀。問：上品上生乘金剛臺，上品中生乘紫金臺，上品下生入金蓮華。今三聖觀成方修普觀，合是上品上生之者，何故同彼上品下生邪？答：十六觀人對九品位義有多途，今且一往以三聖觀及普觀成，當上中品；雜及三輩四觀成者，方是上上，故上中品終時雖見坐紫金臺，此臺到彼成大寶華，經宿則開。此文亦云「生極樂界，於蓮華坐作開合想，蓮華開時見佛滿空及說妙法」，正合上品中生之相。若上品下生，華開七日乃得見佛，仍於眾相心不明了，故知此文與上中品生相正齊。若其以品對別圓位，至三品觀方得委論。二、「無量」下，明三聖來現。上想終後生於彼土見佛菩薩，今想未終三聖常來入我心想。良由當念即是來際，故能預想將生之事。復由生佛體不別故，故令三聖不來而來。斯乃三觀一心、作是雙運，致令心佛往彼來此，故知觀體不可言思。 > 6. Twelfth: The Contemplation of Universal Rebirth, in two \[parts\]: First, the sub-commentary's division of the outline, in two: first, discerning differences in contrast to the miscellaneous \[contemplation\]; second, from "In the universal..." below, dividing the outline with respect to the universal. Second, the sūtra text, in two: First, making the visualization of one's own rebirth. The preceding contemplations first went by environmental and primary \[rewards\], first the master and then the attendants; although the contemplations were all accomplished, they were not yet universal and comprehensive, nor did one visualize oneself being born there and seeing them in person. Therefore, \[the sūtra\] now instructs one to visualize that when one's life ends, one is born there and at once sees all universally; not only are the visualized spheres of experience suddenly fulfilled, but the mental visualization of rebirth is also accomplished. This may be compared to the earlier contemplation of environmental rewards: from the separate contemplations of the ground, trees, and ponds at the beginning, up to the accomplishment of the tower contemplation where the four things are seen together, which is called the comprehensive contemplation—yet that could only comprehend the four things of the environmental reward. Now, visualizing oneself being born there and universally seeing and universally hearing all marks of the environmental and primary \[rewards\], it is therefore called the universal contemplation. Question: Those of the highest grade of superior rebirth mount a vajra platform; those of the middle grade of superior rebirth mount a purple-gold platform; those of the lower grade of superior rebirth enter a golden lotus flower. Now that the contemplation of the three sages has been accomplished and one only then practices the universal contemplation, this ought to correspond to those of the highest grade of superior rebirth; why, then, is it the same as the lower grade of superior rebirth? Answer: There are many paths of meaning in matching the practitioners of the sixteen contemplations to the ranks of the nine grades. For now, generally speaking, when the contemplations of the three sages and the universal contemplation are accomplished, this corresponds to the middle grade of superior rebirth; only when the four contemplations of the miscellaneous and the three classes are accomplished does it correspond to the highest of the superior. Therefore, although at the end of life for the middle grade of superior rebirth one sees oneself seated on a purple-gold platform, when this platform arrives there it becomes a great jeweled flower, which opens after one night. This text also says: "Born in the realm of Sukhāvatī, on the lotus seat make the visualization of opening and closing; when the lotus flower opens, one sees the Buddha filling the sky and preaching the wondrous Dharma"—which precisely accords with the marks of the middle grade of superior rebirth. If it were the lower grade of superior rebirth, the flower opens only after seven days before one gets to see the Buddha, and one's mind is still not clear regarding the various marks; hence we know that this text is exactly equal to the marks of birth for the middle grade of superior rebirth. As for matching the grades to the ranks of the Separate and Perfect \[teachings\], this can only be discussed in detail when reaching the contemplations of the three grades. Second, from "Amitāyus..." below, explaining the three sages appearing. The preceding visualization was of being born in that land after one's life ends to see the Buddha and bodhisattvas; the present visualization is that before one's life ends, the three sages constantly come and enter one's mental visualization. Because the present thought is truly the future realm itself, one can visualize in advance the events of impending birth. Furthermore, because sentient beings and the Buddha are not different in essence, the three sages are made to come without coming. This is the dual functioning of the threefold contemplation in a single mind and the "making" and "being"; it brings about the mind and Buddha going there and coming here. Hence we know the substance of contemplation is beyond speech and thought. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.4) - [Next: 6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.6) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751~en-mt.6.5) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1751.6.5) · Pramāṇa