觀無量壽佛經疏 1.31

1.31

次對中輩三人者。諸師云：中上是小乘三果者。何故《觀經》云：「若有眾生受持五戒八戒，修行諸戒不造五逆，無眾過患。命欲終時，阿彌陀佛與比丘聖眾放光說法，來現其前，此人見已即得往生。」以此文證，亦是佛去世後，持小乘戒凡夫，何小聖也？

Next, countering the three types of people of the middle grade: the various masters say that the middle-upper refers to Hinayāna persons of the three fruits. Why, then, does the Dhyāna Sūtra state: 'If there are sentient beings who uphold the five precepts and eight precepts, cultivate the various precepts, do not commit the five heinous crimes, and are free from all faults, when their life is about to end, Amitābha Buddha together with the noble assembly of monks will emit light, preach the Dharma, and appear before them, and having seen this, this person will immediately attain rebirth.' Proved by this passage, these are also pṛthagjanas who uphold Hinayāna precepts after the Buddha's decease; how could they be Hinayāna noble beings?