觀無量壽佛經義疏 3.174

3.174

"‘This is named the lower birth of the higher grade. This is named the contemplation of the births of the higher class, named the fourteenth contemplation.’" The characteristics of practice of the three grades have been made clear above; now to distinguish them again, there are differences in shallowness and depth: First, difference in reception at the end of life: the higher birth is received by the Buddha and bodhisattvas; the middle birth is received with a thousand manifested Buddhas; the lower birth of the higher grade is received with five hundred manifested Buddhas. Second, difference in the flower-seats mounted: the higher birth is a vajra dais; the middle birth is a purple-gold dais; the lower birth is a golden lotus flower. Third, difference in seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dharma: the higher birth sees and hears upon arrival; the middle birth passes overnight; the lower birth takes seven days up to three times seven days. Fourth, difference in the flower opening: the higher birth is already open; the middle birth passes overnight; the lower birth takes one day and one night. Fifth, difference in realization and entry: the higher birth realizes upon arriving there; the middle birth takes one minor kalpa; the lower birth takes three minor kalpas. Examining the text, this can be seen. Fifteenth, the three grades of the middle class: this encompasses the four fruitions of the śrāvaka assembly. The sūtra says: "That Buddha has boundless and limitless śrāvaka disciples, all of whom are arhats," and so forth. Question: That land consists purely of Mahāyāna, pure and good companions; how could there be Hīnayāna śrāvakas? Answer: The śrāvakas of this land are of two kinds: first, those of fixed nature, meaning those who sink into emptiness and dwell in tranquility to take extinction. The Wang sheng lun says: "The seed of the two vehicles is not born [there]"—this refers to this category. Second, those of unfixed nature, meaning those who redirect [their minds] halfway. Having already experienced the revelation and knowing the permanent, they receive prediction; although they are śrāvakas, they do not abide in the lesser fruition. The true arhats of the Lotus Sūtra and the renunciant bodhisattvas and Pure Land śrāvakas of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra are of this same category. Having already heard the Great Teaching and generated the bodhi-mind, they previously learned the Hīnayāna; hearing the teaching of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self arouses their original habituation, so they first realize the lesser fruition and ultimately return to the Mahāyāna. Among these three grades: the higher birth constantly upholds the four kinds of moral precepts—the five, the eight, the ten, and the full [precepts]; the middle birth also upholds the four precepts, but only for one day and one night; the lower birth is filial, nourishing, humane, and compassionate. The upper two exclusively uphold the Buddha's precepts, and both have dedication and aspiration; the lower one merely relies on worldly teachings, and therefore only encounters a good friend at the end of life. Because the practices of the three steps differ, they are divided into higher and lower. Fifteenth, the middle class, in three parts: first, the higher birth of the middle grade; second, the middle birth of the middle grade; third, the lower birth of the middle grade. First, the higher birth of the middle grade, in three parts: first, stating; second, explaining; third, concluding. First, stating.