遊心安樂道 1.52

1.52

"‘As for the middle rebirth of the highest grade, they need not uphold, read, and recite the Vaipulya sūtras, but they well understand the import and principles; in paramārtha their minds are not startled or perturbed. Having deep faith in cause and effect and not slandering the Mahāyāna, with these merits they dedicate [the roots of virtue] and aspire to be reborn in the land of Sukhāvatī. When a practitioner of these deeds is about to die, Amitābha Buddha, surrounded by Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and an immeasurable retinue, holding a purple-gold terrace, arrives before the practitioner and praises him, saying: "Son of the Dharma! Because you practice the Mahāyāna and understand paramārtha, I have now come to welcome you." Together with a thousand transformation Buddhas, he extends his hands at once. The practitioner sees himself seated on the purple-gold terrace, joining his palms and interlacing his fingers, praising all Buddhas. In a single thought-moment, he is immediately reborn in that land within a pond of the seven jewels. This purple-gold terrace is like a great jeweled flower; after passing one night, it opens. The practitioner's body becomes purple-polished gold in color, and beneath his feet are also lotus flowers of the seven jewels. The Buddha and bodhisattvas simultaneously emit light that illuminates the practitioner's body, and his eyes immediately open clearly. Due to former habitual tendencies, he universally hears all sounds purely expounding the profound paramārtha-satya. He then descends from the golden terrace, prostrates to the Buddha, joins his palms, and praises the World-Honored One. After seven days have passed, he immediately attains non-retrogression regarding unexcelled bodhi; immediately he is able to fly to the ten directions to attend upon all Buddhas, cultivating all samādhis before the Buddhas. After one minor kalpa, he attains anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti and receives a prophecy before his eyes. This is called the middle rebirth of the highest grade.'