淨土或問 1.15

1.15

問曰：眾行門中，既云大小不等、理事有殊，所感生相亦乃懸異。然則觀想、憶念二門修各不等，其所感相同耶異耶？答曰：皆不同也。故永明曰「九品往生，事非一等。或遊化國見佛應身、或生報土見佛真體，或一夕而便登上地、或經劫而方證小乘，或利根鈍根、或定意散意、或道悟遲速，而機器不同，或花開早晚而時限有異。」又慈雲曰「雖分九品，猶是略分。若更細分，亦應無量。」

Question: Regarding the gate of various practices, since it is said that their size is not uniform, their principle and phenomena differ, and the conditions of rebirth induced thereby are also vast in difference; is it also the case that the cultivation of the two gates of contemplation and mindfulness is unequal, and are the conditions induced by them identical or different? Answer: They are all different. Therefore Yongming [Yanshou] said: “Rebirth in the nine grades is not uniform in phenomenal aspects. Some roam the transformation lands and see the Buddha's nirmāṇakāya; some are born in the reward land and see the Buddha's true body. Some ascend to the higher stages in a single evening, while some realize the Hīnayāna only after kalpas. Faculties may be sharp or dull, the mind may be focused or scattered, awakening to the Path may be late or swift; their capacity and vessels are different, and the blossoming of the lotus may be early or late, differing in time limits.” Moreover, Ciyun said: “Although divided into nine grades, this is still a rough division. If further subdivided, they would be limitless.”