The Buddha told Ananda, "Amongst all the heavenly and human beings in the worlds in the ten directions, there are three groups who have sincerely vowed to be born in His Land. The upper group consists of those beings who are able to leave home and sensual desire to become monks. They have brought forth the Bodhi heart. With concentrated mindfulness, they are mindful only of Amitabha Buddha. They have cultivated all kinds of merits and virtues and vowed to be born in His Land. This type of living beings, when it is time for them to leave the present lifespans, Amitabha Buddha together with the sagely assemblies will appear in front of them. In just a fraction of a second, they will follow The Buddha and be born in His Land naturally by transformation in the lotus flowers of seven gems. They are endowed with great, powerful wisdom and natural spiritual penetration. That is why, Ananda, if there are living beings who wish to see Amitabha Buddha in this lifetime, they should bring forth The Unsurpassed Bodhi Mind. Moreover they should single-mindedly be mindful of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. They must also accumulate all kinds of good roots. And in every thought they should transfer the merits so as to see the Buddha. When they are born in His Land, they will enter the position of no-retreat, until they arrive at The Unsurpassed Bodhi.
Those in the middle group consists of beings who are unable to become Bhikshus, but they are able to to cultivate great merits and virtues. Also they must bring forth The Unsurpassed Bodhi Mind and single-mindedly concentrate their thoughts on Amitabha Buddha. Whatever doors of practise they have cultivated, all the merits and virtues thus accumulated, such as receiving and upholding the precepts, building the Buddha Stupa and Images, making offerings of food and drinks to the Sanga, hanging of banners and lighting of lamps, the offering of flowers and burning of incense, are then transferred to His Land. They also must vow to be born there. When these beings are about to leave the world, Amitabha Buddha will appear in His transformation body, with brilliant adornments and shining feature, just like the true Buddha. He is surrounded by the great assembly of saints and sages. Together they appear before the man, to guide and lead him. He will follow the Transformation Buddha and be born in His Land. Then he will dwell in the position of no-retreat from The Unsurpassed Bodhi. His merits, virtues and wisdom will be just a step behind the upper group.
The lower group consists of those beings who are unable to cultivate all kinds of merits and virtues. They should bring forth The Unsurpassed Bodhi Mind. And single-mindedly they are mindful of Amitabha Buddha. They rejoice and have good faith in Him, and never will they doubt Him. With a sincere heart they vow to be born in His Land. When such a man is about to leave the world, he will see the Buddha in his dream and be able to be born in His Land. The merits, virtues and wisdom will also be just behind that of the middle group.
If there are those beings who dwell in the great vehicle, and with a pure heart, they are mindful of The Buddha of Unlimited Lifespan for just ten recitations; they vow to be born in His Land so as to listen to the very deep and profound Dharma; swiftly they will obtain a good faith and great understanding. Even if they are able to obtain a single pure thought, to bring forth one single mindfulness of the Buddha in their hearts, when such a living being is about to pass away, he will see Amitabha Buddha just as though in a dream and is sure to get a rebirth in that land. He will also attain the position of no-retreat from the Unsurpassed Bodhi."
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