The Sutra of the Buddha's Discourse on the Visualization of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life: Rebirth in the Three Grades and Nine Levels

The World-Honored One revealed in the Contemplation Sutra that sentient beings are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss through nine grades, categorized into upper, middle, and lower tiers. Among these, rebirth in the upper tier is for those who resolve to study the Mahayana path, tread the path of great bodhi, vow to realize the mind and perceive the true nature, and extensively benefit immeasurable sentient beings. Rebirth in the middle tier is for those with the aspiration of the Hinayana, seeking only personal liberation from the suffering of birth and death. Rebirth in the lower tier is for those who have committed grave evil deeds but whose virtuous roots manifest at the end of life, ensuring rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

For those attaining the highest grade of the upper tier, upon rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, they do not dwell within a lotus flower but directly behold Amitabha Buddha and hear the Buddha expound the Dharma. This is because such a person, while in the Saha World, had already realized the mind and perceived the true nature, having eradicated beginningless ignorance and the view of self. Thus, they do not need to cultivate the Mahayana within a lotus palace. When seeing the Buddha, they can comprehend the profound Mahayana Dharma taught by Amitabha Buddha, instantly attain the patient acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, enter the Tathagata's family, become a Bodhisattva on the stages of realization, possess vast and profound wisdom, and then emanate bodies throughout the ten directions to make offerings to all Buddhas of the ten directions and liberate sentient beings in the ten directions according to conditions.

Those attaining the middle grade of the upper tier have not realized the mind and perceived the true nature but can recite the expansive Mahayana sutras. In the time it takes to snap one's fingers, they arrive in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, where they must dwell within a lotus flower for one night of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, equivalent to half a great kalpa in the Saha World. After emerging from the lotus, they see the Buddha and hear the Dharma after seven days in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, awaken to become non-retrogressing Bodhisattvas, and then, after one small kalpa in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, become first-stage Bodhisattvas and enter the Tathagata's family.

One day in the Land of Ultimate Bliss equals one great kalpa in the Saha World, which is a period as long as 16.8 million years multiplied by 80. For those attaining the lowest grade of the upper tier, they dwell within the lotus flower for one day and one night of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is one great kalpa in the Saha World. After emerging from the lotus, they see the Buddha after seven days in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, though they cannot yet clearly perceive the Buddha's form. Then, after twenty-one days in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, hearing the Buddha expound the Dharma, they awaken to realize the mind. Subsequently, after three small kalpas in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, they become first-stage Bodhisattvas and enter the Tathagata's family.

Rebirth in the middle tier generally applies to those of Hinayana disposition who have not generated the Mahayana bodhicitta and do not need to recite Mahayana sutras. For the highest grade of the middle tier, upon reaching the Land of Ultimate Bliss, they directly see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and immediately become great Arhats possessing the three insights and six supernatural powers, attaining a status equal to Shariputra and Maudgalyayana. For the middle grade of the middle tier, they dwell within the lotus flower for seven days of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. After emerging, they attain the fruit of Stream-Entry. Then, after half a kalpa in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, they become Arhats of the fourth fruit. For the lowest grade of the middle tier, they dwell within the lotus flower for twenty-one days of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. After emerging, hearing the Dharma, they attain the fruit of Stream-Entry. Then, after one small kalpa in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, they attain the fourth fruit of Arhatship. Empowered by the Buddha's might, they forever avoid entering the remainderless nirvana and turn their minds to cultivate the Mahayana Dharma.

Rebirth in the lower tier is for those who have committed grave evil deeds, and the time they dwell within the lotus flowers in the Land of Ultimate Bliss is extremely long.