How to Cultivate to Attain a Human Rebirth and Avoid Falling into the Three Evil Realms

Attaining the fruit of severing self-view and realizing the mind's nature can exempt one from the karmic retribution of the three evil paths and align one with the human realm. In future lives, one can obtain a human body and not fall into the three evil paths. The Buddhist scriptures state that those who fully uphold the Five Precepts can obtain a human body; if one can completely observe the Five Precepts without transgression, and no grave evil karma manifests at the end of life, one can also be assured of obtaining a human body. However, what constitutes truly upholding the Five Precepts without transgression? The transformation of one's inherent nature is crucial, the elimination of karmic hindrances is crucial, the perfection of blessings and virtue is crucial, the subjugation of afflictions is crucial, the wisdom of emptiness is crucial, and the attainment of meditative concentration is crucial. Precepts, concentration, and wisdom not only subjugate and sever afflictions, transform one's nature, and eliminate karmic hindrances, but also increase blessings and virtue. These factors combined ensure the attainment of a human body.

Apart from this, even without realizing the Way, one can still obtain a human body if one's blessings, virtue, and inherent nature align with the human realm. According to Chan (Zen) historical records, in the past, some Chan practitioners, although they had not realized the Way, possessed meditative concentration. At the end of life, through the power of their concentration and blessings, they could directly take rebirth in a layperson's household. Those with greater blessings could even seize the womb and be born without completing the full gestation period. Those with even deeper concentration could depart this life at will; even without attaining insight into the Way, they could directly take rebirth in the human or heavenly realms. After attaining insight into the Way, they could more readily be reborn in the human or heavenly realms, avoiding the suffering of the three evil paths.

As long as one strictly upholds the precepts without transgression, attains the access concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) or the first dhyāna (meditative absorption), remains in the stage of Chan investigation, and possesses good wisdom, then through the cultivation of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, one gains great blessings and virtue, and karmic hindrances become very light. Those with heavy karmic hindrances cannot cultivate to this stage, nor can those with meager blessings and virtue. This ensures rebirth in the human path, avoiding the three evil paths. What stage is this? It is the stage immediately before insight into the Way, equivalent to the stage approaching the fruit of Stream-entry (srota-āpatti-phala-pratipannaka), where practice is close to the stage of the first fruit (Stream-entry). The conditions for obtaining a human body are blessings and virtue matching the human realm, with conduct, inherent nature, and wisdom power also aligning with it. There must be no obstruction from grave karmic hindrances, and the seeds of grave evil karma must either be eliminated or rendered incapable of manifesting. Only then can one be reborn as a human.

Whether there are individuals in our group currently at the Mahāyāna Chan investigation stage is unknown, but there are those at the stage of access concentration observing phenomena to sever self-view. These individuals are roughly at the stage approaching the first fruit. This stage can guarantee rebirth as a human in future lives, continuing the practice of this present life. Their practice can be considered continuous, uninterrupted by the three evil paths.

For example, in our group, Weiru possesses samādhi concentration and the contemplation of the white skeleton; precepts, concentration, and wisdom are complete; grave karmic hindrances are eliminated and do not manifest; the inherent nature has transformed; habitual afflictions and hindrances are slight. In future lives, he can avoid the three evil paths and be reborn human to continue practice. Baixue Xiang is even more so; her meditative concentration and the wisdom of Śrāvaka emptiness are profound; precepts, concentration, and wisdom are complete; her inherent nature is purely good, not corresponding to the three evil paths; it is impossible for her to go to the three evil paths to receive retribution in future lives. Also, in the group, Lantian's practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is quite excellent; his inherent nature is good and kind; he possesses meditative concentration and profound wisdom; precepts, concentration, and wisdom are complete; there are no grave karmic hindrances obstructing him; his blessings and virtue are deep; he possesses the Bodhisattva disposition; his inherent nature does not correspond to the three evil paths. In future lives, he can also avoid the suffering of the three evil paths and continue to deeply plant wholesome roots and establish the foundation of virtue among humans. This virtue is crucial; it is the watershed between the three wholesome paths and the three evil paths. A person without virtue cannot become human. With these exemplary practitioners as models, everyone should have confidence in their own practice. As long as one practices along the correct path, attaining the stage approaching the first fruit is not too difficult, and the likelihood of obtaining a human body in future lives is still very great.