[11] 往生品位为什么有无量无边之不同？
[11] Why [Does Pure Land’s] Rebirths’ Grades [And] Positions Have Differences That [Are] Immeasurable [And] Boundless?
◎ 生者工夫功德，各有无量无边之差别。其往生品位，亦有无量无边之不同。然西方九品，乃大概而论。但得往生，即已超凡入圣，了生脱死。虽在下品下生，已高超生天百千万倍矣。
◎ [Summary]: [The] skills [and] meritorious virtues [of] those born [in the Pure Land], each have differences that [are] immeasurable [and] boundless. Those rebirths’ grades [and] positions, also have differences that [are] immeasurable [and] boundless. However, [the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss’ (极乐世界)] Nine Grades, [are] thus generally then discussed. Only [by] attaining rebirth, immediately already transcends [the] ordinary [and] enters [the] noble, [to be] completely liberated [from] birth [and] death. Although in Low Grade’s Low Birth, [this] already highly transcends birth [in a] heaven [by a] thousand million times.
《阿弥陀经》，所说简略。然生者工夫功德，各有无量无边之差别。
[In the] Amitā[bha] Sūtra, that spoken [is] simple [and] brief. However, [the] skills [and] meritorious virtues [of] those born [in the Pure Land], each have differences that [are] immeasurable [and] boundless.
其往生品位，亦有无量无边之不同。言九品者，不过略指大纲耳。
Those rebirths’ grades [and] positions, also have differences that [are] immeasurable [and] boundless. Those spoken Nine Grades, merely briefly point [out their] main points only.
若至一心不乱，则与《观经》上品上生同。其未至者，与恶业重而将堕者，固亦当与《观经》中中下品同也。
If reaching wholeheartedness without [being] scattered, then with [the] Contemplation Sūtra’s High Grade’s High Birth [the] same. Those yet [to] reach [it], with those evil karmas heavy then, going [to] fall, certainly also will [be] with [the] Contemplation Sūtra’s Middle [And] Low Grades [the] same.
非上经专接引一心不乱者，余皆非此经所摄之机也。
[It is] not [that the] above sūtra focuses [on] receiving [and] guiding those wholehearted without [being] scattered, [with the] others all not of those capacities [by] this sutra gathered.
如是，则《三经》固是一经；否则，便是执文悖意，其过非小。
Thus, then [the] Three Sūtras, certainly are one sūtra. Otherwise, then is [being] attached [to the] text [and] contradicting [the] meaning. These faults [are] not small.
净土横超，有圆证者，有未能即圆证者。
[As the] Pure Land horizontally transcends [the three realms] [横超三界], [it] has those completely realised, [and] has those yet able [to] immediately [be] completely realised.
然虽未能圆证，其已了生死，更无轮回生死之事，亦于此一生得预补处，得成菩提，较此方仗自力者之未圆证者，则天渊悬殊矣，故亦可名圆证也。
However, although yet able [to be] completely realised, they [are] already liberated [from the cycle of] birth [and] death, furthermore without matters of rebirth [in the cycle of] birth [and] death, also in this one life attaining in advance, Replacement’s Position, attaining accomplishment [of] Bodhi. Comparing [with] those [in] this region yet [to be] completely realised, [who are] relying on self-power, then [like the] sky [and the] abyss, far apart, thus [can they] also can [be] named [as those] completely realised.
汝谓即于彼土，得证方便、实报、寂光，盖有迟速之异，固无不一生即证者，观《观经》九品往生之文，可以知矣。
You say [that] immediately in that land, attaining realisation [of the] Skilful, True Rewards, Still Light [Lands, is] because [of] having differences of [being] slow [and] quick, [but it is] certainly without those not [in] one lifetime immediately realising [them]. Seeing [the] text of [the] Contemplation Sūtra’s Nine Grades [of] rebirth, [this] can [be] known.
然西方九品，乃大概而论。实则一品，俱有无量百千万亿品。
However, [the] Western [Pure Land Of Ultimate Bliss’ (极乐世界)] Nine Grades, [are] thus generally then discussed. [They] truly then, [are] one grade, together having immeasurable hundred trillion grades.
但得往生，即已超凡入圣，了生脱死。虽在下品下生，已高超生天百千万倍矣。
Only [by] attaining rebirth, immediately already transcends [the] ordinary [and] enters [the] noble, [to be] completely liberated [from] birth [and] death. Although in Low Grade’s Low Birth, [this] already highly transcends birth [in a] heaven [by a] thousand million times.
《复马宗道居士书一》
First Reply Letter [To] Layperson Mǎ Zōngdào
净土宗十三祖印光大师著
Written [By] Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng
《印光法师答念佛600问》
Dharma Master Yìnguāng’s Answers [For] Mindfulness [Of] Buddha’s 600 Questions
传印法师鉴定
Evaluated [By] Dharma Master Chuányìn
Námó Āmítuófó : Translation and note by Shen Shi’an
