Nine stages of rebirth

Japanese: 九品往生 - くほんおうじょう

This refers to the nine stages (kubon) of rebirth for those who wish to be reborn in the Pure Land where Amitabha Buddha resides. It is described in the Sutra of Contemplation of Immeasurable Life, one of the three Pure Land sutras, and there are nine stages: upper grade upper birth, middle grade middle birth, middle grade lower birth, lower grade upper birth, lower grade middle birth, and lower grade lower birth. These stages are based on the differences in the method of training to enlightenment, the date and time of training, and the merits and benefits gained through training. In relation to this, there are nine statues of Amitabha Buddha with different mudras, and there are nine stages in the Pure Land, called the Nine Stages of Pure Land and the Nine Stages of Lotus Stand.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

阿弥陀如来の住む極楽浄土に生れたいと願う者の9段階 (九品) の往生の仕方をいう。浄土三部経のうちの『観無量寿経』に説かれ，上品上生 (じょうぼんじょうしょう) ，上品中生，上品下生，中品上生，中品中生，中品下生，下品上生，下品中生，下品下生の九品がある。これは悟りにいたるまでの修行の方法，修行する日時，修行によって得る功徳や利益などに各種の差があるところから9段階に分れたものである。なおこれに関連して印相の異なる9体の阿弥陀如来像があり，極楽浄土にも9種の段階があって，九品浄土，九品蓮台などという。

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