“The Buddha said to Ananda, ‘Devas and humans in the
worlds of the ten directions who sincerely aspire to be born in that land can
be classified into three grades. ‘“[1]
As
we can clearly see, these grades are not related to beings who are now in the
Pure Land, but who aspire to be born there. Practitioners still living in samsara
are not equal when it comes to their spiritual achievements, but Amida’s
salvation is offered freely to all, without discrimination, so both virtuous
people, as well as those who lack any virtue, are assured of birth in the Pure
Land if they entrust to Him.
It
is not an obligatory condition that only the evilest and corrupt beings
should entrust to Amida; even the wise and virtuous should do that. There are
high-level Bodhisattvas in various universes who also have faith in Amida and
aspire to be born there. Also long-living gods as well as other beings, humans
and non-humans, who are more spiritually advanced, some of them acting as
unenlightened Dharma protectors, entrust to Amida, too. Such beings, while
still not enlightened, are part of the higher grade of aspirants: