Persons who practice the Law are classified into Six Ranks based on the degree of moral practice which they have attained. The Six Ranks are the Rank of the Followers of Ordinary Faith, the Rank of the Followers of Unswerving Faith, the Rank of the of Dharma Struggling to Defeat Evil, the Sacred Rank of Power of Dharma to Overcome all Evil, the Sacred Rank of the Transcendental Mind Integrated with Dharma and the Sacred Rank of the Great Enlightened Tathagata.
The Rank of the Followers of Ordinary Faith is for all classes of people: the learned and the ignorant, men and women, young and old, virtuous and wicked, and those in high or low positions who have become Won. Buddhists and who have accepted the Ten Precepts for the Followers of Ordinary Faith.
The Rank of the Followers of Unswerving Faith is for those persons who have observed all of the stipulations of the Precepts for the Followers of Ordinary Faith, thus passing into the preparatory status of the Rank of the Followers of Unswerving Faith, and who then accept the Ten Precepts for the Followers of Unswerving Faith. These persons must also understand the basic principles of the Won Buddhist doctrine and regulations, and in their works and thoughts, and in their faith and sincerity, they should not be tempted by those things which are not sanctioned by Won Buddhist religious thought.
The Rank of Dharma Struggling to Defeat Evil is for those who have observed all the stipulations of the Ten Precepts for the Followers of Ordinary Faith and the Ten Precepts for the Followers of Unswerving Faith, thus elevating themselves to the preparatory status for attaining the Rank of Dharma Struggling to Defeat Evil, and who then receive the Ten Precepts of the Dharma Struggling to Defeat Evil, and must be able to distinguish between the Law and evil. They must be able to expound Won Buddhist doctrine without serious error. They must be interested in eliminating their own wickedness in countless trying situations and they should never interfere in the affairs of others. Finally, they must understand the significance of the Rank of Dharma Struggling to Defeat Evil by never committing serious wrongs against the Essential Ways of Human Life or against the Essential Ways of Training, and their Dharma power must be able to defeat most of the evils of the world, even though the evils may be trifling.
The Sacred Rank of the Power of Dharma to Overcome All Evil is for those who have observed all the stipulations of the Ten Precepts for Dharma Struggling to Defeat Evil and have thus elevated themselves to the preparatory status of the Sacred Rank of the Power of Dharma to Overcome All Evil. These persons can use their Six Roots in the conflict between the Law and evil; the Law will always overcome evil without fail. They can correctly expound Won Buddhist doctrine and can understand the principle of the Absolute Unity and its Components, the Principle of Being and Non-being, and they can transcend the cycle of birth, age, illness and death.
The Sacred Rank of the Transcendental Mind integrated with Dharma is for those who have observed all the stipulations necessary to elevate themselves to the Sacred Rank of the Power of Dharma to Overcome All Evil and who have thus elevated themselves to the preparatory status of the Sacred Rank of the Transcendental Mind Integrated with Dharma. In accordance with the Principles of the Absolute Unity and its Components, and of Being and Non-being, they establish the Truth of Right and Wrong and of Advantage and Disadvantage. They must be versed in the general religious teachings current in the world today. In a thousand hardships and sufferings, they will never avoid the opportunity to sacrifice themselves for other living things by freeing themselves from the discrimination which categorizes some persons as close and intimate, and others as remote and estranged, and by freeing themselves from discrimination between themselves and others.
The Sacred Rank of the Great Enlightened Tathagata is for one who has observed all the stipulations necessary for the Sacred Rank of the Transcendental Mind Integrated with Dharma, thus elevating oneself to the preparatory status of the Sacred Rank of the Great Enlightened Tathagata. With great love and compassion, and having the all-encompassing capacity for deliverance, one saves all sentient beings. One is able to use thousands of expedients to enlighten others as the occasion demands, but in one's teaching one never strays from the basic principles; one uses the expedients for enlightening others, but one's followers are never conscious of the expedients while being educated. When moving, all one's actions are free from attachments and when quiet, one's wisdom retains its perfection and clarity.