妙法蓮華經文句 2.71

2.71

「皆於阿耨三菩提不退轉」者，明位也。阿耨，此云無上，道如境妙中說，位如位妙中說。不退轉者，約位、行、念論不退，應四種分別：不生三惡道，位不退；不生邊地，諸根完具不受女身，即行不退；常識宿命，即念不退，具此名阿鞞跋致地。三藏義也。若六心已前，輕毛菩薩信根未立，其位猶退；七心已上從初地至六地，不退為凡夫二乘，名位不退；雖正使已盡，而未能遍修萬行，其行猶退；至七地名行不退，而猶起二乘念，故有念退；至八地道觀雙流入法流水，名念不退，此名阿鞞跋致地，此乃三乘共十地之義耳。地師云：「十住是證不退，十行是位不退，十迴向是行不退，十地是念不退。」此是別教義，不會此經，今所不用。《瓔珞》云：「初地三觀現前，心心寂滅自然流入。」此亦別教不退，今亦不用。若《華嚴》明初住得如來一身、無量身，具三不退，此圓教不退，此是一實事，今用此判位也。

As for "all never retrogressing from anuttarā samyaksambodhi," this clarifies their stage. "Anu" [etc.] is translated here as "unexcelled"; the path is as explained in the Subtlety of the Object, and the stage is as explained in the Subtlety of the Stage. As for "never retrogressing," when non-retrogression is discussed in terms of stage, practice, and mindfulness, four distinctions should be made: Not being born into the three evil destinies is non-retrogression of stage; not being born in borderlands, possessing all faculties complete, and not receiving a female body is non-retrogression of practice; always knowing past lives is non-retrogression of mindfulness—possessing these is termed the stage of avaivartika. This is the meaning according to the Tripiṭaka [teaching]. If prior to the sixth mind, the "light-feathered" bodhisattvas have not yet established the faculty of faith, and their stage still retrogresses; from the seventh mind upward, and from the first bhūmi to the sixth bhūmi, not retrogressing into ordinary beings or the two vehicles is called non-retrogression of stage; although the direct afflictions are already exhausted, because they are not yet able to cultivate the myriad practices comprehensively, their practice still retrogresses; reaching the seventh bhūmi is called non-retrogression of practice, yet thoughts of the two vehicles still arise, hence there is retrogression of mindfulness; reaching the eighth bhūmi, where contemplation of the path flows equally into the stream of the Dharma water, is called non-retrogression of mindfulness; this is called the stage of avaivartika. This is merely the meaning of the Ten Bhūmis shared by the three vehicles. The Dilun masters say: "The ten abodes are non-retrogression of realization; the ten practices are non-retrogression of stage; the ten dedications are non-retrogression of practice; the ten bhūmis are non-retrogression of mindfulness." This is the meaning of the distinctive teaching; it does not accord with this sūtra and is not used here. The Yingluo jing says: "At the first bhūmi the three contemplations become manifest; thought by thought they are quiescent and naturally flow [into the ocean of omniscience]." This too is non-retrogression of the distinctive teaching, and is not used here either. If [we follow] the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, which clarifies that at the first abode one attains the one body and immeasurable bodies of the Tathāgata and is endowed with the three non-retrogressions, this is the non-retrogression of the perfect teaching. This is the one real matter; we now use this to determine the stage.