法華義疏 1.261

1.261

「皆於菩提不退轉」者，第三、明位。上雖明其數，但有菩薩略廣二位，略說則十四賢聖，廣說則五十一位。十四賢聖者，外凡與內凡三賢并十地也。廣說五十一位者，十信、十住、十行、十迴向、十地、等覺地也。妙覺地屬佛地，非菩薩地攝也。今未知是何位人，故次明是不退轉位人也。然經文直言於無上菩提不退轉，但舊明有三種不退：一、位不退；二、行不退；三、念不退。釋三不退不同，凡有四說：一云，十住前六心假解未立，退菩提心為二乘，七心以上假解已立名為菩薩，獨成性地此免位退。二者行退，初地至六地此中諸人習行有時不進名為行退，七地則無此行退也。第七一地或起愛習，猶有功用名為念退，八地已上入無功用道永無三退，故名不退轉也。二云，外凡六心名為位退，七心已上稱位不退，餘二不異前釋也。三云，習種性名位不退，道種性解行純熟謂行不退，初地已上得無生忍不復生心動念名念不退也。四有人言，有四種不退：十信、十住是信不退，十行是位不退，十迴向是行不退，十地是念不退。今謂經論不同難可詳會。《本業瓔珞經》云「十住第六住猶退作五逆，況復二乘」，而十信第六信名為不退心，則知六信以上便是不退。《地持論》云「種性菩薩或進或退」，則與《本業》大意略同，然多是外凡第六心免位退也。所以知然者，十信中前五則是五根未立，第六稱不退心，五根既立故後得不退，則知六心以上無有退也。又經云「十信菩薩十千劫行道」，《攝大乘論》明一阿僧祇劫修行，而舍利弗六十劫行道六心中退中者，此則是仰學六信猶未登六信也。而《瓔珞經》云「六住退」者，龍樹釋此語云「欲怖地前菩薩令速入初地，故云退耳。其實不退。」今經云不退轉者，《法華論》云「蓋是八地已上不退位人也」。

Regarding "all of whom were non-retrogressing in supreme bodhi": third, explaining their stage. Although their number was explained above, bodhisattvas have two types of stages: abbreviated and broad. In abbreviated terms, there are the fourteen sages and worthies; in broad terms, there are fifty-one stages. The fourteen sages and worthies are the outer ordinary persons, the inner ordinary persons of the three worthies, along with the ten grounds. The fifty-one stages broadly spoken of are the ten faiths, the ten abidings, the ten practices, the ten dedications of merit, the ten grounds, and the stage of equal enlightenment. The stage of sublime enlightenment belongs to the Buddha stage, and is not subsumed under the bodhisattva stages. Here, because it is not yet known at which stage these individuals are, it is next clarified that they are individuals at the non-retrogressing stage. However, the sūtra text simply states that they are "non-retrogressing in supreme bodhi." The older interpretations explained three kinds of non-retrogression: first, non-retrogression of stage; second, non-retrogression of practice; third, non-retrogression of thought. Explanations of these three non-retrogressions differ, and there are four views altogether: The first says that prior to the sixth mind of the ten abidings, provisional understanding is not yet established, and one may retrogress from the bodhi-mind to become one of the two vehicles; at the seventh mind and above, provisional understanding is already established and one is called a bodhisattva, uniquely attaining the nature-stage, which avoids retrogression in stage. Second is retrogression in practice: from the first ground to the sixth ground, these individuals occasionally fail to advance in their practiced deeds, which is called retrogression in practice; on the seventh ground there is no such retrogression in practice. On the single seventh ground, affectionate habituation may still arise and effort remains, which is called retrogression in thought; from the eighth ground and above, one enters the path of effortless action and is forever free of the three retrogressions, hence called non-retrogression. The second view says that the six minds of the outer ordinary person are called retrogression of stage; from the seventh mind and above is called non-retrogression of stage; the remaining two do not differ from the previous explanation. The third view says that the disposition of habit is called non-retrogression of stage; when understanding and practice are fully mature in the disposition of the path, this is called non-retrogression of practice; from the first ground and above, one attains the endurance of the non-arising of dharmas and no longer generates thoughts or stirs conceptualizations, which is called non-retrogression of thought. Fourth, some say there are four kinds of non-retrogression: the ten faiths and ten abidings are non-retrogression of faith; the ten practices are non-retrogression of stage; the ten dedications of merit are non-retrogression of practice; the ten grounds are non-retrogression of thought. We now consider that sūtras and treatises differ and are difficult to reconcile in detail. The Benye yingluo jing says: "At the sixth of the ten abidings, one may still retrogress and commit the five heinous acts, let alone fall into the two vehicles," while the sixth of the ten faiths is named the non-retrogressing mind; thus one knows that from the sixth faith upward there is already non-retrogression. The Dichi lun says: "Bodhisattvas of disposition may either advance or retrogress," which in broad outline is roughly the same as the Benye [yingluo jing], yet for the most part it is at the sixth mind of the outer ordinary person that one avoids retrogression in stage. The reason we know this to be so is that among the ten faiths, the first five are those where the five faculties are not yet established, whereas the sixth is called the non-retrogressing mind; because the five faculties are established, one subsequently attains non-retrogression, so we know that from the sixth mind upward there is no retrogression. Furthermore, a sūtra states that "bodhisattvas of the ten faiths practice the path for ten thousand kalpas," and the Mahāyānasaṃgraha explains that one practices for an asaṃkhyeya kalpa; whereas Śāriputra, having practiced the path for sixty kalpas, retrogressed in the midst of the six minds—this was merely emulating and studying the six faiths while not yet having ascended to the six faiths. And where the Yingluo jing says that "one retrogresses at the sixth abiding," Nāgārjuna explained these words by saying: "It was meant to frighten the bodhisattvas prior to the grounds to make them quickly enter the first ground, which is why it speaks of retrogression; in reality, they do not retrogress." As for the present sūtra speaking of "non-retrogressing," the Fahua lun says: "It refers to individuals at the non-retrogressing stage from the eighth ground upward."