無量壽經連義述文贊 3.8

3.8

On the sūtra passage from 'thereupon within the seven jewels' to 'supernatural powers at ease': The Commentary states: This is the fourth, obtaining benefits at birth-existence. Some say: These three tiers correspond in order to the upper-middle, middle-upper, and lower-lower of the nine grades; hence that sūtra states, 'After the passage of one seven-day period, they attain non-retrogression.' This is not correct. Some say: Mentioning 'dwelling in non-retrogression' refers to the stage of non-retrogression from the first bhūmi upward, because the Visualization Sūtra's statements about awakening to the tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas and attaining the hundred Dharma illuminations all belong to the first bhūmi. This is also not correct. In that sūtra, after attaining non-retrogression upon birth, it takes one minor kalpa to attain the tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas; one must not say non-retrogression is simply the first bhūmi. Now, although the three births of the upper grade have differences in speed, all enter the ten faiths, attain the tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas, and awaken to the gate of the hundred illuminations; hence it says 'dwelling in non-retrogression'.