阿彌陀經疏 1.213

1.213

答：「《大品經》云：若至阿鞞跋致位，是人不為諸魔所動，更無退轉。故《大論》曰：此入不退轉位菩薩，名入菩薩位，自知自證、不隨他語、不墮凡夫數，名為得道人，一切世事不能動心，閉三惡趣門。若據彼論，與《彌勒問論》同，故彼論曰：菩薩未證初地正位，雖無量劫修集善根報，而未能得不退轉，未得畢竟無怖畏心。此二論即取初地為不退轉位。故《彌勒問論》云：云何不退轉？答：以諸菩薩得初地畢定因故，以見道力離身見等諸煩惱，如須陀洹人；菩薩初地斷菩提心相違退因，離身見等煩惱，方得名為入菩薩位，自知自證二空真如，過凡夫地。爾時有九種過：一、入位過，謂初入菩薩位，初得出世間心故；二、家過，謂生在佛家，以依般若慧生故；三、種姓過，種姓尊貴無可譏嫌，以大乘行生故；四、出過，謂一切世間道所不能攝故；五、入過，由入出世間道法故；六、身過，以善住菩薩法中，以大悲為體故；七、處過，以善住菩薩正修行處，而不捨世間而不染故；八、業過，謂入三世平等真如法中，順空聖智生命相似法故；九、畢竟過，謂入如來種中令佛種不斷，究竟證涅槃道故。是則不退轉位在於初地。若依《資糧論》，菩薩若得無生忍，時即住在不動地，必當作佛更不退轉。是則不退轉位在於八地。故彼自發問云：何故從初地乃至七地，皆決定向三菩提，而不說為不退轉，唯說住不動地者？答：不動地菩薩所有信等出世間善根，七地菩薩及二乘不能障礙令其退轉，是故彼地名不退轉。若據眾生生彼得至七八地者，其位太高；若至初地者，即與《觀經》相應，故彼經云：眾生生彼有經一劫半劫得入歡喜地。若依《瓔珞本業經》十住位中，彼經云：若新發意菩薩若進若退多在第六住，欲入第七住中。何以故？若善男子一劫、二劫乃至十劫，修行六度得入七住，是人爾時從初一住至第六住，若修般若波羅蜜正觀現在前，復值諸佛及諸菩薩善知識等所護念故，即得出到第七住中即常不退。自七住已前名為退分，若眾生生彼得入七住名不退轉，此事必然，以彼時長久修緣強故。又有釋者，彼無七種退緣故，故令生者皆不退轉。一、無五退具在，《婆沙》云：一、長病；二、遠行；三、常誦習經業；四、常營事務；五、恒和諍訟。此五因緣令心勞倦，是名五退具。二、壽長於無量劫，供佛聽法陪隨勝人，即長時修道，故是名不退。三、無女人故無婬欲迷愛，而六塵境界見聞觸知令心不染而發菩提心，即無染愛緣故是名不退。四、無不善及不稱心故不退轉。五、無惡友、常見諸佛及一生補處菩薩，故心無慢惰，即恭敬修行故心無退。六、由彼佛願力故不退轉。《無量壽經》云：其有眾生一生我國乃至成佛，不受惡趣，除示現生，若不爾者不取正覺。又《十住婆沙》云：若人欲得現身至不退轉者，當學般若波羅蜜，當稱念西方無量明佛。七、為利益眾生故不退轉。《智度論》云：阿鞞跋致有二種：一、得無生法忍；二、未得忍者即是眾生生死肉身，結使未斷，佛知其人必當斷故，為利傍人，如來亦記彼菩薩是阿鞞跋致。釋迦如來亦知我等眾生得生於彼必不退轉，故遠記亦名不退，故言皆是阿鞞跋致。又縱生彼，漸漸得至七地得無生忍，入於八地不動不退者，於理無妨。何以故？上言彼佛欲令十方眾生生彼悉得作佛，作佛已更化眾生，彼所化眾生復亦得佛乃至涅槃，此乃住經六大阿僧祇。時彼眾生爾許時修道，亦令生彼即至得佛，非但七八地也。」

Answer: “The *Larger Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra* says: ‘If one reaches the stage of avaivartika, this person is not shaken by the various māras and never again recedes.’ Therefore the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa* says: ‘A bodhisattva who enters this stage of non-retrogression is said to have entered the bodhisattva stage; knowing and realizing it by oneself, not following others' words, not falling into the number of ordinary worldlings, such a one is called a person who has attained the path; no worldly affairs can move their mind, and the gates to the three wretched destinies are closed.’ If based on that treatise, it accords with the *Maitreya-paripṛcchā-śāstra*. Therefore that treatise says: ‘Before a bodhisattva realizes the correct stage of the first bhūmi, although cultivating and accumulating retribution of roots of goodness for immeasurable kalpas, they have not yet been able to attain non-retrogression, nor have they attained the utterly fearless mind.’ These two treatises take the first bhūmi as the stage of non-retrogression. Thus the *Maitreya-paripṛcchā-śāstra* asks: ‘What is non-retrogression?’ It answers: ‘Because all bodhisattvas attain the definite cause of the first bhūmi, through the power of the path of seeing they become free from afflictions such as the view of an enduring self, like a srotaāpanna; a bodhisattva on the first bhūmi severs the causes of regression that run contrary to the bodhicitta, and becomes free from afflictions such as the view of an enduring self; only then can they be said to have entered the bodhisattva stage, knowing and realizing for themselves the tathatā of the two emptinesses, transcending the stage of ordinary worldlings.’ At that time there are nine kinds of transcendences: First, transcendence of entering the stage, meaning that they first enter the bodhisattva stage because they first attain the supramundane mind; second, transcendence of family, meaning being born into the Buddha’s family because they are born relying on prajñā wisdom; third, transcendence of lineage, meaning their lineage is noble and blameless because it is generated through Mahāyāna practice; fourth, transcendence of egress, meaning that no mundane paths can encompass it; fifth, transcendence of ingress, due to entering into the qualities of the supramundane path; sixth, transcendence of body, because they abide well in the bodhisattva dharmas and take great compassion as their essence; seventh, transcendence of place, because they abide well in the bodhisattva’s place of correct cultivation without abandoning the world yet remaining unstained; eighth, transcendence of activity, meaning entering into the dharma of the equal tathatā of the three times and conforming to the similar dharma of the life of noble wisdom of emptiness; ninth, ultimate transcendence, meaning entering into the Tathāgata’s lineage to keep the Buddha lineage uninterrupted and ultimately realizing the path of nirvāṇa. Thus the stage of non-retrogression lies in the first bhūmi. If we rely on the *Treatise on the Provisions for Awakening* (*Bodhisambhāra-śāstra*), when a bodhisattva attains the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, they then abide in the Immovable Bhūmi (eighth bhūmi), will definitely become a Buddha, and never again recede. Thus the stage of non-retrogression lies in the eighth bhūmi. Therefore that treatise itself raises the question: ‘Why is it that from the first bhūmi up through the seventh bhūmi, all definitely tend toward sambodhi, yet are not spoken of as avaivartika, but only those abiding in the Immovable Bhūmi are spoken of as such?’ Answer: ‘With the supramundane roots of goodness, such as faith, possessed by a bodhisattva on the Immovable Bhūmi, bodhisattvas on the seventh bhūmi and the two vehicles cannot obstruct them or cause them to recede; therefore that bhūmi is called avaivartika.’ If we consider sentient beings born there reaching the seventh or eighth bhūmis, that stage would be too high; but if it means reaching the first bhūmi, then it corresponds with the *Contemplation Sūtra*, for that sūtra says: ‘Sentient beings born there, after passing one kalpa or half a kalpa, can enter the Bhūmi of Joy.’ If we rely on the ten abidings in the *Yingluo benye jing*, that sūtra says: ‘If a newly aspiring bodhisattva advances or recedes, they are mostly in the sixth abiding, wishing to enter the seventh abiding. Why is that? If a good son, for one kalpa, two kalpas, or up to ten kalpas, practices the six perfections and is able to enter the seventh abiding, that person at that time, from the first abiding through the sixth abiding, if they practice the correct contemplation of prajñāpāramitā and it appears before them, and furthermore they are protected and remembered by the buddhas and good spiritual friends who are bodhisattvas, they then succeed in stepping forth into the seventh abiding, and then they are permanently non-retrograde.’ Prior to the seventh abiding is called the falling-back division; if sentient beings born there can enter the seventh abiding and are called avaivartika, this is certainly so, because the time there is long and the conditions for cultivation are strong. Furthermore, another interpretation says that because there are no seven kinds of conditions for regression there, those who are born there are all caused to be non-retrograde: First, none of the five instruments of regression are present. The *Vibhāṣā* says: 1. prolonged sickness; 2. traveling far; 3. constantly reciting and studying sūtra texts; 4. constantly managing business affairs; 5. constantly settling disputes. These five causes and conditions make the mind weary; these are called the five instruments of regression. Second, life spans exceed immeasurable kalpas; making offerings to buddhas, listening to the Dharma, and accompanying superior persons constitute cultivating the path for a long time; therefore it is called non-retrogression. Third, because there are no women, there is no lustful desire or infatuated attachment; while seeing, hearing, touching, and cognizing the spheres of the six sense-objects leaves the mind unstained and inspires bodhicitta; that is, because there are no conditions of defiled attachment, it is called non-retrogression. Fourth, because there is nothing unwholesome and nothing disagreeable to the heart, they do not recede. Fifth, there are no evil companions; they constantly see the buddhas and bodhisattvas who are in their last rebirth before Buddhahood; thus their minds have no arrogance or indolence, and because they practice with reverence, their minds do not recede. Sixth, they do not recede due to the power of that Buddha's vow. The *Sūtra of Immeasurable Life* says: ‘If there are sentient beings who are born in my land, until becoming Buddhas they will not experience the wretched destinies, except for those who manifest birth [there through vows]; if it be not so, may I not attain unexcelled awakening.’ Moreover, the *Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā* says: ‘If a person wishes to reach non-retrogression in their present body, they should study the prajñāpāramitā and should invoke and keep in mind the Buddha of Immeasurable Light of the West.’ Seventh, they do not recede for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa* says: ‘There are two kinds of avaivartika: 1. those who have attained the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas; 2. those who have not yet attained this acceptance, who are the physical bodies of sentient beings in saṃsāra with fetters not yet severed; because the Buddha knows that this person definitely will sever them, for the benefit of other people, the Tathāgata also predicts that this bodhisattva is an avaivartika.’ Śākyamuni Tathāgata also knew that sentient beings like us who obtain birth there will definitely not recede, and so from afar he gave this prediction that we are also called non-retrograde; hence it says ‘all are avaivartika.’ Furthermore, even if, after being born there, one gradually reaches the seventh bhūmi, attains the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, and enters the eighth immovable and non-retrograde bhūmi, there is no logical obstruction. Why is this? As stated above, that Buddha wishes to cause sentient beings of the ten directions who are born there to all become Buddhas, and after becoming Buddhas, to further transform sentient beings, and those transformed sentient beings will also attain Buddhahood and even nirvāṇa; this abides through six great asaṃkhyeya kalpas. When those sentient beings cultivate the path for that much time, it also causes them, upon being born there, to directly attain Buddhahood, not merely the seventh or eighth bhūmis.”