阿彌陀經要解 1.90

1.90

阿鞞跋致此云不退，而有三義：一、位不退，證入聖流不墮凡地故；二、行不退，恒欲度生不墮二乘地故；三、念不退，心心流入薩婆若故。若約此土，則藏初果、通見地、別七信、圓初信名位不退，通菩薩、別十行、圓十信名行不退，別初地、圓初住名念不退。今淨土中則雖五逆、十惡，十念成就帶業往生居下下品者，例皆得三不退，以淨土無退緣故。又一生淨土則皆壽命無量，任運進修直至一生補處，觀彼十方世界何處無佛何處機熟，便往示現成佛。故一生補處甚多，非是算數所能知也。

"*Avivartika* is translated here as 'non-retrogression', and has three meanings: first, non-retrogression of position, because having entered the stream of the noble ones, one does not fall back into the stage of ordinary beings; second, non-retrogression of practice, because constantly wishing to deliver sentient beings, one does not fall back into the stage of the two vehicles; third, non-retrogression of thought, because thought after thought flows into sarvajña. In terms of this land, the first fruit of the Tripiṭaka [teaching], the stage of seeing of the shared [teaching], the seventh faith of the distinctive [teaching], and the first faith of the perfect [teaching] are called non-retrogression of position; the bodhisattva of the shared [teaching], the ten practices of the distinctive [teaching], and the ten faiths of the perfect [teaching] are called non-retrogression of practice; the first stage (bhūmi) of the distinctive [teaching] and the first dwelling of the perfect [teaching] are called non-retrogression of thought. Now, in the Pure Land, even those guilty of the five heinous sins and the ten unwholesome deeds who, accomplishing ten recitations, achieve rebirth carrying their karma and abide in the lowest grade of the lowest class, universally obtain the three non-retrogressions, because in the Pure Land there are no conditions for retrogression. Furthermore, once born in the Pure Land, their lifespans are all measureless; they advance spontaneously in cultivation straight to ekajātipratibaddha, and observing where in the world realms of the ten directions there is no Buddha and where capacities are ripe, they go there to manifest the attainment of buddhahood. Therefore, those bound to one more birth are very numerous, not to be known by calculation.