大乘起信論別記 1.192

1.192

言「如經中說或有退墮惡趣」者，非其生實退，乃廣說者。如《本業經》云「七住以前名為退分，若不值善知識者，若一劫乃至十劫，退菩提心。如淨目天子法財王子舍利弗等，欲入第七住，其中值惡知識因緣故，退入凡夫，不善惡中。」今釋此意，但是權語，非實退也。

Regarding "as stated in the sūtras that some may fall back into the evil destinies": this does not mean that they actually fall back in their lives, but is an extensive teaching. As the Benye jing states: "Prior to the seventh abode is called the falling-back division; if one does not meet good spiritual friends, for one kalpa up to ten kalpas one may fall back from the bodhicitta. For example, Heavenly Son Śuddhanetra, Prince Dharmavitta, Śāriputra, and others, desiring to enter the seventh abode, met with conditions of evil friends, and therefore fell back among ordinary beings into unwholesome evils." Now explaining this meaning: these are merely provisional words, not actual falling back.