淨土或問 1.25

1.25

Question: You said earlier that an ordinary person bound to the earth immediately ascends to non-retrogression; this must refer to one who already has no evil karma. Now, can one who is reborn carrying their karma also be free from retrogression? Answer: Without exception, they all do not retrogress. A sūtra says: "All those who are born there abide in the stage of right determination." It also says: "All sentient beings born there are avaivartika." Furthermore, the Treatises on Ten Doubts says: "There are five causes and conditions that enable non-retrogression: first, because the power of Amitābha Buddha's great compassionate vows embraces and sustains them, they do not retrogress; second, because the Buddha's light constantly shines upon them, their bodhicitta constantly increases, and so they do not retrogress; third, because the water, birds, groves, wind sounds, and musical tones all proclaim suffering and emptiness, those who hear them constantly give rise to mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Saṅgha, and so they do not retrogress; fourth, because that land has only bodhisattvas as good friends and is free from evil conditions and environments—externally there are no non-Buddhists, ghosts, or māras, and internally there are no perverse three poisons, so defilements never arise—they do not retrogress; fifth, because the lifespan of those born in that land lasts for eternal kalpas, equal to that of the Buddha, they do not retrogress." Furthermore, an ancient master said: "If one does not vow to be born in the Pure Land, that is one thing; but if one vows to be born there, none fail to attain rebirth. If one is not born there, that is one thing; but once born, one never retrogresses."