English
English version Furthermore, the Western Pure Land has four causes and conditions that ensure only progress and no regression. First, it does not regress because of its long lifespan. As the sutra says, 'Lifespan is immeasurable asamkhya kalpas (countless eons),' therefore, one only needs to cultivate the path for three great asamkhya kalpas to attain Buddhahood, let alone immeasurable asamkhya kalpas. The impure lands regress because of their short lifespans. Second, it does not regress because there are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as virtuous friends. As the sutra says, 'To be together in one place with such excellent and virtuous people.' The impure lands regress because there are many evil friends. Third, there are no women, and the realms of the six senses are all conditions for advancing on the path, so it does not regress. As the Immeasurable Life Sutra says, 'The eye sees form and immediately generates Bodhicitta (the aspiration for enlightenment), and even the mind contemplates Dharma (the teachings) and also generates Bodhicitta.' The impure lands regress because there are women, and the realms of the six senses are generally conditions for regressing from the path. Fourth, there is only good intention, so it does not regress. As the sutra says, 'There is no place to commit evil even to the extent of a hair's breadth.' The impure lands regress because there are evil intentions and indifferent intentions. The second point clarifies those who are not included. If those who are reborn are Bodhisattvas of the first ground (bhumi) or above, as well as Arhats (worthy ones), Pratyekabuddhas (solitary Buddhas), and non-learners (those who have completed their training), they are not included (in the Pure Land's scope) because they have already severed the delusions of views and affections and have transcended the Three Realms. As the Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra (Great Wisdom Sutra) says, 'There is a wonderful Pure Land that transcends the Three Realms, and Arhats will be born there.' Since the treatise mentions Arhats but not learners, it is known that the rebirth of learners is still within the Three Realms. Second part, determining who can be reborn (what level of person can be reborn) Question: It is already known that the essence (of the Pure Land) is connected to the Reward Body Buddha (Sambhogakaya) and the Manifestation Body Buddha (Nirmanakaya), but it is not known what level of person can be reborn? Answer: Now, according to the sutras and treatises, and based on the Buddha's intention, as long as those who cultivate according to the sutras and treatises, regardless of whether they are ordinary people, sages, men, or women, even those who have committed the ten evil deeds or the five rebellious acts, if, at the time of death, right mindfulness is present and the mind is not disturbed, they can all be reborn. Only those who slander the Mahayana (Great Vehicle) are not allowed to be reborn. This is according to the Contemplation Sutra. If according to the Immeasurable Life Sutra, even those who have committed the five rebellious acts are excluded. Question: These two sutras were both spoken by the same Buddha, so why does the Great Sutra (Immeasurable Life Sutra) exclude two types of people, while the Contemplation Sutra excludes one type? Answer: This is because the rules were first established and then later relaxed, which is the skillful means of all Buddhas. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
常法。无量寿经先说。以广说法藏比丘因缘。及明往生事故也。观经后说。以但论往生事故也。 问曰。如无量寿经云。众生生者。皆悉住于正定之聚。又阿弥陀经云。舍利弗。极乐国土众生生者。皆是阿毗跋致。据此二经。十解已上。始得往生。何故言乃至十恶五逆并得往生。 答曰。正定阿毗跋致并云不退。不退言通。非局十解。今依经论。释有四种。一是念不退。谓在八地已上。二是行不退。谓在初地已上。三是位不退。谓在十解已上。四是处不退。谓西方净土也。故无量寿经云。彼土无有邪定及不定聚名。又四十八大愿中云。设我得佛。国中之人天。不住正定聚。必至灭度者。不取正觉。既不退之言位该四种。宁得举一不退以定除三也。 问曰。夫论不退。须据行位。云何依处得不退耶。 答曰。行位不退。由内无烦恼。处所不退由外无境界。各据一义。奚足怪乎。 问曰。前三不退。经论明证。此则可信。处所不退既无文证。若为取信。 答曰。今引毗婆沙论为证。如彼论中出六种种性人。一是退。二是思。三是护。四是位。五是升进。六是不动。如退种性人。纵得罗汉。亦还起退。乃至起三界修道烦恼由。根性软弱故。此人虽体是退根。此人若在欲界人中。逢五退 现代汉语译本： 常法。《无量寿经》（Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life）先说，详细阐述了法藏比丘（Dharmakara Bodhisattva）的因缘，以及阐明往生之事。《观经》（Contemplation Sutra）后说，只论述往生之事。 问：如《无量寿经》所说，众生往生者，都住在正定之聚（assured of enlightenment）。又《阿弥陀经》（Amitabha Sutra）说，舍利弗（Sariputra），极乐国土众生往生者，都是阿毗跋致（avaivartika，不退转）。根据这两部经，十解（tenth understanding）以上才能往生。为什么说乃至十恶五逆（ten evil acts and five rebellious acts）也能往生？ 答：正定（assured of enlightenment）、阿毗跋致（avaivartika）都说的是不退（non-retrogression）。不退的含义是通用的，不局限于十解。现在依据经论，解释有四种：一是念不退（non-retrogression in thought），指在八地（eighth bhumi）以上；二是行不退（non-retrogression in practice），指在初地（first bhumi）以上；三是位不退（non-retrogression in position），指在十解以上；四是处不退（non-retrogression in place），指西方净土（Western Pure Land）。所以《无量寿经》说，彼土没有邪定（wrong determination）和不定聚（undetermined group）之名。又四十八大愿（forty-eight great vows）中说，‘设我得佛，国中之人天，不住正定聚，必至灭度者，不取正觉。’既然不退的含义涵盖四种，怎么能只用一种不退来排除其他三种呢？ 问：如果说不退，必须根据修行和果位。怎么能依据处所而得不退呢？ 答：修行和果位的不退，是因为内心没有烦恼。处所的不退，是因为外在没有境界。各自依据一个方面，有什么可奇怪的呢？ 问：前三种不退，经论有明确的证据，这可以相信。处所不退既然没有文字证据，如何取信呢？ 答：现在引用《毗婆沙论》（Vibhasa）作为证据。如该论中列出六种种性人：一是退（regression），二是思（thinking），三是护（protection），四是位（position），五是升进（advancement），六是不动（immovability）。如退种性人，即使得到罗汉果（arhat），也会退转，甚至生起三界（three realms）修道中的烦恼，因为根性软弱。此人虽然本体是退根，此人如果在欲界（desire realm）人中，遇到五种退缘
English
English version: Common Dharma. The *Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life* first explains the causes and conditions of Dharmakara Bodhisattva and clarifies the matter of rebirth. The *Contemplation Sutra* is explained later, focusing solely on the matter of rebirth. Question: As the *Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life* states, 'Those beings who are born there all dwell in the assembly of the assured of enlightenment.' Also, the *Amitabha Sutra* says, 'Sariputra, those beings born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss are all avaivartika (non-retrogressive).' According to these two sutras, only those above the tenth understanding can be reborn. Why is it said that even those who commit the ten evil acts and five rebellious acts can be reborn? Answer: 'Assured of enlightenment' and 'avaivartika' both refer to 'non-retrogression.' The meaning of 'non-retrogression' is general and not limited to the tenth understanding. Now, according to the sutras and treatises, there are four types of non-retrogression: first, non-retrogression in thought, referring to those above the eighth bhumi (stage); second, non-retrogression in practice, referring to those above the first bhumi; third, non-retrogression in position, referring to those above the tenth understanding; and fourth, non-retrogression in place, referring to the Western Pure Land. Therefore, the *Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life* says, 'In that land, there are no names of wrong determination or undetermined groups.' Furthermore, among the forty-eight great vows, it states, 'If, when I attain Buddhahood, the humans and devas in my land do not dwell in the assembly of the assured of enlightenment and must reach extinction, may I not attain perfect enlightenment.' Since the meaning of 'non-retrogression' encompasses four types, how can we use one type of non-retrogression to exclude the other three? Question: If we are discussing non-retrogression, it must be based on practice and attainment. How can one attain non-retrogression based on place? Answer: Non-retrogression in practice and attainment is due to the absence of afflictions within. Non-retrogression in place is due to the absence of external realms. Each is based on one aspect; what is so strange about that? Question: The first three types of non-retrogression have clear evidence in the sutras and treatises, which can be believed. Since non-retrogression in place has no textual evidence, how can it be trusted? Answer: Now, I will cite the *Vibhasa* as evidence. As that treatise lists six types of people by nature: first, regression; second, thinking; third, protection; fourth, position; fifth, advancement; and sixth, immovability. For example, a person of regressive nature, even if they attain arhatship, will still regress and even generate afflictions in the three realms of cultivation because their root nature is weak. Although this person's essence is a regressive root, if this person is among humans in the desire realm and encounters five causes of regression --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
具即退。若生六欲天及色无色界中。无五退具。即不退。由处所无退缘。故永不退也。五退具者。一长病。二远行。三诵经。四莹事。五和诤。此之五种。唯人中有。天等中无。诵经等三。虽是善事。废入观。故退也。准此例彼。亦可同然。如一切凡夫。虽复念佛。未至十解位。由在外凡。故体是退人。此人若在娑婆秽土中。由逢五退缘故即退。若生西方。由无五退缘故不退也。五退缘者。一短命多病。二有女人及生染六尘。三是恶行人谓恶知识。四是不善及无记心。五常不值佛也。净土中无此五退缘。故毕竟不退也。此引圣教。证处所不退明矣。又据二经。皆云往生者得不退。不云不退人得往生也。故无量寿经云。生彼土者。皆悉住于正定之聚。所以者何。彼土无有邪定及不定聚名也。小经亦云。众生生者。皆是阿毗跋致。不云阿毗跋致人得往生也。犹如此间具三受人。若生彼土则无苦舍。唯有乐受也。由彼处所无二受故。 问曰。如观经云。上品上生人。生致彼土。即悟无生法忍。此乃是八地。当知。下品生者。故在十解已上。若在十解已前。非但近违圣教。亦乃位太悬殊。 答曰。不然。无生法忍。亦有四种。一缘教故。得无生法忍。谓一切凡夫。及十信位人。读大乘经论。作无生解。即是闻慧。 现代汉语译本 如果具备五种退步之因，就会退转。如果生到六欲天和色界天中，没有五种退步之因，就不会退转。因为那些地方没有退转的因缘，所以永远不会退转。五种退步之因是：一是久病，二是远行，三是诵经，四是经营世事，五是与人争执。这五种情况只有人间才有，天界等处没有。诵经等三种，虽然是善事，但会妨碍入观，所以也会导致退转。以此类推，其他情况也可能如此。例如，一切凡夫，即使念佛，如果没有达到十解位，因为还在外凡位，所以本质上还是会退转的人。这种人如果在娑婆秽土中，因为遇到五种退转的因缘就会退转；如果生到西方净土，因为没有五种退转的因缘就不会退转。五种退转的因缘是：一是短命多病，二是有女人以及产生染污的六尘（色、声、香、味、触、法），三是恶行人，也就是恶知识，四是不善以及无记之心，五是经常不能遇到佛。净土中没有这五种退转的因缘，所以最终不会退转。这里引用圣教，证明处所不退的道理很明显。而且根据两部经的说法，都说往生的人得到不退转，而不是说不退转的人才能往生。所以《无量寿经》说：‘生到那个国土的人，都安住在正定之聚。’这是什么原因呢？因为那个国土没有邪定和不定聚的名字。《小经》（《阿弥陀经》）也说：‘众生生到那里，都是阿鞞跋致（不退转）。’而不是说阿鞞跋致的人才能往生。就像此间具有三种感受的人，如果生到彼土就没有苦受和舍受，只有乐受。因为那个地方没有苦受和舍受的缘故。 有人问：如《观经》所说，上品上生的人，往生到那个国土，立即领悟无生法忍（对一切法不生不灭的深刻理解）。这已经是八地菩萨的境界。由此可知，下品往生的人，至少也在十解位以上。如果在十解位之前，不仅严重违背圣教，而且位次也相差太远了。 回答说：不是这样的。无生法忍也有四种。一是由于听闻教法而得到无生法忍，也就是一切凡夫以及十信位的人，读诵大乘经论，作出无生的理解，这就是闻慧。