[5] Power And Function Of Amitābha Sūtra《阿弥陀经》之力用 The Fourth Layer Of Profound Meaning 第四重玄义 Four Non-Retrogressions 四不退

《阿弥陀经》之力用
[5] Power And Function Of Amitābha Sūtra
第四重玄义
The Fourth Layer Of Profound Meaning
四不退
Four Non-Retrogressions

甲四、明力用
A4: Explanation [Of] Power [And] Function

第四明力用。

Fourth, [is] explanation [of] power [and] function.

此经以往生不退为力用。

This sūtra [is] with [those] reborn not retrogressing as [its] power [and] function.

往生有四土，各论九品，且略明得生四土之相。

[Those] reborn have Four Lands, each [to be] discussed [with] Nine Grades. Moreover, [to be] briefly explained [are] forms of [the] Four Lands attained birth [in].

若执持名号，未断见思，随其或散或定，于同居土分三辈九品。

If firmly upholding [Āmítuófó’s] name, yet [to] sever Views [And] Thoughts’ [Confusions] [见思惑], according [to] that, perhaps scattered or concentrated, [they are born] in [the] Together Dwelling Land’s divisions [of the] Three Kinds [and] Nine Grades.

[Note 1:

Three Confusions (三惑):

(1) Views And Thoughts’ Confusions (见思惑):

Views’ Confusion (见惑) or Views’ Afflictions (见烦恼) are inverted views and understanding (颠倒见解), also called Confusions Of Confused Principles (迷理之惑). They are the coarser (粗) Five Sharp Fetters (五利使) that make evil views increase and flourish:

(i) Self View (身见): Thinking there is self within the body
(ii) Extreme View (边见): Clinging to extremely wrong concepts
(iii) Clinging To False Views (见取见)
(iv) Clinging To Precepts’ Views (戒禁取见): Thinking they are the complete path to liberation
(v) (All Other) Evil Views (邪见)

Thoughts’ Confusions (思惑) or Cultivation’s Confusions (修惑) are the Five Poisons (五毒), also called Confusions Of Confused Practices (迷事之惑). They are the finer (细) Five Dull Fetters (五钝使) that make afflictions and confusions increase and flourish:

(i) Greed (or Attachment) (贪)
(ii) Anger (or Aversion) (嗔)
(iii) Delusion (or Ignorance) (痴)
(iv) Arrogance (or Conceit) (慢)
(v) Doubt (疑)

(2) Dusts And Sands’ Confusions (尘沙惑):

Confusions that are fine and many like dust motes and sand grains. For effectively teaching, transforming and delivering sentient beings, Bodhisattvas must know and see all kinds of different Dharma Doors. As these minute confusions obstruct them in the fine details, they give rise to afflictions.

(3) Ignorance’s Confusion (无明惑):

41 Grades Of Ignorance (四十一品无明) as root afflictions (根本烦恼) to be severed, with one grade (一品) for each of the

(i) Ten Abodes (十住),
(ii) Ten Practices (十行),
(iii) Ten Dedications (十回向),
(iv) Ten Grounds (十地) and
(v) Equal Awakening (等觉)

on the Bodhisattva path. With each subtle grade destroyed, is realisation of one part of the Dharma Body (证一分法身). After severing the 42nd Original Grade Of Ignorance (元品无明), is realisation of Buddhahood’s Wonderful Awakening (妙觉).]

[Note 2: The causes, conditions and effects (因缘果) of these Three Kinds (or Grades) (三辈) and Nine Grades (九品) are detailed in the Immeasurable Life Sūtra《无量寿经》and Contemplation Sūtra《观经》respectively.]

若持至事一心不乱，见思任运先落，则生方便有余净土。

If upholding until Practice’s Wholeheartedness Without [Being] Scattered, [with] Views [And] Thoughts’ [Confusions] first naturally accomplishing falling [away, they are] then born [in the] Skilful Means With Remainder Pure Land.

若至理一心不乱，豁破无明一品，乃至四十一品，则生实报庄严净土，亦分证常寂光土。

If until Principles’ Wholeheartedness Without [Being] Scattered, suddenly destroying ignorance’s one grade, and even forty-one grades, [they are] then born [in the] True Reward’s Adornments’ Pure Land, also partially realising [the] Eternally Still Light Land.

若无明断尽，则是上上实报，究竟寂光也。

If [with] ignorance severed completely, [they] then are [in the] highest [of the] high [grades’] True Reward [Land, and the] ultimate [Eternally] Still Light [Land] too.

不退有四义：

Non-Retrogression has four meanings.

一、念不退，破无明，显佛性，径生实报，分证寂光。

[1] First, [those with] Thoughts’ Non-Retrogression, [having] destroyed ignorance, [and] revealed Buddha-nature, [are] directly born [in the] True Reward [Land, with] partial realisation [of the] still light.

二、行不退，见思既落，尘沙亦破，生方便土，进趋极果。

[2] Second, [those with] Practices’ Non-Retrogression, [having] Views [And] Thoughts’ [Confusions] already fallen [away, and] Dusts [And] Sands’ [Confusions] [尘沙惑] also destroyed, [are] born [in the] Skilful Means Land, [with] diligent advancement [to the] ultimate fruit.

三、位不退，带业往生，在同居土，莲华托质，永离退缘。

[3] Third, [those with] Position’s Non-Retrogression, bringing karmas [to be] reborn, in [the] Together Dwelling Land, [from] lotus flowers entrusted [with their] essence, [are] forever departed [from] retrogression’s conditions.

四、毕竟不退，不论至心散心，有心无心，或解不解，但弥陀名号，或六方佛名，此经名字，一经于耳，假使千万劫后，毕竟因斯度脱。

[4] Fourth, [those with] After All [i.e. All In All] Non-Retrogression, [are] regardless [of the] sincere mind [or] scattered mind, having intention [or] without intention, perhaps understanding [or] not understanding, only [with Ā]mítuó[fó’s] name, or [the] six directions’ Buddhas’ names, [or] this [Amitā(bha)] Sūtra’s name, once passing through [their] ears, even if ten million kalpas [i.e. world cycles of about 1.3 trillion years each] later, [they will] all in all because [of] this, [be] delivered [to] liberation.

如闻涂毒鼓，远近皆丧；

Like hearing [a] poison-smeared drum, [with those] far [and] near [all] losing [their lives].

食少金刚，决定不消也。

[Like] swallowing [a] little vajra [seed, it] definitely will not [be] digested [to be eliminated].

复次，只带业生同居净证位不退者，皆与补处俱，亦皆一生必补佛位。

Furthermore, those only bringing karmas born [in the] Together Dwelling Pure [Land, who have] realised Position’s Non-retrogression, [are] all with [One Life To] Replacement’s Position together, also [with] all [in] one life definitely replacing Buddhas’ Positions.

夫上善一处，是生同居，即已横生上三土；

Those [with] superior good [persons in] one place, are born [in the] Together Dwelling [Land, are] already horizontally born [in the] above three lands.

一生补佛，是位不退，即已圆证三不退。

[Those in] one life replacing Buddhas, are [with] Position’s Non-Retrogression, [have] already completely realised [the] Three Non-Retrogressions.

如斯力用，乃千经万论所未曾有。

Like this [in] power [and] function, [they are] thus [in a] thousand sūtras [and] ten thousand treatises, those never before seen.

较彼顿悟正因，仅为出尘阶渐，生生不退，始可期于佛阶者，不可同日语矣！

Comparing [with] those [with] sudden awakening [as the] main cause, only by exiting [from the] dusts, [with] ranks gradually [ascending, with] life after life not retrogressing, then can [they] hope [to] reach [the] Buddha’s rank. [Their differences are so great that they] cannot [be on the] same day spoken!

宗教之士，如何勿思！

Of commendable persons [contemplating] Chán [and learning] teachings [参禅学教], how [can they] not contemplate [this]?

– 净土宗九祖澫益大师
《佛说阿弥陀经要解》

– Pure Land Tradition’s 9th Patriarch Great Master Ǒuyì
(Essential Explanation [Of The] Sūtra [In Which The] Buddha Speaks [Of] Amitā[bha] Buddha)

Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an

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