何谓“逆修”?——从其在佛经中的最早出处看

What Is the “Inverse Cultivation”?:Starting from Its First Appearance in Sutras

探究"逆修"这一概念的内涵应该将其放置到它的最早出处——《十方净土经》中来进行研究。从相关语境可知,在该经文所列的"四种人"中,只有为不信佛法且诽谤佛法的人死后修福,亡者获福七分得一;只有了知佛法且能践行的人才能实行逆修。逆修与死后修福并不直接对立。逆修是斋供仪式的一种,逆修与死后修福在本质上相同,都是提倡修福,目的是劝人发施心。不过,逆修在后来的《十王经》中有了新的表达。

What does'inverse cultivation'mean? This shall start from its first appearance in the Sutra of Sukhavati in Ten Directions. Among four kinds of people mentioned in the sutra,only those who understand Buddhist doctrines and put them into practice can conduct 'inverse cultivation'. The 'inverse cultivation',as a ritual of fast and offering sacrifices,does not oppose the cultivation for gaining meritorious rewards after death. On the contrary,they are essentially the same in encouraging people to do good things and get meritorious rewards.