'non-backsliding，' 'non-retrogression.' Not to grow weary with， or give up on （akila^sitva， akhinna， akheda）. Not retreating， especially in terms of the Buddhist path of practice， which is based on the accumulation of prior merit， or on enlightenment. According to various scriptures， there are various levels of practice which are designated as the 'level （stage） of non-backsliding.' For example， in many Maha^ya^na texts， the level designated as 'non-backsliding' is the seventh of the 'ten abodes. But the Yoga^ca^rabhu^mi-/sa^stra （Yuqie shidi lun 瑜伽师地论） says that the stage of non-backsliding is the first of the ten bhu^mis （the stage of joy）， and again， the Buddha-nature Treatise （Foxing lun 佛性论） says it is the first of the 'ten dedications of merit.'