仁王經疏 1.24

1.24

言別釋者，先釋如是，後解我聞。言如是者，此地諸師雖有多釋，且述西方三藏及論說。西方三藏略有三說。一真諦三藏云：言如是者，是決定義。有其二種：一文、二理，文是能詮、理即所詮。阿難所傳，文理決定，如佛所說，故曰如是。二長耳三藏釋有三義：一就佛釋，三世諸佛所說無異，故名為如；以同說故，稱之為是。二依法解；諸法實相；故名為如；如如而說，故稱為是。三依僧辨，阿難所傳不異佛說，故名為如；永離過非，稱之曰是。三菩提留支略為四義：一者發心如是，謂自念言：我當如是發菩提心修諸善行。二者教他如是，教前人言：汝當如是發菩提心修諸善行。三者譬喻如是，是人威德熾盛如日光明，智慧深廣猶如大海，面貌端正猶如滿月。四者決定如是，我如是見聞等。今言如是者，但取第四決定如是。傳法者言：我從佛聞所說理教，我之所說，不多不少、不錯不謬，決定如是。不謬傳之失，故曰如是。依諸論說亦有三釋：一依功德施。《般若論》云「如是我聞者，顯示此經是世尊現覺而演，非自所作。」二依龍猛《智度論》云「如是者，即信也。佛法大海中，信為能入，智慧能度。其信順者，言是事如是。其不信者，言此事不如是。」廣說如彼。三依親光《佛地論》中為四義故，第一云如是，總言依四義轉：一依譬喻，謂當所說如是文句，如我昔聞（此即以今喻古）；二依教誨，謂告時眾，如是當聽我昔所聞。三依問答，謂有問言：「汝當所說昔定聞耶？」故此答言：「如是我聞。」四依許可，謂結集時，諸菩薩眾咸共請言：「如汝所聞，當如是說。」傳法菩薩便許彼言：「如是當說如是我聞。」又如是言，信可審定，謂如是法我昔曾聞，此事如是，齊此當說，定無有異（此依信可釋經中所說如是言者，是文殊、阿難信可審定之言。謂如是經法，我昔聞此事，如是此經中所明之義，我今當說，定無為異也）。又《佛地論》有三師釋：一云第四、一云四中唯依後二、一云總依四義而說，廣如彼論。

Regarding the specific interpretation: first we interpret 'thus', and afterward explain 'I heard'. Regarding 'thus': although the masters of this land have many interpretations, we shall for now state the accounts of the Western tripiṭaka masters and treatises. The Western tripiṭaka masters briefly offer three explanations. First, Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha says: 'Thus' has the meaning of certitude. There are two kinds: first, the text; second, the principle. The text is the signifier, and the principle is the signified. What Ānanda transmitted is certain in both text and principle, exactly as the Buddha spoke; therefore it is called 'thus'. Second, the Long-Eared Tripiṭaka Master interprets it with three meanings: first, explained in terms of the Buddha, the preaching of the buddhas of the three periods of time is without difference, hence it is called 'like' (*ru*); because their preaching is identical, it is called 'right' (*shi*). Second, understood in terms of phenomena, the true mark of all phenomena is called 'like'; preaching in accordance with suchness is called 'right'. Third, distinguished in terms of the Saṃgha, what Ānanda transmitted does not differ from the Buddha's words, hence it is called 'like'; being forever free from error is called 'right'. Third, Bodhiruci briefly provides four meanings: 1. 'thus' in resolving the mind, meaning one thinks to oneself: 'I shall thus resolve my mind upon bodhi and cultivate all good practices'; 2. 'thus' in teaching others, telling the person before one: 'You should thus resolve your mind upon bodhi and cultivate all good practices'; 3. 'thus' as an analogy: this person's awe-inspiring virtue blazes like the light of the sun, his wisdom is deep and vast like the great ocean, his countenance is upright and handsome like the full moon; 4. 'thus' as certitude: 'I have thus seen and heard', etc. Now in saying 'thus', we only take the fourth, 'thus as certitude'. The transmitter of the Dharma says: 'The principle and teaching spoken that I heard from the Buddha—what I speak is neither too much nor too little, neither wrong nor mistaken, definitely thus.' To be free from the fault of mistaken transmission, it is therefore said to be 'thus'. According to various treatises, there are also three interpretations: First, according to Guṇaprabha's *Prajñā-śāstra*: '"Thus have I heard" shows that this sūtra was preached by the World-Honoured One upon his present awakening, not composed by oneself.' Second, according to Nāgārjuna's *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*: '"Thus" means faith. In the great ocean of the Buddha's Dharma, faith is that which can enter, and wisdom is that which can cross over. One who has faith and complies says: "This matter is thus." One who does not have faith says: "This matter is not thus."' It is explained in detail there. Third, according to Bandhuprabha's *Buddhabhūmi-vyākhyāna*, the word 'thus' is stated first for the sake of four meanings; in general, it functions based on four meanings: 1. based on analogy, meaning the phrases and sentences to be spoken are just as I formerly heard (this uses the present as an analogy for the past); 2. based on instruction, meaning telling the assembly at that time: 'Listen thus to what I formerly heard'; 3. based on question and answer, meaning someone asks: 'Did you definitely hear formerly what you are about to speak?' Hence he replies: 'Thus have I heard'; 4. based on assent, meaning that at the time of the compilation, the assembly of bodhisattvas all requested together: 'Just as you heard, you should speak thus.' The bodhisattva transmitting the Dharma then assented to them, saying: 'Thus shall I speak: thus have I heard.' Furthermore, the word 'thus' means faithful endorsement and certitude, meaning: 'The Dharma thus I formerly heard; this matter is thus, up to this point I shall speak, and it is definitely without difference.' (This interprets based on faithful endorsement: the word 'thus' spoken in the sūtra is the word of faithful endorsement and certitude by Mañjuśrī and Ānanda. It means: 'The sūtra-dharma thus, I formerly heard this matter; thus the meaning clarified in this sūtra, I shall now speak, and it is definitely without difference.') Furthermore, the *Buddhabhūmi-vyākhyāna* presents three masters' interpretations: one says only the fourth; one says it relies only on the latter two of the four; one says it is spoken based on all four meanings collectively. It is detailed as in that treatise.