仁王經疏 1.29

1.29

Question: Ānanda was born on the day the Tathāgata achieved enlightenment, and twenty years passed before he became an attendant. The sūtras preached before that were not heard by him in person; how is it that all sūtras say “I have heard”? Answer: According to the explanation in the *Bao’en jing*, there are three points: First, Ānanda heard them transmitted from other devas and monks. Second, the Buddha entered a conventional state of mind to make Ānanda know the sūtras preached before. Third, the Buddha repeated for him the sūtras preached before. Through the Buddha’s power of skill-in-means, within a single Dharma phrase he expounded immeasurable dharmas, and could make immeasurable dharmas the meaning of a single phrase. The Buddha merely indicated their rough outline, and Ānanda had already come to understand them, due to the power of his swift, sharp, and strong retention.