仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經疏 1.52

1.52

Question: Bodhisattvas who uphold the Buddha's Dharma repository are extremely numerous; why was it entrusted solely to Ānanda and not to the bodhisattvas? Answer: Ānanda constantly attended upon the Tathāgata, was fully known by humans and devas, and was entrusted like pouring water from one vessel into another; hence the transmission of the lamp was entrusted to him. Bodhisattvas have different forms and distant abodes; each is occupied with the urgent tasks of benefiting sentient beings and purifying lands, so they cannot be compared as equal [in this role]. This marks why Ānanda alone states 'thus I have heard.' Fascicle two of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitōpadeśa* says: "This Ānanda, having prostrated before the Saṅgha, sat upon the lion seat, single-mindedly joined his palms facing the direction of the Buddha's nirvāṇa, and spoke thus: 'When the Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma, I did not see it at that time. Having heard it through successive transmission in this manner, the Buddha was in Vārāṇasī.' At that time, a thousand arhats, having heard these words, ascended into the sky to a height of seven tāla trees, and all said: 'Great is the power of impermanence! Just as we with our own eyes saw the Buddha preach the Dharma, now he says: "Thus have I heard."'" The *Buddhabhūmi-śāstra* says: "It should be understood that stating this 'thus have I heard' is intended to avoid the faults of addition, subtraction, or discrepancy. It means: 'Such a Dharma I heard from the Buddha, not through the transmission of others.' This shows that the hearer possesses competence, and that whatever he heard is free from the faults of addition, subtraction, or discrepancy; he is not like a foolish ordinary person who lacks competence, whose hearing might not be free from addition, subtraction, or discrepancy. When compiling the Dharma, the transmitter of the Buddha's teachings uttered these words first in reliance on the Tathāgata's instruction, in order to lead sentient beings to revere, believe, and accept them, saying: 'Such a Dharma I heard from the Buddha; its text and meaning are definitive, with nothing added or subtracted.' Therefore, listeners, having heard it correctly, should reflect upon it according to principle, and diligently cultivate and train in it."