妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.53

1.53

There are three reasons: First, to realize the profound principle, one must first hear the Dharma, because names and the like express meanings, whereas visible form and the like do not. Second, in this world, sound is used to perform the Buddha's work, because sound serves as the basis upon which names and so forth exist. Third, desiring to realize bodhi requires the perfuming of hearing, because it is through the perfuming of hearing that the supramundane is accomplished. For these reasons, at the head of the sūtra it does not say "seen, sensed, cognized," but only says "I have heard." In fact, at that time he also saw the Buddha speak; in other buddha-fields, light and the like are used to perform the Buddha's work, where one could say "seen" and so forth, in which sense a distinction should be made.