大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 17.51

17.51

疏「四依許可」者，謂結集時諸菩薩眾咸共請言：「如汝所聞，當如是說。」傳法菩薩便許可言：「如是當說，如我所聞。如是說言：我當為汝，如是而思、如是而作、如是而說」等。又許可者，或信可言是事如是。謂如是法，我昔所聞。此事如是，齊此當說，定無有異。由四義故，經初皆置如是我聞。然上總意遍此四義，非別義也。

Regarding the commentary's "Fourth, relying on consent": this means that at the time of the compilation, all the bodhisattvas together requested: "As you have heard, so should you speak." The bodhisattva transmitting the Dharma then consented, saying: "So shall it be spoken, just as I have heard. Speaking thus: 'I shall, for your sake, think thus, act thus, speak thus,'" and so forth. Furthermore, "consent" may mean expressing trust and approval, saying: "This matter is indeed so." This means: "Such a Dharma was heard by me in the past. This matter is so; up to this point it shall be spoken, definitely without difference." Because of these four meanings, "Thus have I heard" is placed at the beginning of all sūtras. However, the general meaning above pervades these four meanings; it is not an independent meaning.