阿彌陀經通贊疏 1.30

1.30

正釋其文者，《佛地論》說，如是言依四義轉：一、依譬喻，如有說言：如是富貴如毘沙門。如是所傳所聞之法如佛所說，定無有異，定為利樂方便之因，或當所說如是文句如我昔聞。二、依教誨，如有說言：汝當如是讀誦經論等。此中如是，遠則佛之教誨，近則傳法之者教誨。三、依問答，謂有問言：汝當所說昔定聞耶！於此答言：如是我聞。四、依許可，如有說言：我當為汝如是而思、如是而作、如是而說。謂結集時諸菩薩咸共請，如汝所聞當如是而說；傳法菩薩便許可言：如是當說、如我所聞，或信可言：是事如是，謂如是法我昔所聞，此事如是，則此當說，定無有異。由四義故經所皆置如是我聞。真諦三藏云：微細律明阿難昇座集法藏時，身如真佛具諸好，下座之時還復本形，勘集藏傳亦作是說。眾有三疑：一、疑佛大悲從涅槃起更說妙法；二、疑更有佛從他方來住此說法；三、疑是阿難轉身成佛為眾說法。今顯如是所說之法，我昔侍佛親所曾聞，非佛更起、他方佛至、轉身成佛。為除此疑，故經初言如是我聞。結集之緣如藏章記，已上數解。

Correctly explaining the text: The Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states that the phrase "thus" (evaṃ) is employed according to four meanings: First, relying on metaphor, as when one says, "such wealth like Vaiśravaṇa." The Dharma transmitted and heard in this way is just as the Buddha spoke, definitively without difference, definitively being the cause of the means for benefit and joy; or, the words and phrases that should be spoken are just as I formerly heard. Second, relying on instruction, as when one says, "You should read and recite sūtras and treatises in this way." Here "thus," remotely, is the instruction of the Buddha; proximately, it is the instruction of the transmitter of the Dharma. Third, relying on question and answer, that is, when there is a question: "Did you definitely hear formerly what you are about to speak?" To this, one replies: "Thus have I heard." Fourth, relying on assent, as when one says, "I shall think thus, act thus, and speak thus for you." That is, at the time of the compilation, the bodhisattvas all requested together: "As you have heard, you should speak thus." The bodhisattva transmitting the Dharma then assented, saying: "Thus shall I speak, just as I have heard"; or assented with faith, saying: "This matter is thus; that is, such Dharma was formerly heard by me, this matter is thus, so this shall be spoken, definitively without difference." Because of these four meanings, "Thus have I heard" is placed at the beginning of sūtras. Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha said: The Subtile Vinaya explains that when Ānanda ascended the seat to compile the Dharma treasury, his body was like a true Buddha, endowed with all the marks; when he descended from the seat, he returned to his original form. Examination of the Record of Compiling the Canon also makes this statement. The assembly had three doubts: First, they suspected that the Buddha, out of great compassion, had arisen from nirvāṇa to speak the wondrous Dharma once again; second, they suspected that another Buddha had come from another realm to dwell here and preach the Dharma; third, they suspected that Ānanda had transformed his body into a Buddha to preach the Dharma for the assembly. Now, showing that "such Dharma spoken was personally heard by me formerly when serving the Buddha, not that the Buddha arose again, another Buddha arrived, or [Ānanda] transformed his body into a Buddha," in order to remove these doubts, the beginning of the sūtra states, "Thus have I heard." The circumstances of the compilation are as recorded in the essay on the Canon; such are several explanations above.