阿彌陀經通贊疏 1.37

1.37

答：「有三義：一、欲證深理要先聞法，名等詮義非色等故；二、此界以聲為佛事，事為所依，名等有故；三、希證菩提要聞熏習，由聞熏習成出世故，由斯經首不說見覺知，唯說我聞，據實于時亦見佛說諸餘佛土以光明等而為佛事，可言見等。」

Answer: "There are three meanings: First, to realize the profound principle, one must first hear the Dharma, because names and the like express meanings, unlike visible forms and the like. Second, this realm takes sound as the Buddha-work; because [sound as] an affair serves as the basis, names and the like exist. Third, aspiring to realize bodhi requires the perfuming of hearing; because the perfuming of hearing brings about transcendence of the world. For these reasons, at the beginning of the sūtra it does not say 'seen, perceived, or known,' but only says 'I have heard.' In reality, at that time he also saw the Buddha speak; and in various other Buddha-lands, where light and the like perform Buddha-work, one could say 'seen' and so forth."