阿彌陀經疏 1.36

1.36

'With a great assembly of bhikṣus' and below refers to the disciples. Ānanda meant that it was not merely that I alone heard it in the Jeta Grove, but furthermore the Buddha was dwelling together with the śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, and the assembly of devas and humans, and I took part among them and was able to hear it together with them. The reason why the six elements unfold and depend on one another is that Ānanda intended to refute false transmission and generate faith in living beings. The text has three parts: first, the śrāvaka assembly; second, the bodhisattvas; third, the miscellaneous assembly. Speaking in terms of appearance and robes, the śrāvakas shaved their crowns and wore dyed robes, always remaining at the Buddha's side, and so come first; the bodhisattvas manifested outwardly in response to beings' capacities, their appearance not being uniform, and so come next; devas and humans in body had not left worldly life, and so come last. Sentient beings see only their outward traces and cannot fathom their fundamental source, so their superiority and inferiority are distinguished by appearance and robes. If considered in terms of inner mind, the śrāvakas sink into emptiness, humans and devas cling to existence, and bodhisattvas follow the Middle Way; hence they are arranged in the intermediate position between the first and the last to symbolize this.