三彌勒經疏 1.12

1.12

云「如是」者，傳佛教者言。如是事我昔曾聞，是故應生信。此中有四：一依譬喻、二依教誨、三依問答、四依許可。言譬喻者，如是所傳所聞法，如佛所說定無有異，為利樂方便因。言依教誨者，如是語，遠即佛教誨、近即傳法者教誨。言依問答者，謂有人問言：「汝所說，昔定聞邪？」是故答言：「如是我聞。」依許可者，結集時諸菩薩眾咸共請云：「如汝所聞，當如是說。」故傳法者便許可言：「如我所聞，當說也。」此中，一經云唯依許可，一云唯依問答。如實義者，經云如是，通依四義。義准可解也。

As for stating 'Thus' (evaṃ): this is said by the transmitter of the Buddha's teaching. Matters such as these I once heard in the past; therefore one should generate faith. Herein there are four [meanings]: first, relying on simile; second, relying on instruction; third, relying on question and answer; fourth, relying on assent. As for 'relying on simile': the Dharma transmitted and heard like this is just as the Buddha spoke it, definitely without difference, serving as the cause of expedient means for benefit and joy. As for 'relying on instruction': words such as these remotely refer to the Buddha's instruction, and proximately refer to the transmitter of the Dharma's instruction. As for 'relying on question and answer': someone asked, saying, 'What you speak, did you definitely hear it in the past?' Therefore he replied, saying, 'Thus have I heard.' As for 'relying on assent': at the time of the compilation, the assembly of bodhisattvas all together requested, saying, 'Just as you have heard, you should speak thus.' Therefore the transmitter of the Dharma assented, saying, 'Just as I have heard, I shall speak.' In this context, one sūtra says it relies only on assent, and another says it relies only on question and answer. As for the real meaning: when the sūtras say 'Thus', it generally relies on all four meanings. The meaning can be understood by analogy.