三彌勒經疏 1.15

1.15

問：若爾，何故不稱名字，乃言我聞？答：有三義。一亦不乖俗，謂西域言汎皆稱我，宗雖顯真、說不離俗，理雖顯妙而言不離麁者，欲顯真諦不離俗故。二我者即主宰自在義，慶喜多聞，持其所聞，各備文義並持三藏，教自在故。若稱名字，雖順正理，無於諸法得自在義故。三我者親義，謂世間共言我見聞故。由此三義故，但言我聞，而非稱慶喜。

Question: If so, why not state one's personal name, but instead say 'I heard'? Answer: There are three reasons. First, it also does not go against worldly convention: in the Western Regions, ordinary speech generally uses 'I'; although the principle reveals the absolute, speech does not depart from the conventional, and although the principle reveals the subtle, words do not depart from the coarse, because one wishes to reveal that the ultimate truth does not depart from the conventional. Second, 'I' has the meaning of sovereign mastery: Ānanda was widely learned, retained what he heard, was fully equipped with both the texts and their meanings, and retained the three baskets, having mastery over the teaching. If he had stated his personal name, although conforming to correct reasoning, it would lack the meaning of having attained mastery over phenomena. Third, 'I' has the meaning of direct intimacy: in the world people collectively say 'I saw and heard'. Due to these three reasons, he only says 'I heard' and does not state 'Ānanda'.