佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經教跡義記 1.36

1.36

第三正釋其文，《佛地論》云：「我為諸蘊世俗假名，聞為耳根發識聽受所說，廢別就總，故說我聞。」問曰：「佛讚無我，何為傳法菩薩稱曰我聞？」答曰：「此佛說法常依二諦，一者俗諦、一者真諦。言我聞者，俗諦說耳。佛言諸根說於我、或說於無我，諸法實相中，無我無非我。」又朗法師解：根不能聞、耳識不能知，合不能聞，此則不聞也。親承音旨，簡異說傳，故曰我聞。問曰：「如來五十年說法，阿難仕佛適經二十五年，前二十五年阿難總不聞，何故一代之教皆曰我聞？」答曰：「依《報恩經》云：『為阿難重說十二部經』，是故一代之教皆曰我聞。」問曰：「阿難何為能持十二部經？」答曰：「阿難得金華三昧，能持十二部經。又《涅槃經》云：『阿難具足八法，能持十二部經。一者信根堅固，二者其心質直，三者身無苦痛，四者常懃精進，五者具足念心，六者心無憍慢，七者成就聞慧，八者從聞生智慧。具足八法，能持十二部經。』面如滿月，士女奔馳，目類青蓮華，貴賤咸仰，佛光夜照，聞奏慶喜之言，天蘂朝開，晨歸舞蹈之樂，如來演法常有瓶受之能，大聖弘經乃有金言之美，一聞俱領，八法齊修，四生所以重聞，十方於茲再唱，親承音旨，簡異傍傳，故曰我聞。」上來雖有三種不同，總明第二聞成就竟。

Third, the direct explanation of the text. The Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states: "'I' is a conventional designation for the aggregates; 'heard' means that the ear faculty generated consciousness, listening to and receiving what was spoken. Discarding the specific and adopting the general, it is therefore said, 'I heard.'" Question: "The Buddha praised selflessness; why do the bodhisattvas transmitting the Dharma say 'I heard'?" Answer: "The Buddha's expounding of the Dharma always relies on the two truths: the first is the conventional truth, and the second is the ultimate truth. Saying 'I heard' is spoken from the conventional truth alone. The Buddha said that according to the faculties, one speaks of 'I' or speaks of 'non-I'; in the true nature of phenomena, there is neither an 'I' nor a 'non-I.'" Furthermore, Dharma Master Lang explained: "The faculty cannot hear, the auditory consciousness cannot know, and their combination cannot hear; this is thus non-hearing. Personally receiving the intended purport distinguishes it from transmission by hearsay; hence it says 'I heard.'" Question: "The Tathāgata expounded the Dharma for fifty years, yet Ānanda served the Buddha for just twenty-five years; for the first twenty-five years Ānanda heard none of it at all, so why do the teachings of the entire era all say 'I heard'?" Answer: "Relying on the Sūtra on Repaying Kindness, it says: 'For Ānanda's sake, he expounded the twelve divisions of scriptures again'; therefore, the teachings of the entire era all say 'I heard.'" Question: "Why was Ānanda able to retain the twelve divisions of scriptures?" Answer: "Ānanda attained the Golden Flower Samādhi, so he was able to retain the twelve divisions of scriptures. Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'Ānanda was endowed with eight qualities, so he was able to retain the twelve divisions of scriptures: first, his faculty of faith was firm; second, his mind was straightforward; third, his body was free from pain; fourth, he was constantly and vigorously diligent; fifth, he was fully endowed with mindfulness; sixth, his mind was free from arrogance; seventh, he accomplished the wisdom born of hearing; eighth, he generated wisdom from hearing. Being endowed with these eight qualities, he was able to retain the twelve divisions of scriptures.' His face was like the full moon, making men and women hasten [to gaze upon him]; his eyes were like blue lotus blossoms, looked up to by the noble and the humble alike. The Buddha's radiance shone at night, hearing reported words of joy; the heavenly blossoms opened in the morning, greeting the delight of dancing at dawn. When the Tathāgata expounded the Dharma, he constantly possessed the capacity of receiving [it like] a vase; when the Great Sage propagated the scriptures, he had the beauty of golden words. Once heard, all was grasped, the eight qualities cultivated together. Therefore the four modes of birth heard [the Dharma] again, and the ten directions here proclaimed it anew. Personally receiving the intended purport distinguishes it from collateral transmission; hence it says 'I heard.'" Although there are three different aspects above, the general explanation of the second, the fulfillment of hearing, is concluded.