English
English version: Therefore, Purna, because faith is the foundation upon which desire relies, it is initially necessary to cause beings to generate faith. This is the seventh excellence, which is the key to opening the door of opportunity. Embracing the teachings is like a hand. The Abhidharmakośa states: 'To rescue beings from the mud of birth and death, expounding the correct doctrine is the hand of Buddhism.' The preface causing beings to generate faith is like the hand of beings; only when both hands hold each other can they escape from the mud. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa also says: 'For example, if a person has hands, they can freely take treasures upon reaching a treasure mountain; if they have no hands, they will gain nothing.' Those with faith can enter the treasure mountain of the Buddha's teachings and obtain various fruits of the path; if they have no faith, even if they understand the meaning of the scriptures, they will gain nothing. This is also included in what is being said here. The eighth excellence is the clear pearl that makes the still water of the mind clear, for the sake of purifying the mind. The Vijñāptimātratāsiddhi states: 'Faith is like a crystal pearl that can purify turbid water, and can counteract the nature of disbelief that makes the self-nature turbid.' The ninth excellence is establishing good resources for the path to enlightenment. Confucius (Xuān Ní) said: 'The three things that cannot be abandoned are the army, food, and trust. Since ancient times, people have always died, but a person without trust cannot stand. It is like a large cart without a linchpin or a small cart without tracks; how can it move!' Therefore, one must first cause beings to generate faith. The tenth excellence is the sincere waiting of earnest entreaty. The Spring and Autumn Annals states: 'If one has clear faith, even the weeds, duckweed, artemisia, and algae in streams and marshes can be used to sacrifice to ghosts and gods, and can be used to entertain princes, let alone gentlemen forming alliances between two countries.' Among these ten meanings, the first eight are based on the ultimate truth, and the last two are based on the conventional truth. Therefore, the phrase 'Thus have I heard' is placed at the beginning of the sutra, meaning that these sutra teachings were personally heard from the Buddha, without any additions, subtractions, or errors, in order to cause beings to generate faith and joy, thereby obediently studying and practicing. For those who formally interpret the scriptures, the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states that the word 'Thus' transforms according to four meanings: First, according to metaphor, for example, someone says: 'Such wealth is like Vaiśravaṇa (多聞天王, the King of the North, Guardian of the Buddhist faith).' Thus, the transmitted and heard Dharma is like what the Buddha said, certainly without difference, and certainly a cause of beneficial and joyful means, or it should be said that these sentences are like what I heard in the past. Second, according to instruction, for example, someone says: 'You should recite and study the scriptures in this way, etc.' Here, 'Thus' refers to the Buddha's teachings from afar, and the teachings of the Dharma transmitter from nearby. Third, according to question and answer, for example, someone asks: 'What you should say, have you certainly heard it in the past?' To this, the answer is: 'Thus have I heard.' Fourth, according to permission, for example. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
有说言：我当为汝如是而思、如是而作、如是而说。谓结集时诸菩萨咸共请，如汝所闻当如是而说；传法菩萨便许可言：如是当说、如我所闻，或信可言：是事如是，谓如是法我昔所闻，此事如是，则此当说，定无有异。由四义故经所皆置如是我闻。真谛三藏云：微细律明阿难升座集法藏时，身如真佛具诸好，下座之时还复本形，勘集藏传亦作是说。众有三疑：一、疑佛大悲从涅槃起更说妙法；二、疑更有佛从他方来住此说法；三、疑是阿难转身成佛为众说法。今显如是所说之法，我昔侍佛亲所曾闻，非佛更起、他方佛至、转身成佛。为除此疑，故经初言如是我闻。结集之缘如藏章记，已上数解。 言我闻者，传法菩萨自指己身言，如是法亲从佛闻，故名我闻，非谓我者定属一人。我谓诸蕴世俗假者，然我有三：一、妄所执我，谓外道等所横计我；二、假施设我，谓大涅槃常乐我净，除二乘倒强施设故；三、世流布我，谓世共传天授祠授等。今传法者随顺世间自指称我。 问：“诸佛说法本除我执，何故不称无我乃称我闻？” 答：“有四义：一者、言说易故，若说无我通蕴处界，知此经谁；二者、顺世间故；三者、除无我怖故，言无我者为谁修学；四者、有自他染净因果事业等故，所以称我闻。 现代汉语译本：有人说：‘我应当像这样思考、像这样做、像这样说。’这是说在结集佛经时，各位菩萨都共同请求，‘按照您所听到的，应当像这样说’；传法的菩萨便答应说：‘应当像这样说，就像我所听到的那样’，或者确信地说：‘这件事就是这样，像这样的法是我过去听闻过的，这件事就是这样’，那么就应当这样说，一定不会有差异。因为这四种原因，所以经典中都放置‘如是我闻’。真谛三藏说：‘《微细律》中明确记载，阿难（Ānanda，佛陀的十大弟子之一，以记忆力超群著称）升座结集法藏时，身体像真佛一样具足各种美好相，下座的时候又恢复原来的样子。’勘集藏传也这样说。大众有三种疑惑：一、怀疑佛陀大发慈悲，从涅槃（Nirvana，佛教术语，指脱离轮回的状态）中起身，再次宣说妙法；二、怀疑有其他佛陀从其他地方来到这里说法；三、怀疑是阿难转身变成佛陀为大众说法。现在表明，像这样所说的法，是我过去侍奉佛陀时亲自听闻的，不是佛陀再次起身，也不是其他地方的佛陀来到，更不是转身变成佛陀。为了消除这些疑惑，所以经典开头说‘如是我闻’。结集的因缘，就像藏章记所记载的，以上是几种解释。 说到‘我闻’，传法的菩萨自己指着自己说，像这样的法是亲自从佛陀那里听闻的，所以叫做‘我闻’，不是说‘我’一定属于一个人。‘我’是指诸蕴（Skandha，佛教术语，指构成个体的五种要素，即色、受、想、行、识）世俗假立的，然而‘我’有三种：一、妄所执我，指外道等所虚妄计度的‘我’；二、假施设我，指《大涅槃经》（Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra，大乘佛教经典）中常乐我净，为了去除二乘（Śrāvaka-pratyekabuddha-yāna，声闻乘和缘觉乘的合称，小乘佛教的两种主要修行方式）的颠倒而勉强施设的；三、世流布我，指世间共同流传的天授、祠授等。现在传法的人随顺世间，自己指称‘我’。 问：‘诸佛说法本来是为了去除我执，为什么不称‘无我’而称‘我闻’？’ 答：‘有四种原因：一、言说方便的缘故，如果说‘无我’，那么就通于蕴、处、界（Āyatana-dhātu，佛教术语，指构成世界的要素），不知道这部经是谁说的；二、顺应世间的缘故；三、去除对‘无我’的恐惧的缘故，如果说‘无我’，那么是谁在修行学习呢？四、因为有自体、他体、染净、因果、事业等，所以称‘我闻’。
English
English version: It is said: 'I should think thus, act thus, and speak thus.' This means that during the compilation of the sutras, all the Bodhisattvas (Bodhisattva, beings on the path to Buddhahood) jointly requested, 'According to what you have heard, you should speak thus'; the Bodhisattva transmitting the Dharma (Dharma, Buddhist teachings) then agreed, saying, 'I should speak thus, just as I have heard,' or affirmed, 'This matter is so, such a Dharma is what I have heard in the past, this matter is so,' then it should be spoken thus, and there will be no difference. Because of these four reasons, 'Thus I have heard' is placed at the beginning of all sutras. The Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha (Paramārtha, a 6th-century Indian monk and translator) said: 'The Vinaya-vibhaṅga (Vinaya-vibhaṅga, a section of the Buddhist canon dealing with monastic rules) clearly states that when Ānanda (Ānanda, one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha, known for his excellent memory) ascended the seat to compile the Dharma treasury, his body was like a true Buddha, possessing all the excellent marks; when he descended from the seat, he returned to his original form.' The 'Examination and Compilation of the Treasury Transmission' also says the same. The assembly had three doubts: first, they doubted that the Buddha, out of great compassion, arose from Nirvāṇa (Nirvāṇa, a state of liberation from suffering and rebirth) to speak the wonderful Dharma again; second, they doubted that another Buddha came from another realm to dwell here and speak the Dharma; third, they doubted that Ānanda transformed into a Buddha to speak the Dharma for the assembly. Now it is shown that the Dharma spoken in this way is what I personally heard when I attended the Buddha in the past, it is not the Buddha rising again, nor a Buddha coming from another realm, nor a transformation into a Buddha. To dispel these doubts, the sutra begins with 'Thus I have heard.' The circumstances of the compilation are as recorded in the 'Treasury Chapter Records,' the above are several explanations. Speaking of 'I have heard,' the Bodhisattva transmitting the Dharma refers to himself, saying that this Dharma was personally heard from the Buddha, so it is called 'I have heard,' it is not that 'I' necessarily belongs to one person. 'I' refers to the aggregates (Skandha, the five aggregates that constitute a person: form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) that are conventionally established in the mundane world, however, there are three types of 'I': first, the 'I' that is falsely clung to, referring to the 'I' that is falsely conceived by non-Buddhists; second, the 'I' that is provisionally established, referring to the 'eternal, blissful, self, and pure' in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra (Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, a major Mahayana Buddhist scripture), which is provisionally established to remove the inverted views of the Two Vehicles (Śrāvaka-pratyekabuddha-yāna, the Hearer Vehicle and the Solitary Buddha Vehicle, referring to the paths of arhats and pratyekabuddhas); third, the 'I' that is commonly circulated in the world, referring to the 'I' that is commonly transmitted in the world, such as 'God-given' or 'sacrifice-given.' Now the person transmitting the Dharma follows the world and refers to himself as 'I'. Question: 'The Buddha's teachings originally aim to eliminate attachment to the self, why not say 'no-self' but say 'I have heard'?' Answer: 'There are four reasons: first, for ease of speech, if 'no-self' is said, it would apply to the aggregates, sense bases, and realms (Āyatana-dhātu, the elements that constitute the world), and it would not be known who this sutra belongs to; second, to accord with the world; third, to remove the fear of 'no-self,' if 'no-self' is said, then who is practicing and learning? fourth, because there are self, other, defilement, purity, cause and effect, activities, etc., therefore it is said 'I have heard.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ” 问：“若尔，何故不称名字但称我闻？”
Chinese
答：“有三义：一、示不乖俗宗，虽显真宗不乖俗理，虽显妙言不乖粗欲，虽显真谛不离俗故。二、我者主宰自在之义，《集藏传》云：有三阿难：一、阿难陀，云庆喜，持声闻藏；二、阿难跋陀，云喜贤，持独觉藏；三、阿难伽罗，云喜海，持菩萨藏，但是一人，随德各别，由此阿难多闻闻持，其闻积集三慧齐备，文义并持，于三藏教总持自在。若称名字，虽顺正理，无于诸法得自在义，由斯称我不道阿难。三、我者亲义，世间共言我见闻，此将为亲证。若言阿难闻，或非亲闻从他传受，今显亲闻世尊所说，非是传闻，破他疑网，故不称字但言我闻。闻谓耳根发识听受所说，今废耳别就我总称，故名我闻。虽依大乘根识心所对境和合方名为闻，然根五义胜于识等故根名闻，若但闻声可唯在耳，既缘名义便在意中。故《瑜伽》言：闻谓比量，耳名闻者，亲闻于声，与意为门，意方闻故。以二为闻，熏习在总，因闻所成总名为闻，废别耳意总名我闻。” 问：“庆喜于时亲亦见觉知佛所说，何故但言我闻，不言我见乎？” 答：“有三义：一、欲证深理要先闻法，名等诠义非色等故；二、此界以声为佛事，事为所依，名等有故；三、希证菩提要闻 问：‘如果这样，为什么不称呼名字而只说“我闻”呢？’ 答：‘有三种含义：第一，表示不违背世俗的宗旨，虽然彰显真宗却不违背世俗的道理，虽然彰显微妙的言语却不违背粗俗的欲望，虽然彰显真谛却不离世俗的缘故。第二，“我”有主宰自在的含义。《集藏传》中说：有三个阿难（Ānanda，庆喜）：第一是阿难陀（Ānanda，庆喜），执持声闻藏；第二是阿难跋陀（Ānandabhadra，喜贤），执持独觉藏；第三是阿难伽罗（Ānandakara，喜海），执持菩萨藏，但这实际上是一个人，随着功德而各有差别，因此阿难多闻博学，闻持不忘，他的闻、思、修三慧齐备，文义都能掌握，对于三藏的教法总持自在。如果称呼名字，虽然顺应正理，却没有对于诸法得自在的含义，因此称“我”而不说阿难。第三，“我”有亲近的含义，世间人都说“我见闻”，这是将见闻作为亲身经历的证明。如果说阿难闻，或许不是亲身听闻而是从他人那里传授得来的，现在彰显是亲身听闻世尊所说，不是传闻，破除他人的疑惑，所以不称呼名字而只说“我闻”。“闻”是指耳根发出意识听取和领受所说的话，现在舍弃耳根而总称“我”，所以叫做“我闻”。虽然依据大乘的观点，根、识、心所与所对的境界和合才能称为闻，然而根的五种作用胜过识等，所以根称为闻，如果只是听到声音，可能只在耳朵里，既然涉及名义，便在意念之中。所以《瑜伽师地论》（Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra）说：闻是指比量，耳朵称为闻，是亲身听到声音，以意为门户，意才能闻到。以耳和意二者为闻，熏习在总体上，因闻所成就的总体称为闻，舍弃个别的耳和意，总称为“我闻”。’ 问：‘庆喜当时亲身也见到、觉知到佛所说，为什么只说“我闻”，而不说“我见”呢？’ 答：‘有三种含义：第一，想要证得深奥的道理，要先听闻佛法，因为名等可以诠释意义，而色等不能；第二，此界以声音作为佛事，佛事是所依，名等具有这种作用；第三，希望证得菩提，要听闻……’