如是我聞。一時薄伽梵。遊化諸國。至廣嚴城。住樂音樹下。與大苾芻眾八千人俱。菩薩摩訶薩三萬六千。及國王。大臣。婆羅門。居士。天龍八部。人。非人等。無量大眾。恭敬圍繞。而為說法。
「如是」：是指法之辭，說是：「如是的法是可信的，如是的法是可學的，如是的法是可行的；如是的法，你要發願修行，依教修行。」「我聞」：是阿難自己稱的，阿難說：「像這一部經所說的法，這是我阿難親自聽見佛金口所說的，並不是傳聞，我去聽來的。」
如是我聞，這個意思有四種的因緣。四種什麼因緣？就是阿難以四事問佛。佛當初將要入涅槃的時候，阿難因為悲痛過度，把一切一切都忘了，就想什麼呢？只知道哭！阿難本來是證初果，可是這種的感情還沒有斷，所以知道釋迦牟尼佛要入涅槃這個消息，他不能忍受，於是乎就啼淚悲泣只知道哭，其他什麼事情都忘了。在這時候有一位尊者，就提醒他，說是：「你負責佛所說法的記錄，那麼現在佛就要入涅槃了，你應該想一想啊！你趁著佛還沒有入涅槃的時候，有什麼重要的事情請問佛，請佛來指示怎麼樣辦；你只知道哭，那將來怎麼辦呢？」阿難聽這一位尊者一說，才豁然醒悟起來，說：「對啊！應該有重要的事情，現在來請問於佛。可是我現在哭得什麼都不記得了，究竟我們應該問什麼呢？我的心亂如麻了，所以也想不起來什麼問題了。」
這位尊者就說：「你請問佛，將來結集經藏的時候，這每一部經的前面，應該用什麼文字來代表？這是第一個問題。」阿難說：對！對！對！這個應該問的，這很重要！非常重要！那麼你說第二個問題呢？「第二個問題，佛在世的時候，我們以佛為師；佛入涅槃之後，我們又以誰為師呢？這也要請問於佛。」阿難說：「對！對！這也應該問的，這很重要！」那第三點呢？「第三點，你請問佛，佛住世的時候，我們所有的比丘都依佛而住；佛入涅槃之後，我們又依誰而住呢？」阿難說：「這個也重要，這個應該請問的！」
第四條呢？「第四條，就是佛在世的時候，惡性比丘，佛自調伏；佛入涅槃之後，這惡性的比丘，那又誰來調伏他呢？這第四條，也應該請問於佛。」阿難說：「對，這四條都非常重要，我就去請問於佛去。」於是乎阿難尊者就到佛的面前，長跪合掌，請問於佛，說：「佛、世尊您就要入涅槃了，我現在有重要的事情想要請問於佛，請佛慈悲告訴我。」佛說：「你問什麼事啊？問啦！」阿難就說：「佛住世的時候，說法四十九年，談經三百餘會，所說的經典，將來結集經藏，這每一部經的前面，應該用什麼文字來代表呢？」
佛說：「哦！這個問題呀！我告訴你，在將來結集經藏的時候，我們這個經典和外道的經典不同，外道的經典前邊，不是說有，就是說無，所有一切外道的經典，在經的前邊都不超出有、無這兩個字。那麼佛教的經典，在經的前邊要用「如是我聞」這四個字來代表，就是說如是之法，是我阿難親自聽見的，不是由傳聞而聽見的。」阿難說：「好！將來我就用『如是我聞』這四個字。」
待續 |
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Sutra:
Thus I have heard. At one time the Bhagavan was travelling through various lands to teach living beings. He arrived at Vaishali (the City of Extensive Adornments) and stayed beneath a tree from which music resounded. With him were eight thousand great Bhikshus and thirty-six thousand Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas; also kings, ministers, Brahmans, lay disciples; gods, dragons, and the rest of the eightfold division; beings human and non-human. The immeasurable great multitude respectfully surrounded him, and he spoke Dharma for them.
Commentary:
Thus I have heard. The word "thus" means, "The Dharma which is 'thus' can be believed, studied, and practiced. You should make vows to practice according to the Dharma which is 'thus.'" Ananda [who compiled the Sutra] is saying, "The Dharma spoken in this Sutra is what I, Ananda, personally heard the Buddha speak with his golden mouth. It is not hearsay. I myself heard it."
The Four Matters
There were four reasons for saying "Thus I have heard," which the Buddha gave when Ananda asked about the Four Matters. When the Buddha was about the enter Nirvana, Ananda was so overcome with grief that he could only cry! Although Ananda was a First Stage Arhat, he was still emotional. He couldn't bear to think that the Buddha was going to enter Nirvana, so he wept piteously, forgetting about everything else.
Then another Bhikshu reminded him, "You're in charge of recording the Dharma spoken by the Buddha. The Buddha is about to enter Nirvana, so you'd better think things over clearly! There are some important matters you should ask the Buddha about before he enters Nirvana. All you know how to do is cry! What will become of us in the future?" Hearing the Venerable One's words, Ananda collected his wits and said, "Yes, you're right, but I've been crying so hard I can't think straight. What should we ask the Buddha?"
The Venerable One said, "First of all, when we compile the Sutras in the future, how should they begin?" Ananda replied, "Right! That's very important!" "Second, when the Buddha is in the world, we take the Buddha as our teacher. After the Buddha enters Nirvana, whom should we take as our teacher?" Ananda said, "Yes, that's also an important question!"
"Third, when the Buddha is in the world, all the Bhikshus dwell with the Buddha. After the Buddha enters Nirvana, with whom should we dwell?" "That's certainly a good question!" said Ananda. "Fourth, when the Buddha is in the world, he can subdue the evil-natured Bhikshus. After the Buddha enters Nirvana, who should discipline them?"
"These four questions are all extremely important," said Ananda. "Now I will go and ask the Buddha." Then he went before the Buddha, knelt, placed his palms together, and said, "World Honored One, since you are about to enter Nirvana, there are some important questions I would like to ask. I hope the Buddha will compassionately answer them." The Buddha replied, "What are your questions? You may ask them now."
"Buddha, you have spoken the Dharma for forty-nine years and expounded the Sutras in over three hundred assemblies," said Ananda, "In the future, when we compile the Sutras, how should they begin?"
The Buddha told Ananda, "Our Sutras are different from the scriptures of other religions, which begin by speaking of either existence or non-existence. You should begin the Buddhist Sutras with the four words, 'Thus I have heard,' which means, 'I, Ananda, personally heard this Dharma, which is thus; it is not hearsay.'"
To be continued |
