📖 Meaning
Literally 'thus have I heard,' this phrase is the traditional opening of Buddhist scriptures. It is attributed to Ananda, the Buddha's disciple, who claimed to have personally heard the teachings directly from the Buddha. It is used to affirm the authenticity of a transmitted teaching or account.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from Buddhist scripture tradition. According to legend, Ananda, the Buddha's cousin and close disciple, recited the Buddha's sermons from memory at the First Buddhist Council. He prefaced each sermon with '如是我闻' to indicate that he had personally heard the teaching from the Buddha. The phrase appears in the 《佛地经论》, which explains that the transmitter of the Dharma declares 'such things I once heard.' It subsequently became the standard opening line for nearly all Buddhist sutras translated into Chinese.
💡 Example Usage
如是我闻，当年他在山中修行时，曾得高僧指点。
Thus have I heard: when he practiced in the mountains, he once received guidance from an eminent monk.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 如是我闻
- Pinyin: rú shì wǒ wén
- Literal Translation: thus, like this, I, heard
- Category: Knowledge
- Characters: 4