He was accompanied by twelve thousand great bhikṣus.

If it is said that [the transmitter] heard [the preaching] by himself, one would find it difficult to believe other factors, too. If he simply said we and everybody [vaguely, not specifically] he would not be any better than “excepted from being” a solitary [witness]. [So] he lists all the [specific] cohearers. These are all that I mentioned as [the five factors] witnessing the sūtra. Bhikṣu is a general term referring to those who are in the process of destroying evils. Why are the voice hearers (śrāvakas) listed first and then the bodhisattvas? This has to do with the difference of inner and outer; inner-directedness has a limited scope, whereas outer-directedness has no restrictions. Hence, it should be in that order. It also suggests that the Buddha’s transformative teaching covers all; starting from the near, extending to the distant; there is no place where [his] Tao is not existent. Great (Mahā) refers to the assembly of people that can [counter] ninety-six kinds [of heretical views or arguments].