中古時期靈寶經大乘觀念研究

Abstract

大乘佛典譯介進入中國後，其中的觀念開始滲透並被借用到中國本土的經典，最明顯的就是古靈寶經。本文即在佛道的脈絡下探討大乘觀念在靈寶經中的借用與轉化，從古靈寶經的內容當中探討靈寶經典當中的大乘經典觀，並試討論靈寶經如何建立靈寶的大乘經典，並在中世紀佛道交涉的脈絡當中探討靈寶大乘觀的形成。試著去了解在四世紀到五世紀的中土佛教與道教如何去詮釋與理解「大乘」，這種考察不但可以幫助我們理解中世紀的中國如何理解印度中亞的宗教概念，更可以幫助我們了解這些概念如何被中國人所吸收與轉化，進而滲透到佛教以外的宗教，從而建立一種新的經典觀。此研究議題也開展了當代佛道交涉研究的新面向，使我們可以從這個案例來重新思考佛教的「漢化」與佛道「融合」的議題。本研究將從幾個面向作分析，其一，分析鳩摩羅什以前對大乘的觀念在不同的翻譯經典當中有種種意義的考察；其二，古靈寶經當中大乘的觀念以及使用「大乘」之脈絡；其三，靈寶經中的大乘觀念如何轉化佛教中的大乘意涵，成為一種普遍救度、公開傳授的教化或經典；其四，古靈寶經的大乘意涵與江南佛教譯經之關係，探討焦點集中在靈寶經與無量壽經系之關係，而靈寶經典的救度觀也因無量壽經系而在型態上有所轉變，轉而強調誦經功德，並透過誦經而達到普遍救度的功效，從而也建立了靈寶大乘經典的型態。本文在前輩學者的基礎上，在佛道交涉的研究議題上繼續深化並擴展新的面向。本文對過去學界對大乘觀念的認知展開反省，並重新檢視「大乘」一詞在經典中的使用；對於古靈寶經當中的大乘觀念作進一步考察，同時思考古靈寶經的救度觀，重而來界定道教的大乘經典觀。本文從靈寶經大乘觀來審視不同面向的佛道交涉觀點，以提供佛道交涉研究新的視角。

The Buddhist scriptures that were translated before 5th C.E. are particularly related to the Mahayana Buddhism. These scriptures form a strong nucleus of Chinese Buddhist thinking. The success of the Lingbao effort to sinicize elements of Buddhist belief not only shaped the direction of Daoism itself, but also aided the integration of Buddhism into Chinese society. This project sets out to understand how the concept of “Mahayana” was borrowed and transformed in Lingbao scriptures. The project will help us to understand how people in medieval China interpret the Buddhist doctrine and further to construct new genres of sacred scriptures. Scholars have been attempts to use developments within the Buddhist sphere, particularly the translations in northern China of Kumarajiva (ca. 409), to emphases the borrowing of “Mahayana” within the Lingbao scriptures. However, this project will demonstrate the borrowings of “Mahayana” come from the translations of Zhi Qian, Kang Senghui, and other late third-century translators in the south. In order to discuss the relationship between Lingbao scriptures and Buddhist sūtras in the south, this project will compare Lingbao scriptures and Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra and present their connection. Meanwhile, the Lingbao scripture was termed the Mahayana type of Daoism which is considered superior to other Daoist sects. This statement concerning the “public salvation” of Lingbao scriptures to indicate that the scriptures were largely transformed the concept of Mahayana in Buddhist sūtras. This project will seek to address these questions and takes as a case study the Buddho-Daoist studies within medieval China. This project concludes with a discussion of the need for rethinking of “sinification” as well as “syncretism” in Buddho-Daoist context.