漢譯佛典中地獄觀之內涵與演進：從《阿含經》至《俱舍論》

Abstract

在佛教所說的三界中，我們所生存的欲界，據《瑜伽師地論》卷4，共有36處，為六道眾生所住，而在這36處中，唯地獄趣眾生獨住的地獄(那落迦)即佔16處之多，可想見地獄在佛教宇宙觀系統中的重要地位了。 佛教的地獄思想非常豐富且極具特色，本論文撿擇在印度自原始佛教至部派佛教的13部經典、3部論典，系統性地彙整各經、論中的地獄思想，試著梳理佛教地獄觀的發展脈絡，及設法解釋其中的相關問題。在系統上，從漢譯四部《阿含經》中，我們便得出兩類地獄思想傾向，但它們在原始佛教的地獄思想演化上各自代表什麼意義？彼此之間又有什麼關係？而部派論典與經典中的地獄觀又是怎樣的傳承關係？以上都是本論文所要釐清的問題。 首先，今天最為世人所熟知的八熱大地獄應該是在佛教內部最早出現、歷史最悠久的地獄類型，連帶其附屬的諸小地獄也是如此。在我們得出的兩種地獄類型中，《中阿含經》所代表的「四門連鎖循環地獄」或可視為佛教地獄觀之原型。後來，串連諸地獄的前、後順序差別演化成為大、小或主、附的從屬關係，這才成就了今日佛教熱大地獄、小地獄的不同分類。而地獄的大、小分類在另外三部漢譯《阿含經》中清晰可見。 但是在漢譯四部《阿含經》中尚有一組地獄，或十個、或八個，身分、內容皆不明確，卻在後來的論典中成為八寒大地獄。在本論文中，我們主張是：論典裡的八寒大地獄便是漢譯四部《阿含經》中那一組身分、內容皆不明確的地獄，與來自印度以外的「寒」元素結合而產生的新地獄類型。這個外來的「寒」元素最早出現在《長阿含經》中，後來在《增壹阿含經》裡也有，都在小地獄系統中；但在論典中卻成為新一套大地獄系統：寒大地獄。我們相信：無論是寒小地獄或是寒大地獄，都是後來才發展出來的。 最後，自《大毘婆沙論》後才有的孤地獄幾乎無從在漢譯四部《阿含經》中尋著蛛絲馬跡，但在論典中卻自成一類。輾轉追查後，我們推論：《長阿含經》中的閻羅可能便是孤地獄有情，而《根本說一切有部毘奈耶皮革事》中的尊者億耳的遭遇或許便是《大毘婆沙論》說有孤地獄的根據。

Among three realms of Buddhism, where we live, desire realm, consists of 36 places dwelt in beings of six paths, according to chapter 4, Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. Of the 36 places, as many as 16 of them are hells (naraka), which manifests the significance of hells in Buddhist Cosmology. The ideas about Buddhist Hells are abundant and distinctive. 13 Sutras and 3 Abhidharmas are carefully chosen and their information concerning Buddhist Hells is collected and systemized to reconstruct and contextualize the formation of Buddhist Hells. Besides, other related problems incurred are interpreted as well. From four Āgamas, two groups of data can be found. What do they mean to the formation of Buddhist Hells? How are they related to each other? Furthermore, how Abhidharmas are related to Sutras? These are what we would like to figure out in this thesis. The most recognized Buddhist eight hot hells may be the most long-standing hells within Buddhist system and share more common history with ancient Indian cultures. So are the Utsadas, which are subordinate to the Eight Hot Hells in Buddhist Cosmology. Of the two groups of hells, the “Four Gated Circular Allied Hells” in Madhyama Āgama might be treated as the prototype of Buddhist Hells. Later in time, the linear order between circular hells was realized hierarchically to establish, what we know today, Hot Hells and Utsadas, which can be seen in other three Āgamas. Also, another array of hells, eight or ten in number, were pretty obscure in four Āgamas but articulated as Eight Cold Hells in Abhidharmas. In this thesis, we contend that those Eight Cold Hells in Abhidharmas should derive from those obscure hells in Āgamas, added to “cold” feature brought from outside India. In Dīrgha Āgama was a cold utsada and then in Ekottarika Āgama were eight cold utsadas, whereas they were entitled as Cold Hells in Abhidharmas. We are convinced that, Utsadas or Hells, they are the evolutionary outcome rather than historical heritage. Finally, Lone Hells could barely be detected in four Āgamas, while they obviously exist in Abhidharmas but reveal very little about themselves. Through toiling, we speculate that Yama(閻羅) in Dīrgha Āgama might be a being in a lone hell and the story of bhikṣu Śronakotīvijśa(比丘億耳) in Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinaya might be the basis, on which Lone Hells were declared in Abhidharma Mahāvibhāṣā Śāstra.