梵本《金光明經・流水長者子品》之現代社會意義探討

Abstract

《金光明經》為一大乘經典，最早由南北朝曇無懺（385-433）所譯出，一致被稱為「護國三經」之一。其中〈流水長者子品〉被喻為重要護生思想的一品，主要重點敘述佛陀本生如何救一萬條魚，因而帶出護生思想的理念，以及作為往後放生程序的根據。智者大師（539-598）亦依此品之護生思想，製作放生儀軌，此後此品之「放生」形象逐漸形成。此外，「放生」所帶來的現世利益，也間接影響了後世人的熱衷，因此「放生」便成為〈流水長者子品〉的思想地位。但是此品之護生思想的實踐是否僅限於「放生」？放生的根本在於戒殺護生，主要理念是讓人長養慈悲同理心，懂得尊重生命。若依此理念，〈流水長者子品〉是否有更深的涵義，是我們尚未查覺到的？假若將這樣護生的理念放到現代社會的脈絡底下，又應如何理解？關於佛教經典的現代社會理解，筆者將採取「佛法再脈絡化」（recontextualization of Buddhadharma）的研究進路，檢視經典與現代社會的關係。此外，搭配一些文獻學的方法，根據南條文雄（Bunyiu Nanjio）、泉芳璟（Hokei Idzumi）校訂的《梵文金光明最勝王經》為底本作梵漢校對，以作為解讀經典的依據。研究發現，深入去探究此品與現代社會作連結的話，筆者認為經典中流水長者子的角色也許可視為社會團體或企業組織，而一萬條魚則可視為是弱勢族群，因此筆者認為此品的現代社會解讀將涉及三個面向：理想社會觀，社會責任觀，以及政治思想。

The Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra is one of three Mahāyāna sūtras which traditionally regarded to having the efficacy for the protection of the nations. According to Chinese Buddhist tradition, The Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra was translated by Tán wú chèn (Dharmakṣema 曇無讖 385-433) during the Wei-Jin dynasty. The chapter on the Elder Jalavahana, contains important ideas on the concept of protecting life. This Chapter, by and large, narrates how the Buddha saved ten thousand fish, hence contains the idea of protecting life, and a life-saving protocol. Master Zhìzhě (智者大師 539-598) also followed the idea of protecting life and formed a ritual procedure for the purpose. Since then, the “protecting life” image of this chapter has gradually formed. The idea of protecting life or life saving has been not only an important virture of the monastics, but also the interests of the lay followers through out the most part of the Chinese Buddhist history, and because of this, “protecting life” has become the standard ideological position of “the Chapter on the Elder Jalavahana”. Although the life-protecting image of this text is evident, I found that there are more important themes implied in this text that has not been revealed in the up-to-date scholarship. The principle of protecting life is to abstain from killing and taking care of life, the main goal is to cultivate our compassion and realise to respect life. If we follow this idea, has this chapter a deeper meaning that is unrecognized? If we put this idea of protecting life in the modern social context, can we have a more complete interpretation of it and make the most of its teaching? In my view, in order to apply Buddhist teaching to our modern social context, I believe it is important to recontextualize the Buddhist teaching, but without overlook the foundamental method of philology. If we deeply explore the chapter to connect with modern society, I think the scripture on the role of the elder Jalavahana may be deemed to be akin to the role of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) or business organization, and the ten thousand fish akin to underprivileged groups. So, I think a modern, social reading of this chapter will involve three aspects: the ideal social view, the concept of social responsibility, and politics.