僧肇《肇論》文字般若化 ──以「自虛」、「參玄」、「寂用」、 「會萬物以成己者」為焦點

Abstract

僧肇《肇論》一出，格義佛教正式退場，從印度、西域來的佛法，真正能以中文完整表達，讓漢語世界順接佛法教義，依文所顯的道可以無誤，載道所轉的文可以活用，啟發以中文論述佛法，漢傳佛教於焉能立地展開。 僧肇善用時人熟悉的老莊道家玄語，出入其中，卻也能脫化而出，被其師鳩摩羅什讚為：「吾解不謝子，辭當相挹」。其文字精確達雅，環環相扣，常常文字一翻，意義迥然拔高，不僅跳脫老莊，契合般若思想，更是文道符應，活用中文，因此無形中具足了實踐的力道。而這樣的文道典範與運用，可謂文字般若化，其對後代漢傳佛教有很好的啟發與承接。尤其具實踐力道的文字，為禪門多所運用，啟發禪師們的教化風格、銘記詩偈、機鋒對話、智境相融的境界語等。 僧肇之所以能用中文自在論述佛法，與佛法的語言文字觀有關，故本文先探究佛法與僧肇的名實觀，再具體舉僧肇《肇論》中代表性的語詞，探討它們如何被僧肇運用而般若化，如何被後來修行者所承接。由此更確切了解僧肇《肇論》的位置與價值。 本文選擇四種相關語詞，一個精確文字的精神來探討，分別是：1. 當下雙遣：「自虛」、「即」。2. 轉換道家印記：「參玄」。3. 擇新詞以明：「虛照」、「寂用」、「寂、照」、「默照」。4. 觸事即真：「會萬物以成己者，其唯聖人乎」。5. 文道符應、文道般若的語言精確度。

The composition of Seng-zhao's Zhao Lun (The Treatises of Seng-zhao) marked the end of Geyi (格義) Buddhism. The Dharma transmitted from India and the Western Regions could be fully expressed in Chinese, facilitating its propagation in the Chinese speaking world. The philosophy contained in the texts could be conveyed without error, and the texts could be used in a lively manner, inspiring the development of Chinese Buddhism. Seng-zhao was a master of using the metaphysical Taoist concepts of the Lao-Zhuang, which people at that time were familiar with. He could immerse himself in it, but also come out of it, and was praised by his teacher Kumārajīva who said: ＂Your understanding is superior to mine, and it is close to the true meaning.＂ His words were precise, elegant and closely linked with one another. When the words are interpreted, their significance is often extraordinary. Not only does his text break away from the Lao-Zhuang, according itself with the Buddhist prajnā philosophy; its style is in accordance with its contents, displaying a remarkably flexible use of the Chinese language. It is imbued with the power of practice. This model set by Seng-zhao's unique literary style, which I refer to as the ＂prajnā-ification＂ of speech, had a far ranging influence on the subsequent development of Chinese Buddhism. Especially, words with strength of practice are often used by the Chan schools, inspiring the teaching style of Chan masters, Buddhist poetry, stories of encounters between masters and disciples, and words bringing about the harmony of wisdom and state. The reason why Seng-zhao could freely discuss Dharma in Chinese is related to the Dharma's understanding of language. This paper first explores the Dharma and Seng-zhao's concept of realism, before giving specific examples of representative words in Seng-zhao's Zhao Lun to discuss how they were used by Seng Zhao in relation to this notion of prajnā-ification, and how they were accepted by later generations of practitioners. In this way, the status and value of Seng-zhao's Zhao Lun can be understood more accurately. This paper selects four related words and one topic dealing with the issue of stylistic principles. They are as follows: 1. Casting away the polarization of things: zixu (自虛) and ji (即); 2. Transforming the context of Taoist concepts: canxuan (參玄); 3. Choosing new words: xuzhao (虛照), jiyong (寂用), ji (寂), zhao (照), mozhao (默照); 4. Truth is found in contact with the object: ＂to realize that self and all things arise from conditioned causation; only saints are capable of this＂; 5. Perfect correspondence between style and message.