漢傳禪佛教之起源與開展 ── 中華禪法鼓宗默照禪修行體系之建構=The Origins and Development of Chinese Chan Buddhism: A Study of the Mozhao/ Silent Illumination Chan Meditation System of the Dharma Drum Lineage
作者單位：法鼓文理學院副教授=Associate Professor, Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts
關鍵詞
慧解脫=Wisdom Liberation; 不依禪=Non-dependent Absorption; 默照=Mozhao/ Silent Illumination; 四念住=Four Bases of Mindfulness; 四無量=Four Immeasurable States of Mind
After its introduction to China, Buddhism undergoes dramatic competition against and fusion with Chinese culture for hundreds of years. Chan School after the Tang and Song dynasties could be regarded as the most successfully localized school. Drawing from the essence of both Buddhist and Chinese culture, it best exemplifies the characteristics of Chinese Buddhism. After having fully matured, it turns out to be a strong influence to the Confucian- Daoist Chinese culture. When the term “Chinese Chan Buddhism” is used, it more or less indicates the general Chinese Buddhism as a whole. If one studies Chinese Chan Buddhism from the perspective of the Three Cultivations (śikṣā-traya) – precept (vinaya), centration (samādhi) and wisdom (prajñā) – the Conglin/Monastic system is mainly related to the precepts. Though the thoughts and practice of Chinese Chan Buddhism are also related to the precepts, but they are more closely related to concentration and wisdom. The latter will be the focus of this study. “Gateless gate of Chan” and “where the path of words is cut off” are both ideas often mentioned in Chinese Chan Buddhism. There has been many discourses from Chan predecessors, which has been and continues to be guiding texts for Chan practice. However, historically, Chan School talks little about constructing a system of Chinese Chan Buddhist thoughts and practice within the general Indian and Chinese Buddhist development. In this study, a new attempt is proposed. The author would like to investigate the origins and development of Chan practice in Chinese Chan Buddhism from the viewpoint of the history of Indian and Chinese Buddhist thoughts. On the other hand, through studying important Buddhist scriptures and works from Chan masters, this paper also like to discuss whether Chan School, inheriting from Indian Buddhism then transforming to a sect in Chinese Chan Buddhism, has a coherent thought for Chan practice. The aim is to evaluate and cultivate the characteristics of the Dharma Drum Lineage of Chinese Chan Buddhism. As this topic is too broad, this study will focus mainly on Mozhao/ Silent Illumination.
