早期佛教文獻中所載一個典型佛教修行道架構及其來源之探討 -- 以四部漢譯《阿含經》和四部巴利尼柯耶為代表=A Stereotyped Structure of the Path in Early Buddhist Literature: A Comparative Study of the Four Pāli Nikāyas and Four Chinese ?gamas
本論文之研究對象為一個出現在早期佛教文獻中（以四《阿含經》和四尼柯耶為代表）相當完整也可能是最重要的佛教禪修之道架構（structure of path）。有時它是以完整的形態出現，有時則以部份形態出現，這兩種類型出現之次數皆非常高。本文從其主要出處：巴利《沙門果經》開始，依次檢視它在《長部》／《長阿含經》、以及其他兩部尼柯耶／阿含經中的出處，對所有用例之內容與形態作了一些分析。在這些頻繁且多樣化的呈現當中，本文關注了兩個問題：長而完整的道架構之清單（list）的來源為何？長短不一的這些清單在結構和意涵上是否有很大的差異？針對前者本文批判了Griffiths所提之主張，針對後者本文則發現各種形態的清單共同呈現出非常高度的一致性，這種特性對探討這些道架構的形成來源有很大的啟發性。
This paper examines one prominent meditative path-structure (‘Stereotyped Structure of the Path’ or ‘SSP’) and its origin in early Buddhism (represented by four Pāli Nikāyas and four Chinese ?gamas). The path-structure consists of a list that contains many formulas that are composed in a step-by-step order according to a definite pattern. However, many forms of the list are found throughout the early Buddhist canon. The most common form of the list presents the most complete and longest version, which occurs in a considerable number of texts in DN/D? and MN/M?. There are also other forms of the list scattered in many other texts. The wide-ranging use of the SSP list brings us to consider whether we could discover the origin of the SSP list in these numerous instances. Through a careful investigation several possibilities have been considered, and the argument proposed by Paul Griffiths has been criticized. A number of findings suggest that a remarkable fixity, which is in fact governed by the underlying fundamental principle of the path-structure, has led the SSP list—as seen throughout the canon—to a highly consistent and coherent presentation. This is so regardless of the great deal of variations found in many occurrences. This message is in turn of crucial importance in assisting our understanding of the origin, as well as the composition and transmission of the SSP.
