羅什譯《維摩詰經》人間佛教意涵之研究── 以〈觀眾生品〉、〈佛道品〉為中心=A Study on the Meaning of Humanistic Buddhism in Vimalakīrti-nideśa Sūtra translated by Kumārajīva- Focus on the Chapters of ‘Observing Living Beings’ and ‘The Buddha Way’
The development of Humanistic Buddhism focuses on “human” as its core object; the practice of Humanistic Buddhism is to guide sentient beings to realize their original pure selves and to be free from afflictions. The Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra is a text that records how Vimalakīrti practices the path of Buddhahood in the human world and expounds the Dharma to liberate sentient beings. Through examining the version translated by Kumārajīva, this paper explores the foundation of liberating sentient beings in the “Chapter on Observing Sentient Beings” in the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra, as well as the practice of liberating sentient beings in the “Chapter on the Buddha Way”. The paper investigates the theme of humanistic Buddhism by exploring the Humanistic quality of Buddhism, for which is considered as an important basis for reflection on what Buddhism can offer in modern life circumstances. The paper begins with examinations of the translations, various commentaries, content of the core ideas and the humanistic quality lies within them in the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra. It is followed by an exploration of the structured themes and doctrines in the “Chapter on Observing Sentient Beings” and the “Chapter on the Buddha Way”, an integration in the worldly dharma and the transcendental Dharma, and an exploration of the reciprocal practice of compassion with wisdom on emptiness. Finally, the paper discusses the idea of “establishment of all dharmas from the non-abiding essence” from the perspective of bodhisattva thought in liberating sentient beings, in accordance to the development of the idea of non-abiding essence in Humanistic Buddhism. The “Chapter on Observing Sentient Beings” records the ways of bodhisattvas liberating sentient beings: that the fundamental nature of bodhisattva is empty, contemplation on the empty nature of sentient beings, and the practice of true compassion is also empty. The bodhisattva practices are non-abiding actions in applying the non-substantiality of the three aspects of giving. With the foundation of non-abiding, the “Chapter on the Buddha Way” records the practice in non-Buddhist view is for the purpose of penetration to the Buddha’s path. Bodhisattvas have great compassion to all sentient beings due to their non-abidingness; they practice wisdom with expedient means in various ways, which is also known as practice of the path to buddhahood. The paper concludes that the general scheme of the Buddha’s life-long cultivation and liberation to sentient beings are reflected from the “Chapter on Observing Sentient Beings” to the “Chapter on the Buddha Way” in the sutra. The penetration to the path to buddhahood is achieved in the very moment of caring for sentient beings in the human world, speaking the true Dharma, and acting without abiding.
