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Arguing from Silence--The Absence of Pure Land Buddhism in Bai Religion=默然之諍--白族宗教中沒有淨土佛教 |
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| Author |
McRae, John R.=馬克瑞, 約翰
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| Source |
中華國際佛學會議實錄（第3屆）：人間淨土與現代社會: = The Record of Chung-Hwa International Conference on Buddhism(3rd): The "Earthly" Pure Land and Contemporary Society
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| Date | 1998.02 |
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| Pages | 190 - 191 |
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| Publisher | 法鼓文化出版社=Dharma Drum Culture |
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| Publisher Url |
http://www.ddc.com.tw
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| Location | 臺北市, 臺灣 [Taipei shih, Taiwan] |
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| Content type | 會議論文=Proceeding Article |
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| Language | 中文=Chinese; 英文=English |
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| Note | 中英文提要; 中文論文提要：頁117. |
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| Keyword | Bai Religion; Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms; Cakravartin; Bai Culture; McRae, John R.; 馬克瑞; 白族宗教; 南詔和大理國; 阿育王; 白族文化 |
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| Abstract | In order to understand the full dimensions and multiplex identities of Pure Land Buddhism，it is useful to explore not only contexts where it is widely espoused and practiced，but also where it is not. By looking at such cases, where Pure Land Buddhism was an available option not chosen by a given community or social group，we should be able to detect boundaries and dimensions not normally apparent. What are the limits placed on the adoption of Pure Land Buddhism，either from doctrinal，political，social，or other factors? Or，in what religious environments does Pure Land Buddhism not thrive，and what does this tell us about both Pure Land and the communities or environments involved?
The Bai people of Dali Prefecture，Yunnan Province 雲南省大理州之白族 in southwest China have been known since at least Song dynasty times as devout Buddhists. Dali is unique within the contemporary Chinese cultural world for the extent to which it has maintained both the physical artifacts (stUpas, cave sculpture，etc.) of its past Buddhist glories and，simultaneously，the vibrant dynamism of its contemporary devotional practices. The Bai do not，however，appear to have ever been attracted to Pure Land Buddhism. Why not?
One likely explanation is that Bai religion was inescapably molded by the interests of the rulers of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms (7-13th centuries) in justifying themselves as cakravartin or universal Buddhist monarchs in the manner of the famous Asoka of Maurya India, and in depicting their regime as a sacred realm protected by the male Avalokitesvara who appears in the form of and Indian monk in myths pertaining to the founding of Nanzhao，and a host of other deities of the Dali regime as sacred，there would have been no need to posit faith in a separate Pure Land to the West.
Other possible factors include：(1) an incompatibility between the unique form o esoteric Buddhism practiced in traditional Bai culture and Pure Land Buddhism; (2) restrictions based on the Bai configuration of ancestor worship and funerary rites; (3) the Han support of Chan Buddhism and the concomitant resistance by the indigenous Bai population.
There are limits to this approach, of course，and they are probably more severe than with other research methodologies. Since one is exploring events that did not take place there are，ipso facto，no explicit rules for judging how different factors may have interacted. One may search for parallels and continuities, oppositions and contrasts -but how can one ever be certain they are the effective vectors involved? In spite of these difficulties, though, the importance of looking at the "other side of the coin" is in the likelihood that it will grant us insights not otherwise available when dealing with more conventional bodies of evidence. This is the promise o arguing from silence.
要想了解淨土佛教的完整面向和複雜內涵，不僅應探討淨土佛教被廣泛宣揚和修持的地區，也應注意到沒淨土佛教的地方. 透過對後者的觀察，我們必然可以發現若干隱藏的界線和面向. 不管是從教義，政治，社會或其他因素來看，淨土佛教不被接受之因是哪些呢? 換言之，在什麼樣的宗教環境下，淨土佛教無法昌盛呢? 這種認識又如何幫助我們對淨土和相關社區或環境的了解?
居住雲南省大理縣的白族，自從宋代以來就是虔誠的佛教徒. 在現代中國文化世界中，大理是個特殊的地方，因它一方面保有過去佛教光榮的遺物(舍利塔，洞窟，雕刻等)，一方面又富有現代宗教修行的蓬勃活力. 不管如何，白族從未對淨土佛教發生過興趣. 為什麼呢?
一個可能之因：白族的宗教，不可避免地受到南詔和大理國(7-13世紀)統治者的興趣所影響，這些國王認為自己就是像印度名王阿育王一般的轉輪聖王，並把自己的王國描述為受到男身觀音菩薩保護的聖地; 在南詔國的立國神話中，觀音菩薩化身為印度僧人和許多神祇. 如果把大理政權描述為神聖的政權，就沒必要再相信另外一個西方淨土.
其他的可能原因包括：(1)傳統白族文化中的密教法門與淨土佛教兩者間有不能妥協的地方; (2)白族祖先崇拜和葬儀所形成的限制; (3)自從明代以降，漢族對禪佛教的支持，及故產生白族原住民的抗拒.
當然，這種研究進路有其限制，且可能比起其他研究方法還要來得多. 因我們是在探討從未發生過的事件; 事實上，又缺乏明顯的規則，可以讓我們判斷到底有多少因素是在互動者. 我們也許是在尋找平行線和連續線，對立和相對 -- 但我們怎能肯定它們是相關的有效向量呢? 但即使有這些困難，「觀察銅幣的另一面」仍然有如他山之石，可以攻錯. 這便是默然之諍的可貴處. |
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| ISBN | 9578473567 |
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| Hits | 558 |
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| Created date | 2000.12.05 |
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| Modified date | 2015.08.11 |
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