漢譯佛典蓮華色比丘尼敘事探析：以《四分律》、《五分律》、《毘奈耶》為例=The Story of Utpala-varnā in the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya, Mahīśāsaka-vinaya, and Mūla-sarvāstivāda-vinaya of the Chinese Buddhist Canon
In the Buddhist scriptures Utpala-varnā (蓮華色) is praised by the Buddha as the foremost bhiksunī in terms of supernormal powers. Yet, she is also notorious for her pre-monastic background, the sordid details of which include her committing incest and engaging in prostitution. Moreover, in the course of transmission and translation of her story, Utpala-varnā has come to be associated with a wide variety of fantastic tales. These developments can be analyzed from a number of different perspectives. Combining the approaches of mythology and narratology, this article makes a critical analysis of the Utpala-varnā cycle of stories which are related in the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya, the Mahīśāsaka-vinaya, and the Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinaya of the Chinese Buddhist Canon, providing the most complete version of the incest incidents. In the first section, the narratological frame of reference is used to make a detailed comparative reading of the three versions of the story, including the plot, characters, narrative structure, and the narrator’s perspective. Next, the mythological perspective is adopted to make an inquiry into the symbolic meaning of the name “Utpala-varnā” and the narrative structure of the incest incidents. The results are then used to uncover the underlying meaning meant to be conveyed by this cycle of stories, as well as to elucidate the various ways in which the symbolic imagery of the lotus is employed. All three versions make Utpala-varnā’s realization of the evil of incest the catalyst for her going forth into the life of a Buddhist nun, yet there are certain impressed differences involved. In the Dharmaguptaka account Utpala-varnā is portrayed as representing the position of an ordinary woman in ancient Indian society, while in the Mahīśāsaka version she is cast in the image of a woman in traditional Confucian society. In the Mūla-sarvāstivāda version, however, while known as Utpala (青蓮花), instead of being cast in a traditional mold, she is clearly portrayed as a distinctive, legendary character who transcends her tragic background and enters the path of sainthood. The variety of ways in which Utpala-varnā is portrayed in these three vinaya texts provides rich material for a comparative analysis from the perspective of narratology.
