敦煌本《佛法东流传》的学术价值

The academic value of the Dunhuang version of Buddhism Spreading to the East

敦煌卷子抄录之《佛法东流传》,成书于唐高祖武德年间。此书对于研究中古时期的佛教、道教以及佛道关系具有重要的学术参考价值。《佛法东流传》之编者通过节录佛教伪史,建立起自己的中国佛教历史观。中古时期依附汉明帝感梦求法传说形成的一批佛教伪史著作,据此得到部分保存。其叙述佛道斗法时,详细征引了道教经目,亦可见北周至隋唐之初的道教经目与南朝陆修静《灵宝经目》的密切关联。通过此书所载佛道论衡的议题、焦点以及解决路径,可窥见李唐王朝以老子为皇室之祖的政策引起佛道冲突的诸多细节。

Buddhism Spreading to the East,copied by Dunhuang reel,which formed into works during WuDe years of Emperor Tang Gaozu,plays a significant and academic reference value in studying Buddhism,Taoism and their relations in Old and Medieval times.The editor built up his own historical conception about Buddhism in China by excerpting pseudo-history of Buddhism,of which a famous series from dharma through dreams by Emperor Han Mingdi were partly preserved.Buddhism Spreading to the East cited the content of Taoism in terms of describing debates between Buddhists and Taoists.Therefore,the content of Taoism from Northern Zhou Dynasty to Sui and Tang Dynasties are closely related to the Content of Lingbao written by Lu Jingxiu in Southern Dynasties.The topic of balance between Buddhism and Taoism,its focus and its solution were recorded in this book,which obviously reflects the various details about the conflicts between Buddhism and Taoism caused by Taoism as the emperor policy in Tang Dynasty.