“妙善公主”模式的观音信仰的“中国化”探讨

“Avalokitesvara belief”in the Context of“Sinicization of Buddhism”——Discussion on the“Sinicization”of“Avalokitesvara Belief”in the Model of“Princess Miaoshan”

中国佛教要在现代期内平稳发展,必须要在“佛教中国化”和“观音信仰”这两个基本维度下功夫。进入中国的宗教必须能够保证与当地的宗教或文化进行对接,或相互发生影响,从而促进两个异质的宗教与文化发生强烈的互动,同时又在一个内体中共同成长,也不排除最后形成一种特质的宗教与文化。对“妙善公主”类的观音信仰,应看到它的背后存在的民间信仰主因,这是中国佛教徒创作的,是地域文化与佛教文化相互结合之后而出现的结果。隋唐之前的观音信仰主要分布在以黄河与长江流域为中心的地区,宋代以后观音信仰的地方化元素则呈现全面开花的势态。观音信仰证明,中国佛教界始终自觉地走在中国化的道路上,尽可能将外来信仰改进为民族性信仰,完成“在地化”转换。印度传来的“妙善公主”之观音信仰母本《法华经·妙庄严王本事品》部分元素被当地中国佛教界接受,创造新的“妙善公主”观音故事,再经过历代佛教徒不断地增衍,故事内容日益丰满,并且不断地扩编,最后成型变成中国佛教界自己的故事。观音信仰“在地化”表现,得到当地文化认可,受到当地文化尊重,影响了当地文化发展,成为具有地方特点的“佛教中国化”现象。

If Chinese Buddhism develops steadily in the modern period,it is necessary to work hard on the two basic dimensions of“Sinicization of Buddhism”and“Avalokitesvara Belief”.Religions which have already been introduced to China must ensure a connection with the local religion or culture,or interact with each other,facilitate strong interaction between two heterogeneous religions and cultures,while growing together in one endosome.Further,it does not rule out the possibility that they eventually formed a unique characteristic of religion and culture.With regard to Belief in Avalokitesvara of“Princess Miaoshan”,it should be seen that folk beliefs behind it were the main cause,and this was the creation of Chinese Buddhists as well as the result of the combination of regional culture and Buddhist culture.Before the Sui and Tang Dynasties,Avalokitesvara beliefs were mainly distributed in the areas centered on the Yellow River and Yangtze River valleys,and after the Song Dynasty,the localized elements of Avalokitesvara beliefs showed a trend of full bloom.The Avalokitesvara belief verifies that the Chinese Buddhist community has always consciously walked on the road of Sinicization,improving foreign beliefs into national beliefs as much as possible,and completing the transformation of“localization”.Some elements of the Saddharmapundarika Stura-Miao Zhuang Yan Wang Ben Shi Pin,the mother book of Guanyin belief of“Princess Miaoshan”from India were accepted by the local Chinese Buddhist community to create a new story of“Princess Miaoshan”of Guanyin story which was then continuously expanded by successive generations of Buddhists to enrich and expand the story,and finally became the Chinese Buddhist community's own story.The“localization”of Avalokitesvara belief is recognized and respected by the local culture,which affects the development of the local culture and becomes the phenomenon of“Sinicization of Buddhism”with local characteristics.