《镜花缘》佛经母题溯源三题

Origins of three episodes in Jing Hua Yuan

《镜花缘》的"茶虫"毒橄榄,来自佛经的人体中生虫母题,茶酒相提并论,与酒虫有共同性,在互文性之链上将"腹中生虫"母题用到饮茶有害叙述,疗治方式上升到形而上精神层面,与佛教"不杀生"伦理相承。旅行者误入洞穴误食鲜果,来自佛经与僧传"误食仙果遭祸"叙事,小说强调了误食香果(酒母)的后果。以外来人肉体酿酒,作为骇人听闻的商业创意,是对贪酒贪食者的针砭。"养鸡致富"来自印度民间"一个鸡蛋家当"母题,致富缘由、路径及根本是儒家小康思想的具体化,带有民间狂欢式喜剧色彩。

This paper discusses the origins of three episodes in Jing Hua Yuan.The story about poisoned olives or'tea worms'conveyed the Buddhism doctrine of not killing living beings.The story of a lost traveler entering a cave and eating poisonous berries originated from Buddhism ethics of refraining from greediness.And the story of getting rich by raising hens was a borrowing from an Indian folk tale of An Egg.