论佛学对宋明理学的影响

On the Influence of Buddhism on Mentalism in the Song and Ming Dynasties

佛学在宋明理学的形成和发展过程中具有重要的影响和作用,这种影响与作用必须客观如实地界定。从事物的因与缘言之,佛学对宋明理学的形成起了一个至关重要的思想助缘的作用。宋明理学提出了一系列本体意义的范畴,并自觉地为儒家道德伦理寻找形上根据,这在一定程度上是受佛教本体论思维模式的影响。而且,宋明理学提出了性善的遍在性思想,并对人性恶进行了分析,尤其是理学家提出性的超越性思想,都不同程度地吸收和消化了佛学的一些资粮,深受佛学的影响。

Buddhism plays an important part in and exerts great influence upon the formation and development ofmentalism in the Song and Ming dynasties. This kind of influence and role must be determined objectively and realistically. From the perspective of rhyme or reason, Buddhism plays a vital role in promoting ideology of mentalism in the Song and Ming dynasties. Mentalism in the Song and Ming dynasties proposed a series of categories in ontological sense and sought for superorganic grounds for Confucian ethics and morality, which was influenced to a certain extent by the thinking mode of Buddhist ontology. Moreover, mentalism in the Song and Ming dynasties proposed the ideology of the ubiquitous existence of kindness in human nature, and analyzed the vicious side of human nature. In particular, the mentalists proposed transcendentalist thinking of human nature, which absorbed and digested to varying degrees the resources in Buddhism deeply influenced by it.