语言与般若——禅宗语言哲学透视

Language and Prajna——On Zen's Philosophy of Language

禅宗对语言的态度是两方面的。从积极方面看,语言能帮助人们在达到禅的目标前得到一种基本的认识,没有语言的引入,佛法智慧及修行解脱都是不可能的。所以由知解进入佛法修证是一般的方法,恰当的语言使用能更好地引人达到对佛性义的理解;同时语言和知解是"性空"的,即文字空相而入空性智慧,以语言为引导而走向解脱是可能的。从语言的局限性方面看,从经言祖语中直趋禅的本源是困难的,经言祖语只能部分地引导人达到对禅悟境界的领会,甚至是禅悟的阻碍;虽然禅意的"诗化"呈现以不妨碍事物本来面目的直示而更接近于事物的"自性",但诗文非禅,诗心是尘,诗的传达禅意的能力也是有限的。所以禅门最终要求人超越文字意解而直接体会自心空性,来到自性当下的世界。

Zen Buddhism＇s attitude of Language are two aspects. Language facilitates people to obtain？ basic under-standings of the goal of Zen Buddhism, otherwise, wisdom of Buddhism as well as practice for extrication wouldn＇t he realized, thus as the general method of explanation of Buddhism, poetic language can usher in the perception of the Buddhism＇s meaning. Meanwhile as both language and explanation boast the essence of dependent co arising and emptiness, when the wisdom of emptiness explored by the emptiness of words, it is possible to follow the way of extrication with language as Prajna. On the flip side, if we look into the limitations of language, we can easily find the partial realm of enlightenment from the words and expressions of those classics of Zen Buddhism in that it is difficult to touch the very origin of Zen with even that as the obstacle of enlightenment. Although verses speaks the mind of Zen and the poetic appearance gives way to a true more buddha-nature, they are still not Zen but dust, that is why people of Zen are required to experience and observe the emptiness of self-nature by looking beyond language and reach the present world of self-nature.