日本初期入明僧的目的考辨——以绝海中津为例

The Purposes of the Early Japanese Monks’ Coming to China in the Ming Dynasty: A Case Study of Zekkaityusin

日本临济宗禅僧绝海中津是初期入明僧的代表,与义堂周信同被誉为日本"五山文学双壁"。在以往的研究中,人们普遍认为以绝海中津为代表的初期入明僧,其表面上是为求取佛法,而实际上却是为学习和创作不逊色于明人的诗文而入明。经考察研究可知:于明洪武年间入明的绝海中津,参于大慧派高僧门下,接受了新思潮的熏陶。其目的实际上既为"钻研禅法","求取碑铭",同时也为"学习诗文",而其中"钻研禅法"当为其主要目的所在,"学习诗文"乃是受到大慧派在俗文学的影响所致,其创作诗文的最终目的依然不外乎为弘扬禅法。

As a forerunner of the Japanese monks who came to China during the Ming Dynasty, Zekkaityusin, together with Gidoshyushin, was regarded as the monument of Gozan Literature in Japan. It is widely accepted that the real purpose of Japanese monks like Zekkaityusin was to learn the essence of poetry and prose, instead of getting the Buddha scriptures, from China. Our study shows that Zekkaityusin came to China during the Hongwu period in the Ming Dynasty and acquired new thoughts in the School of Dahui. Of all his objectives like ＂learning poetry and prose＂ and ＂asking for inscriptions＂, ＂studying Zen＂ was the most important. ＂Learning poetry and prose＂ occurred under the influence of the secular literature of the School of Dahui. The ultimate purpose of Zekkaitysin＇s literary writing was to promote Zen.