清末民初中国的佛教文学与启蒙思潮

Buddhist Literature and Enlightenment Thought in Late Qing and Early Republican China

清末民初中国的佛教文学开启了现代文学的启蒙思潮,这具体表现在三个方面:一是佛教文学家比较注重阐发佛教文化与科学精神的相同之处,或者解析佛教文化本身所包容的科学精神;二是佛法对于心智的强调,对于转识成智、转迷成悟的启蒙方式的设计,给清末民初佛教文学家以极大的启示,使其深刻意识到国民精神启蒙和心性改造的必要性和重要性,认识到文艺这种社会意识形态对国民精神影响的重要意义,也启发了佛教文学家对通俗文体和白话文学的重视;三是佛教文学家注重在佛学中寻找救国救民的道路、方法和策略,在那个时代的启蒙活动中别具一格,成为现代启蒙文学的本土思想资源。当然,清末民初佛教文学的启蒙重视的是民的概念,而五四文学的启蒙观念重视的则是人的观念。这是因时代的文化语境和主题发生了变化,也说明从晚清开始的中国社会现代化启蒙运动本身获得了巨大的发展。

Buddhist literature initiated the trend of enlightenment thought in late Qing and early Republican China in the following three respects.First,writers of Buddhist literature attached much importance to illustrating the commonalities between Buddhist culture and the scientific spirit or the scientific spirit inherent in Buddhist culture.Second,the Buddhist dharma places great emphasis on wisdom of the heart and had designed methods of enlightenment that turned knowledge to wisdom and confusion to comprehension.This provided great inspiration to Buddhist writers of this period,making them deeply aware of the necessity and importance of the people's spiritual enlightenment and the reformation of their mentality,as well as of the significance of the social ideologies of literature and art in influencing the national spirit;it also stimulated their awareness of the importance of popular genres and vernacular literature.Third,these writers were at pains to find in Buddhist doctrines ways,methods and strategies for saving the country and the people,a feature that distinguished them from others in the enlightenment movement and provided modern enlightenment literature with indigenous intellectual resources.Of course,it was the concept of 'people' that was highlighted in late Qing and early Republican Buddhist literature,whereas the focus of the May Fourth literature was the concept of 'man.' This evolution was a result of the changing cultural contexts and themes of the times and indicates the great achievements of modern enlightenment in Chinese society from the late Qing on.