佛性与人性:宋代民间佛教信仰的真实状态

Buddhist Nature and Human Nature:True Status Quo of Buddhist Belief among the People in Song Dynasty

《碛砂藏》是宋、元时期平江府延圣院僧人主持刊刻的一部大藏经,要完成中国古代历史上这一项巨大的文化工程,除了延圣院的出家人通过各种渠道筹措资金之外,宋元时期民间人士也给予了大力支持。在该版大藏经刊刻记中出现了宋代平江府及其周边地区各色人等的身影,既有地位崇高的官员,也有普通的乡村民众、城市市民,还有不少是出家人。他们之所以捐资雕刻佛教经典,最重要的原因在于他们有着发自内心的虔诚的佛教信仰。然而,《碛砂藏》的宋人题记除了追荐祖先这一主题之外,实际上更重要的涉及捐助者的现实利益,绝大多数题记都在祈求神灵庇佑自身及家庭成员,即便是为亲属的亡灵祈祷,最终目的也是为了在世者的安宁吉祥。由此可知宋人的佛教信仰具有浓厚的功利主义和利己主义色彩。不可否认,这种题记的内涵与中国古代传统文化是高度吻合的,是宋人现实生活的真实写照,在很大程度上折射出宋代基层社会丰富多彩的生活面相。

Qi Sha Zang is a Buddhist classic inscribed during the transition from Song to Yuan Dynasties under the presi dency of the Buddhist monks in the Yansheng Temple in Pingjiang Prefecture. To fulfill such a giant cultural project in the ancient Chinese history, not only the monks from the Temple tried to raise funds by all means, the ordinary people also offered tremendous help. In the preface to the work appeared all kinds of donators from the close areas around the Temple, including officials with high ranks, ordinary village farmers, city residents, and numerous monks, who, as sincere believers, donated out of their own will. However, the recordings of all the names, apart from commemorating their ancestors, have a more practical reason for the donators. That is, most of the recordings aim to seeking protection from the spirits for themselves and their family members; even the pray for the dead has the ultimate goal for calling on the peace and luck of the living, which apparently shows their strong utilitarian and egoist purpose. That of course agrees highly with the traditional Chinese culture. It is then the true life the Song people in general and reveals in particular the manifold life styles at the grass-root level.