南传上座部佛教对元明清傣族习惯法的影响

The Influence of Theravada Buddhism on Dai Customary Law in the Yuan,Ming and Qing Dynasties

南传上座部佛教,俗称小乘佛教,属于巴利语系佛教文化圈。通说认为,其传入傣族社会的时期大约在公元6-8世纪;随后,对傣族西双版纳、德宏等地区人民的生活产生不可忽略的影响。一方面,傣族被佛教化;另一方面,佛教被傣族化。而傣族习惯法是人民生活方式的良好反映,自然会出现习惯法佛教化的现象。那么,出现此现象的成因究竟有哪些;在习惯法中又有哪些内容体现了对僧俗之间各种法律关系的调整;以贝叶为承载媒介的佛教经典传递的价值对习惯法的立法理念、刑罚适用的严厉程度产生了怎样深远的影响。

Theravada Buddhism belongs to Pali language cultural sphere. It is generally believed to be introduced into the Dai communities from the 6th century to 8th century BC. Since then, it brought tremendous influence to the people’s daily life in areas of Xishuangbanna and Dehong. On one hand, Dai people converted to Buddhism; on the other hand, Dai culture was mixed to Buddhism. Dai’s costmary law, the best reflection of their life style, was naturally colored with Buddhist culture. The present study is to explore the causes, the contents to adjust legal relationships between monks and laymen, the influence of Buddhist classical value to the legal ideas and the severity applicable to criminals.