从仪式视角考察话本小说中高僧坐化现象

Study on the Death of Venerable Monks in Vernacular Novels from the Perspective of Ritual

仪式是人类学中一个重要的学术名词。从仪式视角看,话本小说中高僧坐化的叙事带有极大的神圣性,是一种以死殉节的生命献祭礼仪。高僧坐化表面上是宣扬佛教因果报应、生死轮回等思想,深层次则是在为道德滑坡的明清社会进行疗伤。坐化仪式使治疗功效得到了最大化的发挥。

Ritual is an important academic noun in anthropology. From the perspective of ceremony, narratives about eminent monks ＇ passing away while sitting in vernacular novels, with great sanctity, is a life sacrifice ritual with the martyrdom of death. From surface, monks＇ passing away while sitting cross legs is to spread ideas of Buddhist karma, reincarnation and so on. But from deep level, it is to cure the moral decline of Ming and Qing society. The ritual of monks＇ passing away while sitting cross legs makes treatment efficacy maximized.