“毗尼四法”流变考释

A Philological Investigation about Evolution of “Catubbidha Vinaya”

"毗尼四法(catubbidha vinaya)"这一概念出自巴利语律藏注释书Samantapāsādikā(公元4～5世纪成书),是研读上座部律典的四重法,包括巴利律本("本")、巴利律本的补充("随本")、五百结集中法师的注释("法师语")、习律者的解读("自意")四个方面,体现了以巴利律本为权威和独尊上座部的原则。《善见律毗婆沙》(489年译出)是巴利Samantapāsādikā的可对照汉译本,译者却对不同部派采取包容的态度。因此,《善见律毗婆沙》中"毗尼四法"的上座部色彩大大弱化。到了唐代,四分律宗南山律师道宣把"毗尼四法"化用为解释法藏部《四分律》的方法。他不再以律本为权威,融合不同部派律典和大乘经论,强调以佛教三藏之意方便度用来阐释《四分律》。他的法嗣大觉、景霄、元照都继承这一"自我做主"的释律方法。从巴利Samantapāsādikā到《善见律毗婆沙》、再到南山律疏,"毗尼四法"历经了上座部涵义式微和披上汉传佛教律学外衣的流变过程,反映了汉传佛教依律义不依部派、依法脉不依原典的释律传统,体现了上座部律学与汉传律学融合的中国化历程。

"Catubbidha Vinaya" is a Theravādin concept from Samantapāsādikā(written in 4-5 centuries), a collection of Pali commentaries on Theravada Tipitaka Vinaya. It contains sutta(Vinaya texts), Suttānuloma(supplements to the Vinaya texts), ācāryavāda(interpretation of arahats in the first Buddhist Council), attanomati(one’s own understanding), reflecting the principle of taking Samantapāsādikā as authority and supremacy of Theravada Tipitaka Vinaya. However, in Shanjian Lü Piposha(translated in 489), the Chinese version of the Samantapāsādikā, the translators showed an inclusive attitude to different nikāyas. Therefore, the Theravādin definition of "Catubbidha Vinaya" is weakened in Shanjian Lü Piposha. In Tang Dynasty, Daoxuan, the Nanshan school vinaya teacher used "Catubbidha Vinaya" to interpret the Sifenlü. Different from the author of the Samantapāsādikā, he did not consider the "Sutta" as orthodox, but blended ideas from different nikāyas as well as Mahāyāna texts and emphasized explaining the "Sutta" with various ideas from Tripitaka. Later, his successors Dajue, Jingxiao and Yuanzhao all followed his method for further understanding of the Sifenlü. From the Samantapāsādikā to the Shanjian Lü Piposha, and to the Nanshan school vinaya commentaries, "Catubbidha Vinaya" gradually lost its original Theravādin definition and was converted into a concept featured with Chinese vinaya tradition. Such changes indicate that Chinese vinaya is explained according to the ideas of interpreters and their lineage other than schools and the original canon. It is also a convergence of Chinese vinaya tradition and Theravādin vinaya traditon which dates back to ancient India.