一个西方人的佛教情缘——从《佛教中国》一书解读庄士敦的佛教观

A Westerner’s Love for Buddhism——A Study on Zhuang Shidun’s Buddhism Perspective from the Book, Buddhism China

清末,身为帝师和汉学家的英国人庄士敦在多部著作中都透露出他对佛教文化的崇敬,表达出对基督教不满的立场。文章主要围绕庄士敦所著的《佛教中国》后三章关于普陀山佛教文化的这部分内容展开分析,试图挖掘他对中国佛教文化的认识,展示他对普陀山观音文化的研究。其中,对佛教文化的认识又从＂佛教,＂迷信＂与＂宗教＂的探讨＂、＂辨明真主和偶像＂、＂佛教修行＂＂道德规劝与清规戒律＂等几个角度进行阐释。在庄士敦看来,佛教是世界上唯一一支伟大的宗教体系,是世人获得精神救赎的途径。

In the late Qing Dynasty, the English gentleman, Zhuang Shidun, as both the last emperor＇s teacher and a sinologist, expressed his deep admire for Buddhism and strong dissatisfactory for Christianity in his works. This essay studies the last three chapters of his great work---Buddhism China, namely, Puto Buddhism Culture. From this, we can find out his perspective on Chinese Buddhism, and present his view on Guanyin Culture. What＇s more, the perspective on Buddhism Culture is analyzed from such aspects as ＂Buddhism, a religion or just a wacky superstition？＂, ＂to recognize the idol and the real Pusa＂, ＂to practice Buddhism＂, ＂mortal standards and strict Buddhism rules＂. From Zhuang Shidun＇s point of view, Buddhism is the only great religion in the world and it is an important spiritual way for people to be saved.