魏晋佛教对老庄“自然”说的理解与运用

The Buddhist Understanding and Application of Ziran: From Laozi and Zhuangzi to the Buddhism in the Wei and Jin Dynasties

"自然"作为老庄思想的核心,同时也是魏晋中国思想界的基本概念与词汇,对当时的佛教发生了很大的影响。在佛典翻译中,"自然"可以作形容词、副词、名词,有"自己""单独""不求师""自然而然"等含义。"自然"具有肯定义与否定两方面意义,从肯定方面来说,与"般若波罗蜜""空""无所得""实相""本性"等同义;从否定方面来说,主要是印度外道的"自然无因论"。"自然"在僧肇、道生的思想中都具有形而上的特点;但是,在慧远的思想中是用来论证因果报应的必然性,"自然"具有"自然而然"的意义。

Ziran,nature in English,literally meaning so of its own,so of itself,naturally,natural,spontaneously and freely,is a key concept of Laozi and Zhuangzi's thought. This term,also used as a fundamental and core concept by the intellectuals of the Wei( 220-265) and Jin( 265-420) Dynasties,has imposed a great influence on the Buddhism of this time. With the basic meaning of self,of one's self alone,without learning from a teacher,spontaneous,etc.,Ziran is used as an adjective,adverb,and noun in the Chinese translation of Buddhist classics. This term can be interpreted positively or negatively. In the positive perspective,it shares a sense with the perfection of wisdom( praj?āpāramitā),emptiness,nothing to be attained,truth as they are; and original nature,etc.. In the negative perspective,it refers to the theory of some non-Buddhists in India who held that things happen naturally without any cause. Ziran shows a metaphysical sense in the thoughts of Sengzhao and Daosheng Nevertheless,it is used by Huiyuan to argue for the causal necessity between actions and retributions,and therefore,means spontaneously in his theory.