圣域制造与守护:敦煌安伞旋城仪式中幢伞的功能

Making and Guarding Sacred Spaces:Function of Dhavaja Parasol Used in Dunhuang Ritual of City-Parading with White Chattra

随着晚唐五代白伞盖陀罗尼信仰在敦煌的流行,作为白伞盖经咒象征物的幢伞,在安伞旋城仪式中被不断引申和神化,成为制造神圣空间的核心法器。竖立幢伞,旨在区隔空间的“内”与“外”,通过净化与升华“内”的空间,从而将一切灾厄辟除于“外”,借此制造出圣域。这种将空间圣域化的手段,无疑是经典依据和现实需求相结合的产物,有着密教信仰实践的内在逻辑。在观念和技术层面,无论是将白伞盖陀罗尼戴持颈臂,还是贮入伞中供养,与传统解除方术、道教符咒和祈禳科仪均有相通之处。通过仪式的常规化举行,政治合法性和命运共同体在维护地域福祉的合致行为中得以成功构建。

When the belief of sitātapatrādharani was prevalent in Dunhuang during the period ranging from the late Tang Dynasty to the Five Dynasties,Dhavaja parasol,as a concretized symbol of its mantras,was constantly expounded and deifi ed in the ritual of city-parading with white chattra,and became a key dharma vessel for making a sacred place.The Dhavaja parasol is erected with an intention to divide a space into“inner”and“outer”parts,whereby a sacred place can be made by exorcising misfortunes in the“outer”part through purifying and sublimating the“inner”part.The means to make a sacred space,which follows the internal logic of esoteric Buddhism,is definitely a combination of textual basis and real demands.On conceptual and technical level,whether to carry the sitātapatrādharani on neck and arm,or store it into the parasol,these practices are also consistent with Taoist theurgy of phylactery,charms,as well as rites of praying.Through the regular holding of the rites,political legitimacy and sense of community were forged under the concurrent attempt to maintain regional wellbeing.