“空”就一定是Nothingness?——耶稣会士对佛教的态度与文化交流的限制

Is“Kong”really Nothingness?:Jesuits’Attitude to Buddhism and the limitation in Cultural Communication

利玛窦在《天主实义》中对“空无”的简短讨论表明了他对佛教从此不相往来的态度,正为配合此时已开始萌生的合儒排佛策略。那么,利玛窦排佛策略的具体取舍—避谈核心概念“空无”而以戒杀与轮回为批驳重心—是如何形成的?这需要追溯利玛窦佛教知识的早期来源,这些知识实际来自先于中国而开辟的日本传教区。同时,在利玛窦策略大体平稳运行的17世纪,在华耶稣会士也曾有两次似乎拾起了佛教,但这终究是在日耶稣会士的影响使然。总体而言,利玛窦把对佛教的批驳重心放在所谓“权教”的那些东西上,并被后继者们恪守,与在日耶稣会士着重批评佛教的“实教”截然相反,这生动展示出耶稣会士因应国情和文化差异而调整传教策略与生存策略的坚韧性与灵活度。不过,历史回溯不能只着眼于策略的实际效力,早期跨文化活动者的观念局限性也必须要正视。观念局限导致人们即使对一种观念或概念有充分理解,也会因其与自己的观念不符而悍然排斥,从而一次次上演思想之流遇而不汇的历史剧码。今人的反思中应当包括借助历史认知来拓展自身头脑与心灵的内容。

It is well known that when Matteo Ricci commented briefly on“Kong Wu”in Tian Zhu Shi Yi,he had decided to refuse Buddhism completely,which was accorded to his famous policy of accommodating ancient Confucianism while excluding Buddhism.Then,how did Ricci define the practical approach of his Buddhism policy,i.e.avoid discussing the essential concept of Kong Wu but to criticize the practices on abstention of killing and belief on incarnation?The answer was Ricci’s early knowledge of Buddhism,which came from Japan where Jesuits established much earlier than in China.At the same time,in 17th century when Ricci’s policy was running smoothly in most time,Jesuits in China had twice appeared to discuss essential concept of Buddhism.After all,that episode was again caused by Jesuits in Japan,especially João Rodrigues.In a word,Ricci’s critics on Buddhism focused on the so named“outer”teachings,which were observed by his successors,while in Japan,Jesuits vigorously criticized the so named“inner”teachings of Buddhism.The difference between the two scenes vividly demonstrated that Jesuits were both very firm and flexible for advancing their mission that they could well accommodate differences of political conditions and cultural characteristics to adjust their missionary policy and survival policy.Anyway,we shouldn’t merely pay attention to the practical effectiveness of certain policies when we try hard to retrospect history,we must seriously think about the mind limitation of culture crossers in early time.It is mind limitation that leads people categorically refute some thoughts that apparently not accord to their own notion,even if they quite understand those thoughts,which produces time and again dramas of confronting without synthesis or integration.Today,with the help of historical knowledge to extend our own mind and heart should be part of historical retrospection.