天文学是获得解脱的途径?——阿耶波多和婆什迦罗一世的天文学思想

Is Astronomy the Approach of Eternal Emancipation?A Study on the Astronomical Thoughts of Aryabhata and Bhaskara I

印度中世天文学从内容上深受希腊天文学的影响,但在阿耶波多和婆什迦罗那里,被非常细致地包装成好似印度传统学问之一:(1)形式上它有归命偈向梵天进行了礼拜;(2)认为天文学知识来源于梵天,"天启"是其唯一可靠的认识手段;(3)讨论了天文学之于吠陀祭仪的重要性;(4)更重要的,天文学的终极目标被设定为是获得解脱。这些思想均和印度宗教哲学有着深深的联系,在此对其的源流发展做一番探讨。从中还可以设想出希腊天文学的受容过程,其传入印度的动力来自历算和占星上的实用性,传入后经过上述"印度化"改造后,迅速取代了印度本土天文学,并得以植根于吠陀-婆罗门教的主流传统之中。

The Indian medieval astronomy is deeply influenced by the Hellenic astronomy seen from the aspect of contents.However,it is carefully packaged by Aryabhata and Bhāskara as one of the Indian traditional sciences:(1)following the formalities the astronomical work has the benediction to the Brahma;(2)astronomical knowledge is considered to be from the Brahma,and the“āgama”is the only mean of acquiring knowledge;(3)the importance of the astronomy to the Vedic ritual is discussed;(4)most importantly,the ultimate goal of astronomy is set to achieve emancipation.All of these thoughts are deeply related to Indian religion and philosophy,and the origin and development of them are discussed here in this paper.Moreover,after its introduction into and acception in India,the Hellenic astronomy quickly replaced the original Vedic astronomy after the above process,and became rooted in the mainstream tradition of Vedic Brahmanism.