《大般若經》的怖畏哲學

Abstract

本文主探究怖畏的工具性以及可克服性。在怖畏的工具性方面，本文先是根據阿含經典與尼柯耶經典，討論解脫道的修行者是否應當以刻意激起自身的與其他眾生的怖畏，作為奮發修行朝向涅槃的工具。過去的一些研究對此問題給予肯定的答案，但是本文試圖論證這兩部經典幾乎沒有教導修行者去刻意激起任何眾生的怖畏。基於對解脫道的怖畏的工具性之理解，本文根據般若經典討論菩薩是否應當運用怖畏作為救度的工具。過去也有研究顯示佛陀意圖使眾生心生怖畏，藉此使眾生改變所信的宗教，或者驅使他們皈依於佛教。然而，本文主張不去激發眾生的怖畏是大原則。即使佛陀或者菩薩為了引導眾生趨向涅槃而激起他們的怖畏，也必須在滿足某些特定的條件下才會這麼做。 在怖畏的可克服性方面，過去大部分的研究著重在解釋佛教禪修如何能夠克服怖畏，本文則側重於解釋佛教智慧如何能夠克服怖畏。本文一樣先是根據阿含經典與尼柯耶經典，討論摩訶男與善覺比丘分別以正見和正觀克服怖畏的條理。本文接著根據般若經典，探究其中的虛幻觀如何能夠克服怖畏，以及其與解脫道的虛幻觀之異同。

This paper investigates instrumentality and surmountability of fear. In terms of instrumentality of fear, this papers, based on the Āgamas and Nikāyas, first discussed whether practitioners on the path to Liberation should deliberately incite fear in themselves or in other beings as an instrument for striving towards nibbāna. Some previous studies have given an affirmative answer to this question, but this paper attempts to argue these two suttas almost never teach practitioners to deliberately incite any beings’ fear. Grounded in the understanding of instrumentality of fear of the path to Liberation, this paper, based on the Prajñāpāramitā-sūtras, discusses whether bodhisattvas should use fear as a soteriological means. Previous studies also show that the Buddha intends to evoke fear in beings in order to convert them or motivate them to take refuge in Buddhism. However, this paper maintains that not to incite fear in beings is a broad principle. Even if the Buddha or bodhisattvas incite beings’ fear to guide them towards nirvāṇa, they would do so only when certain specific conditions are met. In terms of surmountability of fear, most previous research emphasizes explanations of how fear can be overcome by Buddhist meditative practices, whereas this paper aims to explain how fear can be overcome by Buddhist wisdom. This paper also draws on the Āgamas and Nikāyas to discuss how Mahānāma and Samiddhi overcome fear through right view and right seeing respectively. This paper proceeds to take the Prajñāpāramitā-sūtras as the basis to explore how fear can be overcome by the seeing-as-illusory of the path to Enlightenment, and compare the similarities and differences between it and the seeing-as-illusory of the path to Liberation.