略探尼僧在台灣佛教史上的地位

筆者曾以〈從台閩日佛教的互動看尼僧在台灣的發展〉為題，發表於《中華佛學學報》第12期，探討尼僧在台灣的發展經緯。由此拙文可以知道，尼僧最初出現於台灣佛教史上，應是大正8年（1919）11月台南開元寺在台灣始傳四眾戒的時候，但在這以前，就如《台灣宗教調查報告書》所說的「在本島俗稱尼寺，有過著尼僧生活的婦女居之，然而這些都是齋姑住的齋堂，而非認可的尼院尼僧。……總之台灣可說無尼僧」（頁76）。由此可知，在開元寺首傳四眾戒之前，台灣已經有為數頗多的齋姑。這些齋姑們的存在，是日後台灣尼僧的主要來源。從日治時代起，她們開始活躍於台灣佛教的舞台上，如高雄大岡山的龍湖庵、台中后里毗盧禪寺、台北石壁湖山圓通禪寺，就是孕育台灣尼僧的搖籃。在此筆者想就此，來介紹日治時代尼僧的教育，進而要探討日治時代的台灣佛教界，是否有人對男女平等的課題，提出自己的觀點？而此觀點對台灣的佛教界，是否產生了一些影響？這些影響，對今日的台灣佛教界有何關連？目前尼僧在教界以及社會的地位如何？身為尼僧的我們，如何認識自己的立場，不卑不亢地以自己的所學，對教界及社會盡一份自己的力量。

關鍵字

尼僧要自覺的必備常識

並列摘要

This article discussed the development of the social statuses of Taiwanese Buddhist nuns during and after the era of Japanese ruling. This paper also addressed the agenda of the social equality between monks and nuns in the Buddhist community of Taiwan. This article emphasized the importance of education for Buddhist nuns. The education has helped nuns recognize their own accomplishments and felt more confident in the Buddhist community. This paper provides an opportunity to help people understand better about the culture, and the traditions of Buddhist nuns in the Taiwan religion history.This article described the roles of Buddhist nuns in Taiwan Buddhism community. In the past, there was a significantly discriminating treatment amid monks and nuns. The general public, in general, accepted the concept that male monks should have more power and authority over female nuns. This traditional perception, mostly, was not only accepted by the public but even some of Buddhist nuns themselves. However, this situation has been changed gradually after more people have received more education and the society becomes more open. Today, many popular female nuns have become the leaders of temples, and Buddhism organizations. This trend will keep growing as long as the public and Buddhist nuns themselves continuously receive more advanced education.