農曆初九是「天公生」,也就是玉皇大帝的生日。在台灣民間神教當中,玉皇大帝被視為宇宙的主宰,是地位最高的神祇,統管著三官大帝、五方天帝諸神祇及其手下的王爺、土地公等,因此農曆初九「拜天公」是普及民間的儀式。佛教徒不皈依諸天,但是為何台灣的佛寺在這一天也有「供佛齋天」的儀式?此「齋天」儀式並未出現在印度佛教經論中,而是中國佛教到了唐朝天台宗智者大師依《金光明經》制定《金光明懺法》才開始,其中的莊嚴道場是要依《金光明經》設大辯才天、大功德天和四天王座位等。到了宋代修金光明懺,設諸天供,就隨意依據經文而增加之,到了元代,便由金光明懺法略出供天一節,作為寺院中每年歲朝佛事,齋天便廣泛興起了。齋天多在子時以後於佛寺大殿或法堂舉行,直到第二天中午午供送聖完才圓滿。儀式冗長且需要熬夜進行的「供佛齋天」為何如此深受中國佛教徒喜愛,它究竟有何實質意義和價值?在這些意義和價值中又包含了多少的身心療癒和教育意涵?為探討上述議題,本論文分為六個章節來進行,第一章緒言;第二章為「供佛齋天」的相關詞義釋義和實質意義探討,第三章檢視「供佛齋天」的起源和演變,追溯《金光明最勝王經》的齋天典故;第四章討論「供佛齋天」的儀式內容和進行方式;第五章藉由「供佛齋天」的儀式內容和進行方式,來探索此儀式所發揮的身心療癒和教育意涵;第六章總結前五章的結論。
The paper covers six chapters. Chapter one is preface. Chapter two defines the keywords and discusses the significance of the Buddha and Heavenly offering. Chapter three explores the origin and development of the Heavenly Offering. This Heavenly Offering is conducted based on the Suvarnaprabhāsottama-sūtra (the Golden Light Sūtra) and the Twenty-four Deva Lords invited are those who attended the Assembly of the Golden Light and pledged to protect all practitioners of the Dharma. Chapter four elucidates the content and procedure of the Buddha and Heavenly Offering. Chapter five explores the implicit function of therapy and education of the Buddha and Heavenly Offering. And Chapter six concludes all the preceding chapters. According to the Chinese folk tradition, the ninth day of the New Year is celebrated as the birthday of the Heaven. The Heaven is honored as the ruler of the universe and the leader of all the Deva Lords. Therefore, the Heavenly Offering conducted on this particular day is popularized in Taiwan. Buddhists do not take refuge in the heavenly beings. Why is the Heavenly Offering held in the Buddhist temple in Taiwan as well? The Heavenly Offering cannot be found in any Indian Buddhist texts. It appeared in Chinese Buddhism until Chih-yi, the Patriarch of Tian-Tai School, composed the Golden Light Repentance wherein the seats for the specific Deva Lords were set up. The Golden Light Repentance was revised by increasing more Deva Lords in the Song dynasty. Later on the Buddha and Heavenly Offering became one of the ceremonies conducted for the New Year in the Buddhist monastery during the Yuan dynasty. The Buddha and Heavenly Offering usually starts from 11:00pm and ends at the next noon after sending all the sages off. This ceremony takes a long time and used to be held in the midnight. Why does it still attract Chinese Buddhists? Is it significant and valuable for the function of therapy and education?