- 期刊
龙树还是龙猛?一位印度佛教史上重要人物名字的汉译问题
Longshu or Longmeng? On the Problem of Nāgārjuna's Chinese Name
摘要
本文讨论印度佛教史上一位重要人物Nāgārjuna的名称汉译问题。至少有两个名称———“龙树”与“龙猛”———作为对梵文Nāgārjuna一名的不同翻译并存于汉语系佛教文献中。前者是以鸠摩罗什为代表的旧译法,后者是以玄奘为代表的新译法，而其中“龙树”这一称谓远比“龙猛”流行。Nāgārjuna在大乘佛教理论在印度、中亚、喜马拉雅山北麓以及东亚地区的发展中占有重要地位，他所阐述的理论经过翻译介绍而对这些地区的思想文化产生了深远影响。中西方学者对Nāgārjuna的生平著述以及文献归属等问题，已作出很多研究，但本文主要探讨与翻译名义相关的，即Nāgārjuna这个名字的含义及其汉译分歧的问题。本文将介绍汉传佛教译经史上对此名称的不同译法，讨论古人对这些译法差异所作的评判；在考查汉传佛教文献资料的基础上，还将对照藏传佛教对此同一人名的译法以及名义阐释，对其梵文名称的文义重新加以分析并尝试作出新的释义，以期获得对这一汉译名称分歧现象的深入理解。
並列摘要
Nagarjuna played an important role in the development of Mahayana Buddhist doctrines and he is one the most renowned Buddhist figures in India. Central Asia and North Himalayan region, as well as in the Far East. Interestingly, the name Nagarjuna has been rendered dramatically different in old Chinese Buddhist translation literatures. At least two forms, namely, Longshu and Longmeng, have been used in parallel until today but with the former one much more in popularity. This articles aims at throwing lights into the puzzled disagreement in rendering the same Sanskrit name into Chinese. Based on an introduction of historical criticisms recorded in Chinese Buddhist literatures, it will make comparison with Tibetan translation of the same Sanskrit term and the Tibetan account about the meaning of this name. The author will then attempt to provide a different analysis on the Sanskrit term, and hopes that with these efforts readers can gain a better understanding on the issue of different interpretations for the same name, Nagarjuna, as survived in the history and living traditions.