本文考察元雜劇《龍濟山野猿聽經》的佛教意蘊。戲中人物修公禪師攝受靈猿皈依,度化牠覺悟自性,使牠脫離惡道。修公禪師實有其人,原型是後唐時期在江西開山創立龍濟寺的紹修禪師。雜劇通過四折一層層向觀眾展示猿在禪師循循善誘下,由「野」變「定」而「開悟」。靈猿收拾習性,一心在禪堂修行,最後得到證悟並在淨土中重生的情節安排下,引導觀眾感知禪宗堅實穩定的結構。修公清淨的本性和與時間環境構成的關係象徵「常」,靈猿在山頭攀緣生活,千變萬化,雜染的心性和與環境構成的關係象徵「無常」。隨著禪師和猿結緣之次第漸進,「變幻」和「恆常」的矛盾和對立亦逐漸消融。禪師和猿兩個角色在內容結構上產生對等平衡效果,從佛教思想看兩者在自覺、覺他的互相薰染下功德圓滿。本文將分三個主要部份,首先從「弘法度世、證悟自性」和「倡演禪宗」佛教思想角度探討此劇的主題、結構和語言特色。其次通過僧和猿角色的結緣共修意涵延伸到中國文學有關僧猿結緣的題材,嘗試由相關的文學書寫探討《猿聽經》的文化意蘊。最後考證《猿聽經》的本事來源可能有二,一是《佛說師子月佛本生經》婆須蜜多尊者過去生是獼猴的故事,二是《阿育王經》中優波毱多的本生故事,從而進一步說明《猿聽經》的佛教意蘊。
This paper examines the import of Buddhism in Yuan Zaju "An Ape Listens to the Sutra in the Long-ji Mountain". This play tells the story of a domesticated ape listening to the sacred sutra and in due time becoming a Chan convert. The Ape is finally enlightened and released from evil ways. He is then born in the pure-land through the agency of Chan master Xiugong. The prototype of Chan master Xiu-gong in the zaju is the Chan master Shaoxiu of the late Tang dynasty, founder of the Longji Temple in Jiangxi. The four acts of the play are located at a meditation hall, guiding readers and audiences to perceive the solid and stable structure of Chan Practice. The enlightened mind and perfect heart of understanding of Chan master Xiugong and the nature of mountains symbolize "constancy" while the restless mind of the ape and its changing roles symbolize "vicissitude". The plot introduces the transformation of the mind of the ape by affiliation with the Chan Master. The extent of including practitioners and the power of releasing others from suffering by the Chan master deepens with the development of the story. This paper illustrates the themes, structure and usage of language from two Buddhist ideas: release from suffering and self-enlightenment as well as advocacy of Chan Buddhism. This paper also explores the cultural implications of the affiliation of monk and ape in the play through relevant literature. Finally this paper will focus on textual analysis in order to show the sources of the play that come from sutras.