略論大乘《大般涅槃經》的傳譯定

Some Remarks on the Mahayana Mahaparinirvanasutraand its Chinese Translations

王邦維(Bang-Wei Wang)

《中華佛學學報》 6期 (1993/06) Pp. 99-123

https://doi.org/10.6986/CHBJ.199306.0099

摘要

在佛教的經典中，「涅槃類」的經典可以分作大乘的《涅槃經》和小乘的《涅槃經》兩大類。對大乘佛教尤其是中國的大乘佛教來說，大乘《大般涅槃經》一直是一部很重要的經典。本文介紹了本世紀初在日本和新疆發現的梵文殘本的情況，並將梵本的部分殘文與北涼曇無讖及東晉法顯所翻譯的兩種漢譯本進行對照，分析其中的異同，得到的結論是：讖譯和顯譯譯出時間較早，各自使用不同的原本，其原本又與今天見到的抄寫較晚的梵本有不同之處，說明大乘《大般涅槃經》當時在印度和中亞流傳有不同的抄本。文章又根據早期經錄及漢文佛教史籍中的記載，作進一步分析，試圖說明大乘《大般涅槃經》經典本身在前後不同時期結構和內容上具有的不同的特點。

關鍵字

《大般涅槃經》 ； 經典傳譯 ； 梵文殘片 ； 大乘經典

並列摘要

The extant sources for the Mahayana Mahaparinirvanasutra comprise two Chinese translations, one of which is a complete work, two comparatively late Tibetan translations a few Sanskrit fragments, and one Sogdian fragment. The companison between the Chinese versions and the very＂Limited＂Sanskrit materials which were discovered at the beginning of this century in Japan and Xinjiang shows some discrepancies. It is not possible to explain all these discrepancies asmistraslations as elaborations added during the translation process. The originals from which the Chinese versions were rendered, rather differed more or less from the sanskrit text we have in hand today. And indeed, relevant information in Chinese Buddhist scriptures catalogues and historical texts indicate that Mahayana Mahaparinirvanasutra sutra was, when Chinese Buddhist began to learn of it, was indeed transmitted throughout India and Central Asia in different vesions with different site and in a changing state. Like many other Buddhist texts, it must have undertone a course of development before it assumed its present form. The earliest Chinese translations might offer some further clues to this fact.

參考文獻

唐義淨(1985)。大唐西域求法高僧傳校注。

晉法顯。法顯傳。

隋費長房。歷代三寶記。

北齊書。

資治通鑑。