「偽經」與觀音信仰

佛教傳入中國以後，除了經典的有系統的漢譯以外，大量的「疑偽」經典也從六朝以後不斷地出現。其中不少是以宣揚觀音信仰為中心，與建立及傳布觀音在中國的信仰上，成為一個重要的媒介。本文首先討論幾個有代表性的經錄對「真經」及「偽經」的看法，從而指出並無客觀及一定的標準，接著討論近年來中外學者對疑偽經的一些見解，說明何以多數學者認為用「中國撰造經典」比「疑經」或「偽經」更為恰當。其次討論幾個重要的觀音「偽經」，將它們的思想及修持儀軌與正統經咒相比較，從而探討「疑偽經」的保守性與創新性。最後用明朝撰造的兩部歌頌觀音的「偽經」作為代表，來分析觀音「偽經」成立與皇室推崇的政治因素，並從而試論「偽經」中反映的中國文化色彩。

關鍵字

偽經；真經；經錄；觀音；陀羅尼

並列摘要

Since the Six Dynasties, about the 4th-6th centuries AD., following the introduction and domestication of Buddhism in China, there have been a great number of socalled＂ apocryphal scriptures＂ Produced in China, many of them centered around the belief in Kuan-yin. They served as a very important medium in the establishment and spread of Kuan-yin cult in China. This article first examines the views on ＂genuine scriptures＂ versas ＂apocryphal scriptures＂ as found in several representative catalogues of scriptures. From such a general survey of views, it is possible to see that there does not seem to exist a body of objective and verifiable standard to make such a distinction between the two. We will then review the ideas of recent scholars concerning the＂ apocryphal scriptures＂ and discuss why other expressions such as ＂scriptures composed in China＂ or ＂Chinese indigenous scriptures＂ were suggested by them as more suitable to refer to these sutras. We next discuss several important indigenous scriptures promoting Kuan-yin faith and compare their thoughts and methods of practice with those of ＂orthodox scriptures＂ and thereby argue that the former show both conservatism and innovation. Finally, we look at the process of how two Ming empresses created their own apocryphal. sutras and venture some hypotheses about the relationship between royal patronage and the appearances of such scriptures.