Western Pure Land, Mind-Only Pure Land, or Humanistic Pure Land: Intersections in Practice and Social Action

西方凈土，唯心凈土，人間凈土：修行與慈善工作的互動

周文廣(Charles B. JONES)

《眾力莊嚴．一佛圓滿——人間淨土與彌陀淨土》 2017年(上冊) (2017/12) Pp. 251-267

摘要

Pure Land Buddhism appeared in China as a distinct form of practice during the fifth and sixth centuries, and ever since then has faced a variety of criticisms and objections. One of these objections centered on the goal of practice and the relationship of the practitioner to his or her society. From its inception up to the late Qing and early Republican period, the primary dispute was between those who believed in a practice leading to rebirth in a land located literally to the west of the present world and those who held that the Pure Land was here in this present world with apparent impurities projected upon it by ignorant minds. The first position came to be known as ＂Western-＂ or ＂Other- Direction Pure Land＂ (xī/tāfāng jìngtǔ 西/他方凈土) while the latter was designated ＂Mind-Only Pure Land＂ (wéixīn jìngtǔ 唯心凈土). During the early 20^(th) century, however, a new way of conceiving the goal of Pure Land practice emerged under the guidance of the reformer Taixu (太虛 1890-1947). Called ＂Humanistic Pure Land＂ (rénshēng jìngtǔ 人生淨土 or rénjiān jìngtǔ 人間淨土), this interpretation construed the goal of practice as action leading to social improvements and the purification of this world. While Taixu's exposition of this goal was unclear and inconsistent, the next-generation master Shengyan (聖嚴, 1930-2009) worked to provide a clearer and more workable plan for implementing a modernized Pure Land praxis. This presentation will trace these developments and question whether these goals are mutually incompatible or can be practiced conjointly. The presenter will refer to primary source documents by significant figures in the history of Pure Land thought and practice to determine how the Chinese Buddhist community has dealt with this issue.

關鍵字

Pure Land Buddhism ； Taixu (1890-1947) ； Shengyan (1930-2009)

並列摘要

佛教淨土宗作為一種獨特的宗派法門出現在5-6世紀的中國，之後它遭受了一系批評和反對。其中一個反對是針對其實踐目標和修行者與社會的關係的。從其開始到清代和民國時期，最主要的爭論是發生在信仰往生西方淨土者和相信此地人間唯心淨土者。前者稱為「西方」或「它方淨土」，後者稱「唯心淨土」。然而，在20世紀早期，在革新領袖太虛大師（1890-1947）的宣導下关于淨土目標的一種新型構想出現了，他就是「人生淨土」或「人間淨土」，這種解釋把實踐的目標朝向了改善社會和淨化世間的行為。雖然太虛大師對此的解釋並不清楚也不統一，但第二代大師聖嚴（1930-2009）法師則為現代淨土提供了一個清楚和頗具操作性的理論性方案。本文追溯這些發展和關於這些目標是否相適應或能否一同實踐的問題。作者將採用淨土理論和實踐史上一些重要人物的基本著作，以說明中國佛教僧團曾如何處理這些問題的。

並列關鍵字

淨土 ； 太虛（1890-1947） ； 聖嚴（1930-2009）