重讀細論《冥報記》－以文輔教？藉教勸世？

唐臨《冥報記》在中國小說史上，被歸為以志怪體書寫的「釋氏輔教之書」；雖然學界對它的文學評價高低不一，卻都不能忽視其存在。不僅許多相關論著提到它，也有以它為專題的學位論文。近十年來，小說觀點的進化及研究方法的更新，《冥報記》也被再三的重讀，且有較可靠的版本輯校與作者考述，提供了一些新的線索與方向。本文即根據這些新資料的補充，試圖從偏向於信仰傳布的立場，重新檢討歷來涉及此書的研究成果與不同評價；也就是以佛教信奉者的感情與實踐來看這類「輔教之書」的功能，是否能滿足其啟發信心或增上修行的需求。就這個意義而言，它的實用性大於娛樂性，因此，對書中紀錄的六十八則故事內容，依其義理的深淺及法門的異同，重新分類，從一般性的報應論到特定的修行觀，逐類引述原文、揭示涵義，並較量他們在信仰與修證上的作用。至於，文學方面的評論，雖偶爾提及，但非本文重點。

關鍵字

冥報記；釋氏輔教之書；佛教小說

並列摘要

《Ming Bao Ji》, the Chinese novel using Zhi Guai's writing way, written by Tang Lin was classified as a book of ”Buddhistic teaching”. Many scholars hold both positive & negative views toward its contributions to the Chinese Literature, nevertheless its significance can’t be neglected. Not only many essays mentioned 《Ming Bao Ji》, but also lots of theses were conducted to research it. Over the years, under this trendy of new perspectives and methodology about novel came pouring in. Ths book was re-examined and reviewed several times. In addition, more reliable and latest versions of the book have provided us some new clues and directions for re-examination of 《Ming Bao Ji》. In the present study, we adopted new information and knowledge as our base to compare and contrast all important researches as well as lots of different comments on 《Ming Bao Ji》, from past till now depending on the viewpoint of religion. In other words, it was religious faith birth to this article. So we would check 《Ming Bao Ji》, in a practical point of view: ”could it console Buddhistic followers' mind and inspire them to keep the chase of Nirvana?” We also tried to make new categories for those sixty-eight stories in 《Ming Bao Ji》. Did it have deeply meanings related to Buddhistic teaching or special Fa Men is our principles in categorizing. In the article, we compared ordinary causality with special concepts in getting Nirvana. Besides, we quoted examples from 《Ming Bao Ji》 while composing the work and then explored different implications between them and their potential effects on the followers' faith and getting Nirvana. As to the comments aspect of literature which were not the point of this article were rarely mentioned in this article.