Confucian Morality and Rebirth into the Pure Land of Amitābha: The Compartmentalist Thoughts of Ven. Jingkong

儒家倫理作為往生極樂世界之基礎－以淨空法師之凈土思想為列

顧頡鋒(Stefan Kukowka)

《人間佛教研究》 11期 (2021/01) Pp. 174-226

摘要

Amitābha (nianfo 念佛), but also a this-worldly focused moral Confucian cultivation. Based on an analysis of Ven. Jingkong's online dharma talks and publications, the present article identifies the Confucian notion of filial piety (xiao 孝), and one specific paragraph of the 'Sūtra of the Meditation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life' (foshuo guan wuliangshou jing 《佛說觀無量壽經》) as the starting point of his advocated soteriology. This Sūtra provides the Buddhist textual foundation of xiao, thus erecting a bridge to connect the Sūtra with Confucian and Daoist texts, such as 'The Classic of Filial Piety' (xiaojing 《孝經》), 'Rules for Disciples' (dizigui《弟子規》), and 'Treatise of the Most High on Action and Retribution' (taishang ganyingpian《太上感應篇》),' ipso facto explaining the incorporation as well as the 'Buddhicising' of the former texts. In this sense he emphasises that the improvement of one's fate - and therefore the chance to be reborn into the Pure Land - is not the result of acts of worship towards Buddha or the potential effectiveness of rituals or even the renunciation of all worldly distractions, thus 'going forth' (chujia 出家) and entering a monastic environment, it is rather based on 'correct' moral conduct in daily life, through acts of filial piety, compassion, honesty, and humility - which are de facto Confucian values. This train of thought falls into the category of 'compartmentalism' because Jingkong argues that Buddhism and Confucianism address different domains of reality and truth, which complement each other and address specific issues without interference. Thus, they constitute a parallel space within their shared universe of discourse: Buddhism gives reason to what holds the world together at its core and being focused on extramundane salvation, whereas (selected parts of) Confucianism explain how to conduct oneself in the world. These selected parts are then re-interpreted through a Buddhist lens and integrated. Thus, not triggering any conflicts regarding their soteriology, that needs to be reconciled. The article, therefore, investigates the questions: how does a Pure Land advocate rationalises the incorporation of other tradition's morality concepts through certain narratives, what terminology can be applied to describe this phenomenon, and finally, why does Jingkong emphasise this-worldly cultivation based mostly on the 'Rules for Disciples'?

關鍵字

Ven. Jingkong ； Pure Land Buddhism ； Confucian Morality ； Taiwanese Buddhism ； Syncretism

並列摘要

本文以淨空法師的網路影片與書籍為分析對象，探討其具有儒家色彩的「孝」觀念與《佛説觀無量壽經經》爲何成爲其提倡的解脫思想（soteriology）。這部佛經提供大乘佛教中有關「孝」之基礎，因此成爲佛經與儒家和道家經典連接的一座橋，如《弟子規》與《太上感應篇》，進一步説明此一體化與此經典的佛教化。因此，本文探討如下的問題：身爲一位淨土倡導者，淨空是如何通過特殊的敘事闡述其他傳統的倫理規範的一體化？是否可以用「融合主義」來解析此種現象？淨空法師爲何強調此世的修養，並主要以《弟子規》為基礎？

並列關鍵字

淨空法師 ； 淨土法門 ； 儒家倫理 ； 臺灣佛教 ； 融合主義