本文針對敦煌P.3216、P.2483等卷「阿彌陀讚文」的樣貌與應用進行探究。這是淨土「叢抄卷」的特定「讚歌組」研究。這「組」讚歌在「阿彌陀讚文」這樣的總括名稱之下,抄錄在其他文獻的讚歌,如P.2250題〈西方十五願讚〉者、《淨土五會念佛略法事儀讚》(略本)題作〈五會讚〉者,但在此只作為全組的段落,未另再標示獨自的名稱;還有以套語冠於句首的段落,如以「彌陀」、「西方」、「淨土」、「三塗」排比數句到數十句者;再加上特定主題內容段落,如讚嘆法照功德者。而這些段落,或許原本就是獨自存在的讚歌,何以被整合在一個讚名之下?又目前學界的分段是否合理?其實際運用的情形,是否正呼應著某個成套的次序?或是有某種慣例於此隱然成形?針對這些問題,本文將從寫卷樣貌、讚歌內容進行探究,並藉以推考出其應用的可能方式、作用與意義。
This article explores the appearance and application of Dunhuang manuscripts P.3216, P.2483 and other volumes of "The Eulogy of Amitabha". This is the study of the specific "praise song group" of the Amitabha pure land. It combines many eulogy excerpts under the umbrella term "mitabha" including independent eulogy (praise song) n other transcripts, for example "The Eulogy of fifteen wishes for west pure land" in Dunhuang manuscripts P.2250. It also includes opening paragraphs introduced by formulaic phrases such as "Amitabha", "Western", "Pure land", "Three bad ways" and so on that may range from a few to several dozen sentences. Finally it may include paragraphs that are topic-specific, such as an eulogistic praise of the virtuous blessed by the dharma. A summary of the observations of these paragraphs reveals several problems. First of all, each of these were an independent eulogy (praise song), why were they brought under an umbrella term? Secondly, are the paragraph separations accepted by current scholars reasonable? Third, is the actual application echoinga certain arranged order? Is there a certain subtle convention that had been formed? This article will explore these issues and use them to examine the possible ways, roles, and implications of their application.