試探《護生畫集》的護生觀

《護生畫集》的編繪，最初是來自被尊為律宗第十六代祖師弘一法師(1879-1942)的構想。而《護生畫集》六集的繪圖者豐子愷(1898-1975)，在三十歲那年也從弘一法師皈依佛門，法名嬰行。因此，漢傳大乘佛法的護生思想，成為《護生畫集》護生觀重要的精神內涵。然而，弘一法師希望《護生畫集》是「通俗的藝術品」，因此，《護生畫集》的護生觀所傳遞更多的是人間普遍的善念。以詩文配合圖畫，一則則溫柔敦厚、愛物惜生的故事，便源源而出。這善念，使得人世間充滿了溫暖、和平與美麗。《護生畫集》開展了宏闊的護生視野，其依《華嚴經》義所揭櫫的護生即護心的護生觀，以及對發自內心救護困厄受苦眾生的良善慈愍之心的歌頌，無疑的為當代及未來關懷護生者，樹立了足堪借鏡的典範。

關鍵字

護生畫集；護生觀；豐子愷；弘一法師；放生；素食

並列摘要

The Drawings of Animal Protection was inspired by Master Hung Yi (1879-1942), the 16(superscript th) master of the Vinaya School of Buddhism. The creator of the six volumes of the drawings, Feng Tze-kai (1898-1975), followed the great master and became a Buddhist at the age of 30, given the name Ying-hsing. As it turned out, the animal protection idea of the Mahayana Buddhism became the spiritual pivot in the series of drawings. But, Master Hung Yi wished the drawings to be popular art so that more good thoughts could be spread to more people through their publication. Thus, the painter used a combination of short poems and sketches to tell the many loving, sincere, and life-valuing stories of animal protection. The intention, of course, was to arouse warmth, peace, and beauty in the people. The Drawings of Animal Protection developed a wider view of animal protection. It explicated the central idea of life-protection as found in The Avatamsaka-Sutra (The Hua-yen Sutra or The Flower-adorned Sutra), and the idea that to protect life is to protect mind. It also praised the many virtues and compassions of the bodhisattva to save the suffered and to protect the painful. The book has no doubt set up a good model for the world to follow in terms of animal protection.