功夫試探－－以初期佛教譯經為線索

The Search on Kung-fu - Citing Examples from Earlier Buddhism's Translated Scriptures

本文針中國古代對於功夫（工夫）一詞的理解及其內涵，進行初步的探討。本文在第二節中，分別從語源分析與文獻線索兩個面向，確認功夫與工夫這兩個詞語，在出現時代上雖有早晚之別，但涵義則是一致的。但早期的功夫一詞並無修養意涵，其修養意涵是在初期佛教譯經中發展出來的，故第三節針對此一發展脈絡進行分析，並指出佛經中功夫一詞的核心意涵是「欲達到某一修行目標所設想出的方法或手段」。至於功夫的特性，亦即此種「被設想出的手段方法」，其內涵為何？本文在第四節藉由對初期重要禪經《佛說大安般守意經》的分析，在第五節中歸納出功夫的幾個要素，指出功夫是「個體將其身心進行高度的集中，以投入某種具有可重複性、竅門性、進階性的儀式化操作技法」。在此種對功夫的理解下，再去思考各種被稱之為功夫的修養方式，如茶藝、武術、文藝創作及三教修養技法等，應該都會有一種更全面的思考。The current paper explores the meaning and implications of an ancient Chinese phrase 'kung-fu' by analyzing the source of the language and the earlier literature. In earliest times, 'kung-fu' did not connote 'self-cultivation', which was developed from earlier Buddhism's translated scriptures. Hence the paper subsequently analyzes several usages of 'kung-fu' from earlier Buddhism's translated scriptures and comes up with a core implication-'the means or method with which to achieve a certain goal of practice'. As to the characteristics and content of 'kung-fu', the paper induces a couple of components through the discussion on Da Anban Shouyi Jing, one of the earliest Buddhism's scriptures; to put it shortly, 'kung-fu' refers to that 'an individual intensely focusing the physical and spiritual self to commit oneself to ritualized repetitive and progressive techniques or skills'. Such an understanding of 'kung-fu' might in some way contribute to a broader thinking and perspective on all types of self-cultivation, such as chadou, martial arts, and literary creations.