民俗節慶與佛教文化之探究——以四月八日浴佛節為例

A Research on Folk Festival and Buddhist Culture—Take Buddha's Birthday, the eighth day of the fourth month in Chinese lunar calendar, as an Example

東漢末年佛教東傳，將浴佛節日隨之傳入中國，形成廣大迴響，並在相當程度上凝聚人民情感，傳承歷史，具延續與再創深遠之意義。浴佛節日緣於紀念佛陀與弘揚佛法，但在不同的歷史時代中不斷發生些微變化，宗教與世俗結合，鎔鑄新的民俗意涵，而浴佛節日所表達佛教的教義卻貫徹始終。以佛教節日而言，浴佛節曾掀起時代的狂潮，上至君王，下迨平民，莫不歡欣鼓舞，虔誠迎佛祈福。時至今日，浴佛節仍有一定之影響。本文著重於佛教傳入中國後所形成的浴佛節日為中心，佐以相關筆記及文獻，在時代流轉中與中國傳統文化特點結合，融入世俗與本土，成為一複合性節日所呈現之活動與節慶之意蘊。

Buddhism was introduced into China in late Eastern Han Dynasty, accompanied by Buddha’s Birthday. It received an enthusiastic response. To a certain degree, Buddhism agglomerated people’s affections, passed down history, and had meanings of continuity and re-creation. Buddha's Birthday comes from commemorating Buddha and promoting Buddhism doctrines, but in different historical eras, its minimal changes ceaselessly occurred; the religious and the secular are integrated into a new meaning in folk. However, the meaning of Buddha's Birthday in Buddhism doctrines does not change. As for Buddhist festivals, Buddha's Birthday used to stir up the tide of the era: from the king to common people, all are exulted and pious to welcome Buddha and pray for blessing. Today, Buddha's Birthday still has a certain influence. This paper focuses on Buddha's Birthday in China after its introduction, with relevant notes and documents. Buddha's Birthday has combined with Chinese traditional cultural characteristics in the changes of eras and it has integrated the secular and the local, and becomes a compound festival.