奚必泛槎昌國涯──月潭道澂《觀音新驗錄》初探

Being Present, Embracing Inner Freedom: Investigation into Gettan Dōchō’s Kannon Shin Gen Roku

觀音信仰不僅是日本流傳最廣、影響最深的菩薩信仰之一，其所依據的佛典《觀世音經》，尤其展現中國法華經信仰在日受容的多元形態。江戶時代以還，觀音業已是民間百姓最為熟悉的菩薩，遍及整個國中且歷久彌新。是時，出自黃檗僧月潭道澄（1636-1713）之手的《觀音新驗錄》（1696），可謂具體而微地映現近世以還日本觀音信仰之實態。由於目前該書尚未公諸於世，遑論有相關學術討論，是故本文擬從《觀音新驗錄》的作者生平、時代背景與文本內容之斠理、分類及重釋，嘗試就日本觀音信仰乃至東亞佛教文化史之現有研究成果，進行初步的考察與對話。

Belief in Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) has been one of the most widespread and influential belief systems concerning a bodhisattva in Japan, and its Buddhist scripture Kanzeonkyo觀世音經(Scripture of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva) in particular demonstrates the diverse forms of Japanese acceptance of the Chinese Lotus Sutra. Since the Edo period, Guanyin has largely become the most familiar bodhisattva to the people, to the extent that she has maintained a seemingly timeless presence. The book Kannon shin gen roku觀音新驗錄(1696), written by theŌbaku Zen monk Gettan Dōchō月潭道澄(1636-1713) within this context, can be regarded as a microcosm of the circumstances surrounding belief in Guanyin in Japan during the early modern period. Seeing that this work is not yet known by the public, let alone related academic discussions, this article attempts to organize, classify, and reinterpret the author’s life story, the historical background, and textual contents of Kannon shin gen roku; and afterwards, create a dialogue between existing research findings on Japanese belief in Guanyin and the cultural history of East Asian Buddhism.