〈艮〉卦與《華嚴經》止觀法門之比較－－二程排佛之個案探析

Comparing Hexagram 'Bound' (52) in I Ching and the Doctrine of Śamatha-Vipaśyanā in Avatamsaka Sutra － A Case study of Cheng Hao's and Cheng yi’s Reprobation of Buddhism

宋儒排佛原是一場捍守儒家思想的文化抗戰，要釐清宋儒對於佛教義理之誤解，不應僅侷限於「時代背景」的解釋，或滿足於「文化差異」的同情理解。應深入法義的比較，將雙方論點和盤托出，才能讓這些公案昭然若揭。本文從二程排佛言論「看一部華嚴經，不如看一艮卦」這一句「儒、佛」思想的比較話語切入。二程兄弟認為研讀《華嚴經》還不如研讀《易經》中的〈艮〉卦，因為「華嚴經只說一止觀」，而〈艮〉卦的思想已經能超越「華嚴經所說的止觀」。二程兄弟「華嚴不如艮卦」的論斷，事實上是值得商榷的。透過本文的分析，歸納出二程兄弟的兩個誤解：一、《華嚴經》思想不是只有「止觀」法門，還有其他諸多法門。二、縱使純粹以《華嚴經》「止觀」法門與〈艮〉卦相較，〈艮〉卦仍無法與其相比，更遑論超越《華嚴經》「止觀」法門。

Reprobation of Buddhist thoughts in Neo-Confucianism was a cultural fight for defending Confucian orthodox. Its apparent bias can not be evaluated simply in terms of contemporary history or as mere cultural difference. Rather, we should bring the whole picture of the debate into the light by providing full consideration on the philosophical dimension of both its Confucian and Buddhist arguments. This essay starts with a noted statement by Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, which says that ' the entirety of Avatamsaka Sutra cannot compare in worth with one single hexagram, 'Bound' (52), in I Ching.' The Two Chengs claim that “one can read out more from hexagram 'Bound' than from the whole Avatamsaka Sutra because, in truth content, the later provides no more than the perspective of śamatha- vipaśyanā, which the former alone surpasses. The claim certainly awaits reconsideration. This essay, then, proceeds by pointing out two misunderstandings of Buddhist thought in the Cheng brothers' arguments : 1. Avatamsaka Sutra contains more truth than just the doctrine of śamatha-vipaśyanā. 2. The śamatha-vipaśyanā doctrine itslf alone evinces a philosophical depth which hexagram 'Bound' can hardly match let alone surpass.