佛教傳入與古代中土信眾的取名命字

Buddhism Introduction and the Naming of Ancient Chinese Buddhists

佛教傳入中國，對中國人的生命觀念和生活態度，產生了不可估量的影響。這種影響有時潛在地表現在人們為人處事的心態裏，有時又直接表露在個人的社會符號名字中。名字並不僅僅是區別人在社會上的符號而已，更代表著一種觀念，一種信仰。因此，南北朝時期，許多社會上層人士的取名，甚至命字，都直接取材於佛教經典或佛教教義。唐宋時期，隨著佛教的普世化和本土化，這一傾向逐漸由社會上層擴散向民間（而且從男子擴散到女子），且宋元明各代都綿延不絕。這是文化語言學應該關注的現象。當然，對於中土人取名命字與佛教關係的研究，必須建立在確鑿語言證據的基礎上（包括梵漢對音、文字、訓詁），而不應該隨意比附（論文對陳寅恪先生有關於「華佗」的命名來自於梵文提出了商榷）。

Buddhism has exerted an immeasurable influence in Chinese ideas and attitudes towards life. It can be found in people's latent psychology as well as in people's names. Names are not only symbols to distinguish one from another, but also reflect people's perceptions and beliefs. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, many people from the upper class turn to Buddhism for favorite names. Moreover, in Tang and Song Dynasties, with the generalization and indigenization of Buddhism, this trend spreads to the masses. This phenomenon deserves attention for the concern of cultural linguistics and it is believed that the research on the relationship between Buddhism and names should be founded on the bases of authentic proofs instead of strained analogies.