論《菩薩受齋經》之生命轉化教育

A Discussion on the Life Transformation Education of the Bodhisattva Fasting Sutra

釋迦牟尼在菩提樹下證悟緣起法而成佛，其漫長的成佛過程，是始於自覺人生的生、老、病、死苦，再經由學習和修正滅除這些苦後所完成的生命轉化。佛教所謂的三藏十二部，即是釋尊成佛後一次次傳授轉化生命方法的結集。本論文探討的《菩薩受齋經》就是其中之一，是以菩薩定期密集齋戒修行為主的一部很奇特的經，早在四世紀初即由聶道真居士漢譯出，卻未具有佛經的格式，菩薩齋戒日持守的十戒和十念內容亦異於其他經論而獨樹一幟。雖然目前已有一、兩篇分別研究「齋戒」和「生命轉化」的相關文獻，但是迄今尚未有針對本經做探討的任何研究面世。在補足學術研究之不足上，本論文〈論《菩薩受齋經》之生命轉化教育〉有其研究價值。本論文的研究方法主要以質性研究的文獻觀察為主，將由歷史角度透過《菩薩受齋經》與其相關的《佛說齋經》、《優陂夷墮舍迦經》和《佛說八關齋經》三經的比較，以釐清本經齋戒內容的演變和發展。再由哲學觀點探討《菩薩受齋經》的齋戒內容，以辨析其生命轉化的教育。全文共分為五部分，第一部分緒論；第二部分疑偽經釋疑：考據譯者生平和經題經錄等，以澄清本經的真實度；第三部分《菩薩受齋經》的歷史考據：經由上述四經的比對，找出本經十戒的依據和開展，進一步探索其生命轉化的教育思想；第四部分齋戒內容與其生命轉化教育：探討十念和十戒的生命轉化教育意涵，並與五念和原始佛教的六念比較，以瞭解齋戒日對生命轉化的時間意義；最後總結前四部分的結論。

Buddhism had its roots in the achievement of life transformation by Sakyamuni under the Bodhi tree through self-enlightenment and convincing insight. The Tripitaka and 12 divisions of the Buddhist canon represent a collection of the methods towards life transformation as taught for the final time by the Honored Sakyamuni after he achieved Buddhahood. The Bodhisattva Fasting Sutra this paper examines is one of these canons. It is a peculiar sutra mainly focusing on the regular and intensive fasting and practice by bodhisattvas. It was translated in early 4th Century by the Buddhist Nie Daozhen. But it does not have the format of a Buddhist sutra, and is unique that the ten precepts and contents of the ten objects of mindfulness are different from other scriptures. Though there have been a couple of articles examining the aspects of “fasting” and “life transformation”, there is not yet any research literature targeting this sutra. This paper is a worthy effort trying to bridge the gap in the academic study. This paper is a qualitative research of searching scriptures. It compares the Bodhisattva Fasting Sutra with the three related sutras, the Fasting Sutra told by the Buddha, Yu Po Yi Duo Ser Jiao Jin and the Eight Precepts of Fasting Sutra told by the Buddha, so as to clarify the evolution and development of fasting in the sutra. The fasting contents of the Bodhisattva Fasting Sutra are to be targeted also from a philosophical viewpoint to identify and analyze the education of life transformation therein. The paper comprises five parts. Part 1 is the introduction. Part 2 tries to resolve issues relating to apocrypha: to ascertain the sutra’s authenticity by examining the translator’s life and the sutra’s title and catalogues. Part 3 examines the historical background of the Bodhisattva Fasting Sutra: comparing the four sutras to find out the basis and development of the ten prohibitions in the sutra, and to further reflect on the education of life transformation. Part 4 focuses on the fasting contents and its life transformation: to trace the life-transformation’s educational meaning of ten precepts and ten mindfulness, also to compare five mindfulness and six mindfulness of the early Buddhism, as well as to understand the time significance of the fasting day to life-transformation. The final part is a conclusion of all the 4 parts.