「媽祖」名稱由來試析

Analyzing the Origin of ''Mazu''

海神林默信仰早期在明清之際，大陸當地一般民間多以「娘媽」稱之，而清初康熙年間，施琅攻臺，澎湖馬公的媽祖廟尚稱「娘媽宮」，與內地俗稱相同，但臺灣民間至遲於康熙末年已將海神林默暱稱為「媽祖」，「媽祖」名稱到底如何形成？本文首先從媽祖與觀音信仰之密切性與關聯性，闡明民間信仰中媽祖與觀音的關係，包括媽祖自小就「性好禮佛」、媽祖是「普陀現前世」、「大士轉身」之降誕傳說，與二次大戰臺灣各媽祖廟的媽祖顯靈幻化而成「白衣大士」，去「抱接砲彈」的神蹟傳說，反覆論證臺灣民間信仰中對媽祖神靈的認知，即是媽祖本為觀音之應化。其次，歷來民間信仰中對於女性神明常見的俗稱有女、姐（姊）、娘、母、姑、媽、婆等稱，用「祖」字來稱呼者除了「觀音佛祖」之外，就只有「媽祖」。因此本文推論林默之「媽」，除了源自於民間對婦女長者的俗稱外，也極可能源自於觀音「媽」，而「媽祖」之「祖」，也極可能源自於觀音佛「祖」。最後，文末強調「媽祖」這兩字的暱稱，看似平常無奇，與早期「娘媽」這兩字的暱稱沒什麼不同，但其背後卻隱含著「觀音『媽』化身」、「觀音佛『祖』轉世」的誕降傳奇色彩，以及臺灣民間信仰將「救苦救難」海神的「神」與「慈悲濟世」的「佛（祖）」（又稱慈航尊者）合而為一，頗有「神佛同體」的揉合性格。

The belief of the SeaGod, Mo Lin, started in Ming-Ching Dynasty, when it was generally called ”Niang Ma” among people in China. During the years of Kanghsi in the beginning of Ching Dynasty when Lang Shih attacked Taiwan, the Mazu Temple in Makung City, Penghu, was still called ”Niang Ma Temple”, which was the same as the common name in China. However, in the last years of Kanghsi, the SeaGod, Mo Lin, had been named ”Mazu” among people in Taiwan. It is wondered how the name ”Mazu” was formed. This article firststly, from the affinity and correlation between the beliefs of Mazu and Guanyin, clarifies the relationship of Mazu and Guanyin in traditional beliefs, including the legends like Mazu being ”favor of paying respect for Buddha”, Mazu being ”Putuo presenting pre-exixtence”, and ”Dashih turning away”, as well as the miracle of Mazu from various Mazu Temples in Taiwan making its presence and miraculously transforming into ”Paiyi Dashih” to ”catch bombs” in the World War II. It repetitiously expounds and proves the cognition of Mazu God among traditional beliefs in Taiwan that Mazu is originally the incarnation of Guanyin.Furthermore, the common names for Godnesses have included Nu, Chieh, Niang, Mu, Ma, and Po in tradional beliefs, where the use of ”zu” is only for ”Guanyin Fozu” and ”Mazu”. In this case, the ”ma” in Mo Lin is inferred to be derived from the common name for elder women among people, or from Guanyin'ma', while the ”zu” in ”Mazu” could possibly be derived from Guanyin fo'zu'. Finally, this article emphasizes that the name of ”Mazu” seems to be common that it does not present any differences from previous name of ”Niang Ma”. Nevertheless, it implies the legends of ”Guanyin'ma' incarnation” and ”Guanyin fo'zu' reincarnation as well as the combination of the ”God” in the SeaGod who ”relieves the needy or poor and the distressed” and the ”Fo'zu'” who ”is mercy and assists the world” in traditional beliefs in Taiwan that presents the integrated character of ”God and Fo”.