藥師佛本願的精神與契世應機─以「生佛平等」願與「轉女成男」願為論

Spirits and Predestination to Corresponding to the World of the Primal Vow of Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Master/ Medicine Buddha): A View on the Vows of "Equality of Beings and Buddhas" and "Transferring from Female to Male Figures"

近代太虛提倡人間佛教，因此提倡重視現世利生的藥師法門，但也同時讓我們注意到以往藥師法門被偏取於「消災延壽」而忘失契入菩提、安住佛道核心精神的問題。乃至藥師法門在實踐現世救度時，如何不只專注於自身消災延壽，而且還能實踐世間淨土？甚至還要思考是否能不落框架，契歸核心精神，因應當世不同價值變化而變化？要回應這個問題，需要對藥師佛法門有全面深刻的理解。因此，筆者選擇藥師佛所發的十二大願中的兩個大願做有意義的切入：1. 由第一大願「生佛平等」願來探索現世利生與核心精神的融合；2. 由第八大願「轉女成男」願來切入現世利生之深度，思考如何契世應機適合現代。
藥師佛的第一大願生佛平等」願，是兼具圓滿無上菩提與現世救度特質之總願。民國以來太虛、弘一、印順以藥師佛法門與人間淨土的建立互相呼應，脫開「消災延壽」的偏重，是藥師法門的好方向；而當代洪啟嵩以「全佛觀」、「佛身觀」深刻有力地實踐第一大願，則是得其環中又超越前人的論述。
第八大願「轉女成男」願，是面對當時「男尊女卑」的社會緣起現實，滿足女性需求，解決女性苦迫而立的。如今時節因緣已不同，此願應已完成階段性任務，但仍須開啟其潛在的當代面向，讓第八大願更具藥師佛本願的「現世」救度精神。現代女性有屬於現代女性的需求，在現世社會上，男女平等、性別平等還需要更全面地實踐；在佛法修行上，跳脫對男身的崇拜，不必轉女成男，即女身成佛，讓法性平等之義直接呈現，以此做為第八大願的當代面向，是為甚宜。

As Humanistic Buddhism has been promoted since Master Taixu, practices of Medicine Buddha that emphasize on benefiting all living beings in the human world are propelled. Nonetheless, it is worthwhile of noticing that said practices of Medicine Buddha are taken partially as "eliminating misfortune and extending life" whilst deserting Bodhi is becoming an issue, which is a reflection on the problems of maintaining the core value, the Dharma of Buddha. In that case, how can we carry out redeeming missions for the world, while not only focusing on eliminating misfortune and extending life for the self, but also making the world a pure land, besides considering returning to the core value, instead of restricting oneself inside the box, and being flexible upon corresponding to different values of the world? To answer this question, it requires complete and deep understanding of the practices of Medicine Buddha. Therefore, two of the twelve great vows from Medicine Buddha are to be interpreted herein: The First Vow of "Equality of Beings and Buddhas" is to explore the integration of benefiting all living beings in the human world and the core value; on the other hand, the Eighth Vow of "Transferring from Female to Male Figures" is to further analyze the benefiting all living beings in the human world, as well as offering thoughts on adjusting the self to face all variations in modern worlds.
The very First Vow of Medicine Buddha that suggests "Equality of Beings and Buddhas" contains broad visions which consisted of both the complete, supreme Bodhi and the redemption of current world. As is known, practices of Medicine Buddha correspond to the concept of development of the pure land in the human world; since Master Taixu, Master Hong Yi and Master Yin Shun in the early 1900s, the bias of "eliminating misfortune and extending life" has been eliminated, allowing the practices of Medicine Buddha to travel on the righteous path. Additionally, there was also Master Hong Qisong, who carried out the idea of the First Vow profoundly via "Perception of Buddha in All Beings" and "Perception of Trikaya"; his theories have surpassed other ideas from the past in the genre.
As for the Eighth Vow suggesting "Transferring from Female to Male Figures," it was actually developed to satisfy womens needs, and to provide them solutions for their suffering, since males were superior to females in earlier times. However, since time has changed, the short-term task of the vow could be considered accomplished; still, potential aspects contained in this vow are still needed, so that the "temporary" spirits of redemption in the Primal Vow of Medicine Buddha inside this Eighth Vow may be presented. As the requirements from modern women differ from those in earlier times, gender equality between both sexes is the first to be practiced comprehensively in the current world; meanwhile, when it comes to practices of Dharma, it is necessary to eliminate the worshipping of masculinity; "Transferring from Female to Male Figures" is thus no longer needed. In other words, women could as well become Buddhas in their body; presenting the Eighth Vow through displaying gender equality directly in the modern world would thus be relatively appropriate.