《太平經》的神仙觀念

The Idea of the Transcendents in the Taiping jing

本文主旨在於探討《太平經》對於神仙和仙界的界定，對於成仙條件和成仙方法的論述，並分析這種神仙觀念所呈現的特色。根據《太平經》的說法，神仙意指長生不死之人，並擁有各種神異的能力，如：變化形容、尸解、役使鬼神、飛行自如、無所不知、助致太平等。同時，神仙可以在仙界居住，並擔任「天廷」的官吏。不過，神仙並非無所不能，他們之間有品階與等級的高下，而且是在一個官僚機構的管轄之下，並臣屬於天（天君）。倘若犯錯或觸犯天廷的律法，會受到責罰，甚至會被貶謫到人間。然而，《太平經》仍然強調，神仙是每個人應該追求的終極目標。至於成仙的條件與方法，《太平經》認為，神仙在未出生之前，便已經擁有成仙的「天命」，名字早已著錄在「仙籍」之中。這樣的人出生之後，自然稟性善良，天資聰穎。不過，若要成仙，仍必須學習各種「仙法」，包括：一、服用仙方與藥物；二、採行辟穀與服食之道；三、修習守一與思神之法；四、吞服丹書與天符；五、治樂與舉樂；六、施行善政以興太平；七、積極行善，積功累德等。只要功德圓滿，年資具足，再加上天界神靈、仙人的保舉，便能得道成仙。這樣的神仙觀念，有四個特質特別值得留意。首先，在成仙的條件與限制方面，《太平經》有非常濃厚的命定論以及精英主義的色彩。基本上，只有極少數帶有「天命」的人才有機會成仙。不過，即使不帶天命，只要努力行善，仍有機會成為仙界的一員。人的自由意志和自我抉擇還是最具關鍵性。其次，學道求仙主要是個體的活動，所追求的基本上是修道者個人生死與壽夭的徹底解脫，能否成仙也繫於個人的條件及修煉。不過，《太平經》也宣稱，人可以透過「共修」而集體成仙。因此，《太平經》在論述個人救贖的同時，仍帶有傳統中國家族主義的色彩以及對於「生命共同體」的強調。再者，《太平經》的神仙觀念還同時具有「入世」和「出世」兩種互斥的傾向。《太平經》的仙界和人間緊密相連、重疊；仙界的物質生活和政治體制大致是人間的翻版。而且，修道者成仙的主要方法就是要在人間遵循世俗的道德和法律規範，甚至要積極的參與政治，治理國家。不過，《太平經》也強調，至少有部分神仙不再涉及凡塵之事。此外，《太平經》雖然主張人應以成仙做為生命的終極目標，不過，此書仍然指出，神仙並非完美無缺的至善之物。換句話說，《太平經》仍然強調人的不完美性及其成就的極限性。總之，《太平經》成功的整合了善惡報應論、儒家習經與師傳的傳統以及各種神仙方術，開創出一套具有系統性的神仙理論。而這一套理論，似乎成為六朝時期葛洪及陶弘景等人在建構道教義理時的重要基礎。

Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica / National Chung Hsing University The most prominent characteristic of religious Taoism may be its belief in the transcendents (shenxian) which has been one of the most popular topics in Taoist studies for several decades. Unfortunately the idea of the transcendents in the Taiping jing 太平經, one of the most important scriptures in the Taoist canon, has not been studied comprehensively. The date of the Taiping jing (ca. the second century AD) is nearly synchronous with the beginning of religious Taoism. In this scripture, we can see that the author(s) synthesized many ideas into one system concerning a theory of transcendents. This scripture indicates that the transcendent is the highest form a human being can achieve. Even though the text usually declares that only those who have the destiny to become a transcendent and are born with superior talent and wisdom have a chance to become transcendents, sometimes, it admits that those who have great merit and have accomplished virtuous deeds, although possessing no destiny to become a transcendent, still have the chance to become transcendents. This means that almost everyone has the potential to reach the goal of becoming a transcendent. Furthermore, this scripture instructs people in a number of methods to become a transcendent, including taking recipes of immortality, swallowing talismans, engaging in dietetic practices and meditation, living virtuously, creating a peaceful society, etc. All of these techniques continued to play prominent roles in Taoist practice in later periods, testifying to the influence of the Taiping jing, on subsequent Taoist ideas of the transcendent.