日本院政的佛教供養願文書寫──從宗教與王權的交涉談起

The Writing of Buddhist Dedication Vows in the Insei Period of Japan: Examining the Interaction Between Religion and Sovereignty

儀式是宗教相當重要的一環，信仰者透過不同的實踐，實際參與宗教活動，展現信仰的內涵。同時，在某些佛教儀式中經常出現供養願文。佛教供養願文是表達信仰的重要途徑之一，隨著身分的不同，佛教信仰者在願文當中可以表現出的願意也不盡相同。本文以日本特殊的政治權力者角色「院」及「女院」的佛教供養願文為對象，試圖分析出家的統治階級，在願文的表現上可能有何值得關注的特色。特別是，日本統治階級雖然取得比丘或比丘尼的身分，事實上卻未必進入僧院生活，甚至保留或進一步開設專屬的政治機構，持續參與政治活動。日本前近代宗教儀式與政治的關聯性早已受到學界重視，而願文的書寫，可以視為發願者（願主）在佛教儀式場合中，向神佛及聽眾彰示的宗教性宣言。本文在日本古代、中世時期，王權積極參與佛教儀式的脈絡下，以「院」及「女院」的發願文為切入點，考察不同權力者如何透過佛教儀式強化政治權威，在願文中展現其政治願景。本文透過儀式的具體內容展現，期盼深化對王權與宗教互動的理解，同時展示宗教儀式如何成為政治權力表達的重要場域，也為理解日本古代及中世時期的宗教與政治關係提供不同的分析角度。

Rituals form a crucial component of religious practices, allowing believers to participate in religious activities and manifest their faith actively. Among these practices, Buddhist dedication vows frequently appear in certain rituals. These vows serve as a vital means of expressing religious devotion, and the content of the vows can vary significantly depending on the status of the devotee. This paper focuses on the Buddhist dedication vows of Japan's unique political figures, the“In”(Daijo Tenno, or Retired Emperor) and“Nyoin”(Empress Dowager or Female Imperial Family Member), seeking to analyze the distinctive features of these vows as expressed by members of the ruling class who had taken monastic vows. Notably, despite obtaining the status of monks or nuns, these ruling figures did not necessarily enter monastic life; instead, they often retained or even established exclusive political institutions, continuing their involvement in political affairs. Scholars have long recognized the relationship between premodern Japanese religious rituals and political power, and the composition of dedication vows can be viewed as a religious declaration made by the vow-maker during Buddhist rituals, addressed to both the deities and the audience. In the context of the active participation of the Japanese monarchy in Buddhist rituals during the ancient and medieval periods, this study examines the vows of the“In”and“Nyoin”to explore how different power holders used Buddhist rituals to reinforce their political authority and express their political vision through these vows. By analyzing the specific content of these rituals, this paper aims to deepen our understanding of the interaction between sovereignty and religion, demonstrating how religious rituals serve as a significant arena for expressing political power. Additionally, this study provides new analytical perspectives on the relationship between religion and politics in ancient and medieval Japan.