《大乘起信論》的言語動力學與假言認識論――一種現象學的閱讀

Speech Dynamics and Provisional Language Epistemology in The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna: A Phenomenological Reading

《大乘起信論》造論之因緣在於顯示大乘法之正義而令眾生起信。《論》曰：「有法能起摩訶衍信根，是故應說。」然於〈解釋分〉又曰：「以一切言說假名無實，但隨妄念不可得故。言真如者，亦無有相。」其中「一切言說假名無實」指示的是，「假名言說」是認識一心二門，眾生心與真如門、生滅門的路徑。那麼，假言如何「能起摩訶衍信根」而不起妄念？假言如何不是虛妄分別？也就是說，《大乘起信論》裡似乎蘊含著一種「假言認識論」，但其內涵為何？〈因緣分〉又指出，本論是為「心樂總持少文而攝多義能取解者」所造。若此，「樂持少文而攝多義」的眾生又要如何成為「聽假言而信法得法者」？總的來說，《大乘起信論》必要啟動一種「說」與「聽」，在其之間大乘法得到呈顯、傳播與信仰。呈顯，緣於說法之「說」，這一「說」的結構是什麼？起信，緣於聽法之「聽」，這一「聽」的結構是什麼？本文的目的即是以回到一般言說者、聽聞者的經驗層次來探討《大乘起信論》中的言語過程以澄清上述問題。這可說是一種現象學的閱讀。本文將區分實言、假言、真言等三種「語言態度」，以說明大乘法真理之言說與聽聞。如此的閱讀所得並不只在於理解《大乘起信論》的文字義理，更是呈現出一存在行動，即對佛法的宣說與聽聞實是轉化自身存在狀態的行動。也就是說，導出《大乘起信論》之假言認識的存在論性質，本文展示了另一條理解佛典的道路，即建立了從經驗到存在的佛法宣說實踐的行動。

The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna大乘起信論was composed to reveal the true meaning of Mahāyāna doctrine and inspire faith in sentient beings. The treatise states:“There is a teaching (Dharma) that can awaken in us the root of faith in the Mahāyāna, and it should therefore be explained.”However, the Interpretation section also says:“All speech and names are provisional and not real, as they simply follow deluded thoughts and cannot be attained. The term‘suchness’also has no characteristics.”The phrase“all speech and names are provisional and not real”indicates that“provisional names and speech”are pathways for understanding One Mind with its two aspects: the mind of sentient beings both in terms of suchness and in terms of arising and ceasing. How then can provisional language“give rise to the roots of faith in the Mahāyāna”without generating deluded thoughts? How can provisional language avoid false discrimination? In other words, The Awakening of Faith seems to contain a kind of“provisional language epistemology,”but what exactly is its content? The Reasons for Writing section also points out that this treatise was composed for those who“delight in concise teachings that encompass many meanings and can attain understanding.”If so, how can sentient beings who“delight in concise teachings that encompass many meanings”become those who believe in the Dharma and attain the Dharma through provisional language? Overall, The Awakening of Faith must initiate a form of speaking and listening, between which the Mahāyāna Dharma is revealed, transmitted, and believed. Revelation depends on the act of speaking the Dharma—what is the structure of this speech? Faith arises from the act of listening—what is the structure of this listening? The purpose of this paper is to examine the speech process in The Awakening of Faith by returning to the experiential level of ordinary speakers and listeners to clarify the above questions. This can be considered a phenomenological reading. This paper will distinguish three“speech attitudes”—practical speech, provisional speech, and true speech—to explain the speaking and hearing of Mahāyāna truth. Such a reading not only helps understand the textual meaning of the treatise but also reveals an existential action, namely that proclaiming and listening to the Buddha’s teachings is an action that transforms one’s existential state. In other words, by extracting the ontological nature of the provisional language epistemology in The Awakening of Faith, this paper demonstrates a particular path to understanding Buddhist texts, i.e., the practice of Dharma proclamation as an action from experience to existence.