「相」與「Sign」：當代漢傳佛學詞彙之「『雙重』翻譯」問題——以《金剛經》為例

“Xiang”and“Sign”: A Study on the “Double Translation Issue” in Chinese Buddhist Terminology Based on the Diamond Sutra

本文以「翻譯」的角度探究當代漢學跨文化暨跨學科的方法，再以此方法「翻譯」漢學經典。跨文化研究之中，哲學核心概念的翻譯舉足輕重，不僅涉及語言上形式與內容的對峙，亦影射了自我與他者之倫理性。在中國傳統文本的外譯方面，當代哲學、翻譯學之中多有相通之處可相互資糧。若在漢學中汲取固有的「翻譯」資源，漢傳佛教翻譯既有深厚的理論與實踐積澱，亦有哲學思想內涵，皆可與當代的跨學科方法相互參酌。「漢譯」佛典「西譯」實涉及「雙重翻譯」問題：古代印度原文本漢譯本當代各西方語譯本。跨語言的詮釋問題同時揭露了語言觀即方法論：西方書寫史、印度口述文化與中國解經學三者間之齟齬。以《金剛經》的核心概念「相」為例，經由梵、中、西等多語歷時與共時詞彙對比研究，跨文化、學科的視角闢拓了西譯更多元的詮釋空間，並可以此展望佛教概念的現代化與東西「符號」研究之會通。漢語作為「語言觀」，與各語言之間的平等互攝，或可紓解自我與他者之兩橛。

This article explores the transcultural and interdisciplinary methods of contemporary Sinology from the perspective of the “translation”, and also uses this idea to “translate” Chinese classics. In transcultural research, the translation of core concepts of philosophy plays an important role. It not only involves the confrontation between form and content in language, but also implies the ethics of the self and the other. In translating traditional Chinese texts, many similarities between contemporary philosophy and translation studies can provide mutual support. In addition, if the inherent “translation” resources are absorbed by Sinology, Chinese Buddhist translation would have a profound theoretical and practical value, and also its proper philosophical connotations, to both of which can be applied contemporary interdisciplinary methods. The application of Buddhist terms/concepts leads to an issue related to double translation: Ur-texts in ancient IndiaChinese translationscontemporary western languages. The editing, proofreading and Western translation of Sanskrit manuscripts is regarded as authoritative, and the faithfulness of Chinese translation is highly questioned. This article takes “xiang” in the Diamond Sutra as an example to explain this methodological issue in Buddhist studies. Using the philological method, Sanskrit-Chinese comparative research, and Western translations, this article emphasizes the contribution of the cross-lingual terminological study. The transcultural and interdisciplinary perspective has the potential for a diversified interpretation in Western translations. Furthermore, the modernization of Buddhist concepts and the study of “signs” between the East and the West is another research topic to look forward to in the future.