聖嚴法師「以禪攝淨」的詮釋及其運用

Master Sheng Yen’s Interpretation and Use of Chan Practice to Contain Pure Land Thought

聖嚴法師倡導「提昇人的品質，建設人間淨土」的思想，跟禪、淨的實踐手段有直接關係。本文主要探討法師如何詮釋及運用禪、淨二門，以作為倡導之手段及依據。研究結果顯示，法師雖極重視彌陀淨土法門，並有多部這方面專著，但法師有以「以禪攝淨」的方式來淨化人心，達致建設人間淨土的目的。本文考察聖嚴法師以禪宗四祖道信強調使用專注稱念佛名以證入「一行三昧」，來論證禪淨雙修的可行性及禪宗如何使用念佛法門；接續考察法師如何運用永明延壽「一念成佛論」，發現法師在禪、淨二門中，主張以禪為主，以淨為輔的主從關係；最後檢視法師如何承繼雲棲袾宏的「參究念佛說」，考察其禪觀與淨土思想，得知念佛僅成為參禪的助緣，參禪才是究竟。基此，法師「以禪攝淨」的目的與他倡導的「提昇人的品質，建設人間淨土」有密切關係，透過「一念相應一念佛，念念相應念念佛」的理念，信奉者可以在「相應」的當下體悟到「淨土」，這也是「人間淨土」得以成立的原理。

Master Sheng-Yen’s ideas for of “improving the quality of human existence” and establishing the “Humanistic Pure Land” is directly relevant to the practice of Chan and Pure Land. This article primarily discusses how Master Sheng-Yen explained and practiced Chan and Pure Land approaches, which form the method and basis of his teaching. I conclude that although Master Sheng-Yen thought highly of the Amitabha Pure Land approach and has written many books on this topic, he aimed to establish the Humanistic Pure Land by “assimilating Pure Land by Chan” which can purify the mind of humans. This article first examines how Master Sheng-Yen demonstrated the possibility of practicing Chan and Pure Land “two-in-one”, and discusses how the Chan Sect put the Buddhist-chanting approach into practice with Daoxin’s beliefs of approaching “Single-focus Samadhi” by devoting one’s mind to Buddhist-chanting. This article then examines how Master Sheng-Yen studied Yongming Yanshou’s beliefs of “becoming enlightened in one thought” and concluded that Chan is primary and Pure Land is secondary. Finally, this article examines how Master Sheng-Yen carried on Yunqi Zhuhong’s beliefs of “practicing Chan meditation and chanting the name of Buddha” and concluded that Chan meditation is prior to Buddhist-chanting. Based on these studies, I conclude that Master Sheng-Yen’s thought of “assimilating Pure Land by Chan” is closely relevant to his proposition of “improving the quality of human existence” and establishing the Humanistic Pure Land.” The thought of “a Kshana (a momentary mind) that will lead the mind into “Pure Land” can awaken believers to the “Pure Land” in the secular world. This is the fundamental principle of Humanistic Pure Land.