何谓“末法”——对一些误解的辨析  

What Is Saddharma-vipralopa——A Correction of Some Misunderstandings

作　　者：刘屹[1] LIU Yi(School of History,Capital Normal University,Beijing 100089)

机构地区：[1]首都师范大学历史学院,北京100089

出　　处：《敦煌研究》2022年第1期33-41,共9页Dunhuang Research

基　　金：国家社科基金重点项目“中国佛教‘末法思想’的历史学研究”(19AZS015)。

摘　　要：印度佛典对“末法”一词并未给出明晰和准确的定义,导致学术界近百年来关于“末法”的定义屡经修改而仍难统一。印度佛教认为自佛灭之年开始,就进入佛法逐渐衰亡的时期,此即“末法”时期。中国佛教认为自佛灭之年算起,要先经过“正法”“像法”两个阶段,然后才会进入“末法万年”阶段。日本佛教受中国佛教的影响,接受“正像末三时说”,且“末法”意识对日本佛教和日本社会影响深刻。20世纪初期日本佛教学者对“末法”的认知,影响了他们对中国历史上“末法思想”的理解,也造成对“末法”概念产生种种误解。Indian Buddhist scriptures do not provide a clear and accurate definition of saddharma-vipralopa(“Degenerate Age of Dharma”),which has led to a number of conflicting definitions created as scholars revisited the term over the last century.In Indian Buddhism,saddharma-vipralopa signifies the year the Buddha entered nirvana and the Dharma gradually began to disappear from the world.In Chinese Buddhism,it was believed that the Degenerate Age of Dharma would last over 10,000 years,but would be preceded by two other“ages,”the“Age of the Right Dharma”and the“Age of the Semblance Dharma.”Japanese Buddhism accepted the doctrine of the Three Ages of Buddhism.The understanding of saddharma-vipralopa held by Japanese scholars of Buddhism in the early 20th century caused several misunderstandings in their analysis and interpretation of both the concept itself,as well as of the influence of the“Degenerate Age of Dharma”in Chinese history.

关 键 词：法灭 末法 正像末三时 末法为正 

分 类 号：G256.1[文化科学—图书馆学] B94[哲学宗教—宗教学]