淺論華夏俗世婦女的觀世音信仰 -- 兼論這位菩薩的性別問題=A Survey on Why the Chinese Females Taking Refugee in Avalokite`svaraa--and on the

曹仕邦 (著)=Tso, Sze-bong (au.)

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		淺論華夏俗世婦女的觀世音信仰 -- 兼論這位菩薩的性別問題=A Survey on Why the Chinese Females Taking Refugee in Avalokite`svaraa--and on the "Sex" of this Buddhist Bodhisattva

Author	曹仕邦 (著)=Tso, Sze-bong (au.)
Source	中華佛學學報=Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal=Journal of Chinese Buddhist Studies
Volume	n.15
Date	2002.07
Pages	155 - 175
Publisher	中華佛學研究所=Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies
Publisher Url	http://www.chibs.edu.tw/publication_tw.php?id=12
Location	新北市, 臺灣 [New Taipei City, Taiwan]
Content type	期刊論文=Journal Article
Language	中文=Chinese; 英文=English
Keyword	觀世音菩薩; 觀音菩薩; The Atmosphere of Confucian Male Chauvinist Society in China; Kuan-yin Gives Help to a Female in Difficulties; Kuan-yin Gives Blessing to Help a Married Woman to Give Born to a Male Infant; The Social Demand for "A Messiah for Women Would Have Been Also A Woman"
Abstract	觀世音是最獲得華夏婦女信奉的一位佛教菩薩，其原因如下: 第一. 佛經描述這位菩薩能救苦救難，而人們經常會遇上苦難，尤其在過去儒家大男人主義籠罩社會的時代，女性所面對的苦難特多. 因此華夏婦女非常渴望當她們遇上苦難時蒙這位菩薩的保祐而脫困厄. 其次，佛經又說這位菩薩能保祐已婚婦女生育男嬰. 在華人重視子嗣的觀念之下，婦女非常希望觀世音能保祐自己產下兒子，使自己在家庭中受到翁姑的重視. 同時，已生育兒子的女性也希望這位菩薩的愛能伸延而保祐自己的骨肉. 第三. 前已言之，婦女在過去的社會中最受委屈，她們的滿腹辛酸，只好在禱告時向觀世音申訴. 然而根據佛經所載，觀世音是位男性的菩薩，雖祂能變身為女形而向女子說法，但婦女又豈放心向一位男菩薩細訴自己心中的祕密? 因此，她們希望這位女性救主的本身，同時也是女性! 緣於這種共同意念之下，好幾種描述觀世音出家前是位印度王國的公主; 苦修之下成女性菩薩的小說出現. 經過小說的渲染，婦女們便篤信觀音確屬女子，由是如今華人不論男女，都普遍地接受這位菩薩屬慈悲的女子這觀念. 本文更考出大約在北宋乾德 2 年 (964) 以前，觀世音已被普遍視作女菩薩，不過在唐代元和 8 年 (813) 左右，「她」的性別仍未改變. 本文原屬仕邦於民國 88 年 -- 90 年度繳交給本研究所的研究專題《佛教傳入中國後對婦女的革命性影響》中的第十章，如今稍作修改，先提出以應本學報的邀稿. Among the Buddhist Bodhisattvas, Avalokite`svaraa (will known to the Chinese as kuan-yin [觀音]) is most believing in and even taking refugee in by the Chinese females. It is because: Firstly，in the Imperial period，the Chinese society had Long been cover by the Confucian male chauvinist atmosphere. Under this atmosphere，the females used to suffer from unfairness and inequality. As the Buddhist sacred scriptures say that the females would win the blessing from Kun-in after they reciting 'her' name anxiously，then their difficulties would be overcame. Therefore，they follow the instruction of the scriptures as they believe that the blessing from this bodhisattva would be won. Secondly，under the above-mentioned atmosphere，the Chinese family looking seriously for having a male descendent. In case a man's wife could not give born to him a son，then this man be condemned as an undutiful son of his family by his relatives. In this circumstance，this man should have to keep a concubine，hoping that his new woman would bring him a son. Or even divorces his legal wife and remarried. Therefore，the requirement for a male infant is a serious threat to a woman. Since the scriptures say that Kuan-yin would blessing an unpregnant woman to carry a son after she reciting she Kuan-yin Ching (觀音經 or Avalokite`svaraasuutra) day and night，the blessing would really be conferred. Therefore，the Chinese females did their recitation faithfully in order to pray for such a blessing. Thirdly，under the atmosphere that mentioned above，every woman has so many troubles in her mind. As the females believe that Kuan-yin would give hand to them if needed，they used to pour out their reluctances in front of the image of this bodhisattva in order to seek blessing. According to the scriptures, Avalokite`svaraa is in fact a male bodhisattva. As the scriptures also say that when this bodhisattva intends to peach Buddhism to a certain woman，he transforms himself into a woman's shape before appears in front of this woman，in order to gain access of her in the first place. Following the description of the scriptures, the Chinese females arose an idea that it would be more helpful if Kuan-yin would have been a real woman. For a female "Messiah" could be more understanding of a woman's ache and pain. Due to the social demand of the Chinese females, gradually some fictions concerning Kuan-yin composed. These fictions tell that before enfrocked，Kuan-yin was the third princess of a small Indian kingdom. Influenced by the publication of these fictions, the females being coaxed into believing that their "Messiah" is really a trusted worthy female bodhisattva. Since than，the "sex" of Kuan-yin is being confirmed in the people's minds.
Table of contents	一.《光世音經》與《觀世音經》的興替二. 唐代以前的婦女與觀音信仰 -- 兼論這時期的觀音性別三. 唐代以後的婦女與觀音信仰 -- 兼論這位菩薩的「變性」及其原因
ISSN	10177132 (P)
Categories	佛教圖像
Dynasty	中國-無
Regions	中國
Hits	1998
Created date	2002.09.03
Modified date	2018.02.27

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