有關受具前階規製之種種
──沙彌(尼)、式叉摩那與“異學四月共住”規製之研究
釋昭慧
法光學壇
第四期(2000)
頁19-39
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摘要:
出家妊娠的尴尬案例,是促使佛製“學法女”製度的重大理由。出家有孕,易罹世譏嫌,故若式叉摩那是出家尼,則“驗孕”之說不通;“二歲”之驗孕期,應以持在家身爲宜。至于幼年出家的沙彌尼,比式叉摩那奉持更嚴格的十戒,沒有理由倒退過來學習六法。以今驗孕醫術之便利,隨時可知已孕與否,故不需爲此一理由而延擱兩年。
十八歲以上童女(或十歲以上的小年曾嫁女子),必須先以“學法女”的身份,帶發修行約略兩年,以考察她是否有孕。既然形同俗人,所以也不像沙彌尼一樣嚴格規定“不持金銀”,但既然住在僧伽藍中,也就要在優婆夷五戒的基礎上,進一步與衆僧一樣過“不非時食”的生活(這才是“六法”的本意)。
其實男衆也不例外:二十歲以下的髫齡出家者,名之爲“沙彌”,二十歲以上,欲出家受具,即可進行之,唯一例外是“外道(異學)四月共住”。在這過渡的共住期間,種種待遇則比照沙彌,甚至是“在沙彌下”。
此一規定之開緣有二:事火外道(或加結發外道)因爲信有因果業報,比較容易轉化邪見,接受正法,所以得以直接出家受沙彌戒。共住期間,若證得初果以上,不必等待四月期限,即可以立刻出家。
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On the Regulations Pertaining to the Period before Full Ordination:
A Study on the Regulations regarding Novices, Female Trainees,
and Practitioners of Other Creeds who Have to Live Together for Four Months
Shih Chao-hui
The embarrassing case of the nun who became pregnant was the main reason for the Buddha to introduce the system of “dharma studying female”. As pregnancy in the case of nuns easily attracts ridicule from the general public it doesn”t make sense to call this a “pregnancy test” if the female trainees were nuns. It is more reasonable to regard the “two year period” of testing pregnancy as applicable to laywomen. As far as those female novices are concerned who left home life at a tender age and have been keeping the ten precepts which are stricter than the precepts for female trainees, it does not make sense to retrogress and practice the “six dharmas”. Since pregnancy tests nowadays are very convenient and any time applicable, there is no need for this two years delay any longer.
A virgin of more than 18 years of age (or a girl older than ten which had been married) has first to become a “dharma studying female” and practice as a layperson for about two years in order to find out whether she is pregnant or not. Since her outward appearance is that of a layperson, she is -unlike a novice- not subjected to the strict vow of “not accepting valuables.” However, as she is living in a nunnery, she has to lead the life of “not eating after noon” like the monastic community in addition to keeping the five precepts of a layperson. (This is the real meaning behind the “six dharmas”.)
As a matter of fact, the same holds true for male disciples: those who
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left the homelife before the age of twenty are called “male novices”; those over 20 who want to become ordained can do so with the exception of practitioners of other creeds who have to live together for four months first. In this transition period of communal living, the general treatment they receive equals that of novices or is even less.
There are two possible exceptions for this regulation. Practitioners of other creeds who venerate the fire (or those with matted hair) are allowed to receive direct ordination as novices since they believe in karmic retribution and it thus is easier for them to get rid of perverted views; for those who achieved one of the stages of holiness during the period of living together there is no need to wait until the period of four months is completed. They are allowed to enter the homeleft life immediately.
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一、前言
民國八十七年八月叁至五日,西藏流亡政府宗教文化部(Department of Religion and Culture)奉達賴喇嘛之指示,邀請根本說一切有部(Muulasarvaastivaada)、上座部(Theravaada)、法藏部(Dharmagupta)的法師們,在印度Dharamsara附近的Norbulingka Institute召開第一次的“比丘尼受戒傳承研討會”(First Seminar of Vinaya Scholars Concerning the Lineage of Bhikkhuni Ordination)。根本說一切有(以下簡稱爲“根有”)部的律典爲藏傳佛教所遵循;上座部的律典爲南傳佛教所奉持;法藏部的律典,從唐朝道宣律師宣揚後即爲漢傳佛教所依循。
此次主辦單位所准備的研討議題,當日參加會議的惠敏法師綜合成叁類。其中第二類,就是西藏所介意的:中國佛教尼衆傳統中無“式叉摩那”(”sik.saamaa.naa)?他們要問的是:受比丘尼戒之前,是否必須受式叉摩那戒、沙彌尼戒;式叉摩那戒和沙彌尼戒的順序爲何?[1]
在佛教的七衆弟子中,式叉摩那的位階,一向是被視作沙彌尼成爲比丘尼之前,“二雨時”(兩年,最少跨越一年)的過渡階段。許多持律者甚至堅持:沙彌尼不得迳受比丘尼戒,一定要經過“二歲學六法”的式叉摩那階段。
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