出世悲時事，忘情念友生：吳梅村與臨濟宗三峰禪僧交遊詩文映現的心靈圖景

“Withdrawing from the World Just to Lament Current Affairs; Forsaking Feelings Only to Pine for Friendship”: The Emotional Landscape Reflected in Wu Meicun’s Poems to Linji Sanfeng Monks

Abstract

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.

吳梅村臨終之際，遺言“斂以僧裝”一事格外引人注目。一般認爲此乃梅村仕清後，無顏以前朝冠服入殮的自解之道，然而此說實削弱他的佛教因緣與主觀意願。過去研究吳梅村與佛禪關係，較少梳理其倫理困境，及對佛門僧諍之省思。本文擬補足這兩點，以與吳梅村交往最熱絡的臨濟宗三峰派之交遊詩文爲討論核心。首先，梳理梅村與晦山戒顯相約入山卻辜負，映現的家國承擔與心理衝突；其次，推翻袁枚“梅村贈答方外詩俱無佳處”之說法，指出吳梅村雖與三峰派漢月法藏不曾往來，但與其法嗣剖石弘璧、繼起弘儲、具德弘禮等之贈答酬作，在在透顯對漢月的尊崇，以及與三峰禪僧亦師亦友的深刻情誼。最後，本文發現吳梅村與遺民僧繼起弘儲、檗菴正志之往來詩作，一方面傳達從廟堂荒頹到禪門論諍，梅村的感慨與省思。同時在詮釋法門戈矛的過程中，梅村有意强化出世必能安身的傾向，雖過於一廂情願，卻又襯托他遺囑以僧衣入殮，是洞悉一切後的選擇。

Wu Meicun’s (1609-1671) last words on his deathbed, “Bury me in sangha clothing,” have attracted significant attention. Most believe that Wu was absolving himself from having deserted to serve the Qing dynasty and was thus likely ashamed of being buried in court uniform of the dynasty he had formerly served. However, this interpretation undermines his Buddhist cause and subjective will. Existing scholarship on Wu Meicun’s relationship with Zen Buddhism rarely looks at his ethical dilemma and his reflections on the debates amongst different Buddhist schools. This essay aims to elaborate on these two points by focusing on the poems that Wu exchanged with the Sanfeng Sect of the Linji School, with whom he was closely associated.

First, I will analyze how Wu Meicun’s broken promise to enter into monasticism with Huishan Jiexian reflects a clash between his feelings of familial and patriotic duty, and his mental proclivities. Next, I will argue against Yuan Mei’s (1716-1797) remark, “None of Meicun’s poems for the hermits are noteworthy,” by pointing out that although Wu Meicun had never interacted with Hanyue Fazang of the Sanfeng Sect, the poems he gifted Hanyue’s disciples Poshi Hongbi, Jiqi Hongchu, Jude Hongli, and others, reveal his admiration for Hanyue time after time, as well as the deep bond he shared with the Sanfeng sangha that was both instructive and friendly.

Finally, this essay observes that the poems Wu Meicun exchanged with refugee monks of the previous dynasty, Jiqi Hongchu and Boan Zhengji, convey the poet’s regrets and reflections on the declining political status of temples and quarrels among the schools of Zen thought. By interpreting discrepancies amongst Buddhist methods, Meicun simultaneously wished to fortify his belief that abandoning all that was worldly was sure to bring peace of mind. While overly hopeful, this affirms that his final wish to be buried in sangha clothing was a choice informed by enlightenment.