A Folk-Literary Study of the Reception of Song Dynasty Buddhist Texts among Reclusive Monks

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00299
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02010:Japanese literature-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022-2023); Osaka City University (2019-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Naoki 大阪公立大学, 大学院文学研究科, 教授 (40234835)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 宋刊仏書 / 無住 / 宗鏡録 / 大蔵一覧集 / 大慧普覚禅師語録 / 景徳伝灯録 / 首楞厳義疏注経 / 三国伝記

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigates the reception of Song dynasty Buddhist texts brought over by Song monks during the Kamakura period among reclusive monks, who had a strong connection to narrative literature, and how those monks incorporated these Buddhist texts in their writing. In particular, this study examines the reception of Song dynasty Buddhist texts, including Buddhist studies and Zen analects, by the early-Kamakura period reclusive monk Muju, the author of Shasekishu. Moreover, the study analyzes the reception of sutra commentaries published during the Song dynasty in Sangoku Denki, a collection of discourses formed in the early Muromachi period that are closely related to reclusive monks. Based on this analysis, the study clarifies the influence of contemporary knowledge and thought from continental Asia on the writings of reclusive monks during the Kamakura period.

Free Research Field

日本中世文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

中世の遁世僧の中には、仏教説話集『沙石集』の著者として知られる無住道暁をはじめ、説話文学の世界と接点を持つ者が少なくない。本研究の意義は、入宋僧によって請来された宋刊仏書がそうした遁世僧の著作にどのように受容されているかを実証的に跡づけることを通して、宋刊仏書の伝える大陸の最新の情報知識が著者である遁世僧の思想・発想にいかに働きかけ、その著作に結実しているのかを明らかにした点にある。