文档介绍：唐代宫廷的三教论议
中南大学哲学系刘立夫
内容提要:三教论议或三教论衡是唐代儒佛道三教关系的重要表现形式。这一活动从唐
初持续到唐末,五代时期仍有其余绪。三教论议在唐朝的各个历史阶段的情况不一样,为了
论述方便,可以将它划分为三个阶段:第一阶段为唐高祖、太宗朝,此一阶段的辩论与佛道
二教的排位有关;第二阶段为高宗朝,内容主要涉及佛道二教的教理争论;第三阶段则为中
唐以后,逐渐演变成庆祝君主诞辰的一项颇具娱乐性的活动。唐代宫廷的三教论议源于佛道
二教的激烈的争端,最初只是对双方经典的个别字义上找岔子,玩弄文字游戏,靠辩论机巧
取胜,停留于表层的咬文嚼字。从唐高宗开始,三教论议以佛道二教的教理讨论为主,辩论
的双方也多立足于各自的宗教立场和思辨方式展开论战,成为一种完整意义上的学术辩论和
学术交流,通过三教的思想碰撞与交流,三教之间能够取长补短、求同存异,和平共处,进
一步纳入了封建王权和大一统政治的轨道。唐代宫廷三教论议承当了双重的功能:三教的思
想对抗与取悦人主,而正是后一种功能的强化,导致了三教论议的日益沦落。到了晚唐,出
于佛教有“消灾延命”的信仰,加上三教论议流行日久而失去了新意,帝王贵族们已不满足
于其中的陈词滥调,便有意将它与戏子的节目混到了一起,于是,宫廷中的三教论衡风光不
再,徒具形式,与曲艺杂谈摆到了同一档次。
关键词:唐朝三教论议佛道争端学术辩论娱乐
On the Royal Debate upon Three Teachings in Tang Dynasty
By Liu Lifu, Philosophy Dept., Central South University
Abstract: Royal debate upon Three Teachings took place frequently during Tang Dynasty. It
can be divided into three stages: 1) the stage of Tang Gaozu (618-626) and Tang Taizong
(627-649), mainly concerning the ranking of Taoism, Confucian and Buddhism; 2) the stage of
Tang Gaozong(650-683), centering the debates on religious theories between Taosim and
Buddhism; 3) the stage after Tang Gaozong. During this period, Royal debate upon Three
Teachings had changed its form; it was gradually applied to the celebration of the emperor. The
Tang’s Royal debate upon Three Teachings exerted double functions: the theoretic antagonism
among the three teachings and