<論説>中世的異端の歴史的意義 : 異端教学と荘園制的支配イデオロギー

Abstract

法然・親鸞の思想は従来、すべての民衆に来世的救済を約するものと理解されてきたが、それは彼等の教学の根幹が諸行往生・聖道得道の否定にあることを見逃した為に陥った議論である。彼等は諸行行修者の往生を否定 (彼岸の平等の放棄) することによって、階層的宗教秩序の否定＝此岸の宗教的平等を主張している。この様な異端教学が成立したのは、宗教的達人集団が同時に荘園領主であり、宗教的大衆が被支配者であるという歴史段階だった為である。宗教領主は殺生堕地獄観で民衆を畏怖せしめ、同時に年貢公事奉仕を仏法興隆の積善行為とすることによって、民衆の解放願望を荘園制的分裂支配の中に封殺していった。それに対し一切衆生の地上的平等性を主張した異端教学は、民衆の封殺された解放願望を社会的背景とする、中世に於ける現実的解放の思想だった。

We have understood so far that Honen 法然 and Shinran 親鸞 assured all the people the relief in the world after death. This popular view, however, has overlooked the basic theme of their doctrines. That is, the significant point we missed is their denial of ascetic exercises as the way to enter the paradise. In other words, according to them, all the people that practiced ascetic exercises could not attain the salvation. It follows that Honen and Shinran rejected the equality in the life after death. This also means that they denied the hierarchical order of the religious society. In a word, their doctrines maintained first of all that the masses were religiously equal in the society where they lived. It is natural that these heretical doctrines have their own historical background. In those days religious leaders were, at the same time, lords of the manor 荘園 who oppressed the masses. They, therefore, applied their religious doctrines to the means for governing the masses. On one hand, they preached that destroying life made poeple go to hell, for the purpose of keeping people in awe. On the other hand, they urged the masses to the annual tribute and the service for public affairs. The leaders advocated that these actions were virtuous deeds which could contribute to flourishing the Buddhism. Thus, under the divided rule of the manor, these religious leaders suppressed the desire for emancipation among the masses. Against this social background, the heretic doctrines became the thought which would emancipate the suppressed in the real society as well as in the religion. Because these doctrines asserted that all the masses were equal in the secular world.