| Abstract: | 禪宗的射藝，弓箭本身就是攻擊性武器，且在過程中，老師甚至刻意給學生施加壓力；同樣照相機，有人形容它是獵槍，我們拿起相機等待快門䆁放，同樣的也產生壓力，也都是屬於侵犯性的，尤其是禪宗的「當頭棒喝」更是如此。而身為禪宗重要的傳道載體，為什麼會採取如此暴力、施壓的方式來對待學生，這當中又有什麼關連？這是我們想知道的。 「頓悟」「漸悟」是禪宗門徙爭論不休的議題；所謂的頓悟從字面的意思來看，就是瞬間的開悟；漸悟就是時時勤拂拭，莫使惹塵埃，一點一滴的把灰塵拂掉，到最後始能見到本性。兩者都有道理，也都有支持的學生。但如果我們換個方式，從攝影角度來看，攝影的目的就是拍到感人的相片，能拍到這樣的相片，可能是無意間拿起相機按下快門，瞬間就得到好相片；或慢慢等待、過濾、選擇終於拍了張好相片，這樣説來似乎兩者皆對，但按下快門，拍到好相片絶對是瞬間的，不過其過程是可以有漸次的。且現實也從不隠藏、不曾蒙麈，只是看不見。所以我們從攝影這樣的論述，來辯證禪宗的「頓悟」「漸悟」看是否行得通。 禪宗的悟道？是有什麼東西消失或蒙蔽了嗎？而攝影似乎也發生同樣的狀況，攝影就是如實的把對象物「再現」出來，而蘇珊．宋妲（Susan Sontag）卻說：「現實是隱藏的……不管相機記錄什麼都是一種發露。」但現實從不隠藏，可是為什麼會隠藏起來，又為何相機記錄後，就發露現實；禪宗有種引導學生的「重複法」，就是學生發問但襌師只是重複學生的發問，利用這種方式讓學生有了悟道的契機。那我們要問道是什麼？為什麼攝影的再現或是禪師再現學生的發問，就能促使現實的發露和禪宗門徒悟道的機會？在這裡本文想要藉由筆者對攝影的理解，試著推論出禪宗的一些運作的模式。 禪宗、儒家對於日常生活的態度，迥異於西方的宗教。而攝影必然脫離不了日常生活，所以攝影產生一個現象，就是蘇珊．宋妲所提出的：「平等一切事件意義的世界」，不管相機拍下特殊的事物、或日常生活的相片，似乎都可以觸動人心，且在這裡相機改變了我們，對事物的原來看法；同樣地這跟禪宗落實在日常生活的作法，也有一些相似，所謂的日常生活，就是吃飯、睡覺和喝茶，而喝茶不就是喝個味、解個渴，但喝茶在日本，居然還喝出個「茶道」，在日常生活中的茶，似乎也被禪宗轉化了。在孔子眼中父子、朋友、這之間日常生活的關係，這關係似乎也被改變了，例如我們建廟拜關公，而關公本來跟所有人一樣，但他與朋友之間，有著講義氣的關係，而這個「義」的關係被神格化了，這也就是孔子「抒發和滿足在日常心理」的理念。所以在攝影、禪宗、孔子眼下，這些日常生活中的事，都可以被轉化、改變我們原來對他的看法，而存在這樣的現象，在背後似乎有個共通的道理，這道理會是什麼？這是我所好奇的。
For the archery referred to in the Zen sect, the bow and arrow is an offensive weapon, and in the process, the teacher even deliberately puts pressure on the students. Similarly, for a camera, some people describe it as a shotgun. When we pick up the camera and wait for the shutter release to press, it generates the same pressure, which is invasive as well. So do the “sharp warning” in Zen. As an important propaganda carrier of Zen sect, why does it pressure the students so violently? What is the connection wherein? These are what we want to know “Sudden enlightenment” and “gradual enlightenment” are long-standing issues debated by Zen followers. The sudden enlightenment herein is literally defined as “instant enlightenment”; the gradual enlightenment means always take care of one’s own state of mind and resist the external temptation by cultivating oneself diligently, that is to say wipe off the dust bit by bit, and finally see the nature. Both are reasonable and either of them has its own supporters. However, if we try another approach to look at it, from the perspective of photography, the purpose of photography is to take a heart touching photo, and such a photo could be taken by pressing the shutter button in an instant after unintentionally picking up a camera, or patiently wait, guard a pass and choose carefully and hence a good photo. In this way, it seems like both are right; nevertheless, pressing the shutter and taking a good photo is absolutely instantaneous, whilst the process can be done gradually. Furthermore, reality never hides, it is not even obscured, only invisible. Therefore, by discoursing on such photography issues, we can see whether the “sudden enlightenment” and the “gradual enlightenment” of Zen work or not, through dialectic. What is the enlightenment argued by Zen? Is something disappearing or being blinded? Photography seems to have the situation likewise. Photography faithfully “re-display” the object; however, Susan Sontag said: “Reality hides…. No matter what the camera records, it somewhat reveals something.” But reality never hides; nonetheless, why does it hide? and why does the reality appear when the camera makes a recording? Zen has a “repetition method” to guide students, that is, the teacher merely repeats students’ questions when they ask questions, using this method to render the students opportunities for enlightenment. In this way, we would like to know eagerly what philosophical theory is. Why can the re-display of photography or the Zen teacher's re-display of students' questions are able to reveal the reality and give opportunities for Zen followers to enlighten? The Author desires to reason out some working modes of Zen by using its understanding of photography. The views on daily life of Zen and Confucianism are much different from that of Western religions. Photography is certainly inseparable from everyday life, thus photography brings about a phenomenon, that is what Susan Sontag brings forward: “The world that equalize all events purport”. Either a photo of a special thing or of everyday life a camera takes seems to touch people’s hearts, and cameras have changed us in the view of things; this is similar to the practice of Zen sect in daily life as well. The so-called daily life commonly refers to dining, sleeping and tea drinking. Drinking tea is no more than a sense of taste or quenching thirst. However, tea drinking in Japan actually leads to a formulation of “tea ceremony”. The tea in the normal life seems to have been transformed by Zen. In the eyes of Confucius, the relationships in daily life, such as father and son, and friends, seemed to have changed. For example, we build a temple to worship Guan Yu, who was originally like everyone else, whilst he remained loyal to the concept of brotherhood. Such “loyalty” was virtually deified, which was the idea of Confucius psychological concept: “expressing and satisfying in everyday life”. Therefore, photography, Zen, and in the eyes of Confucius, all things in everyday life can transform and change our original views on them. There seems to be a common philosophical theory behind the phenomenon. What is the theory? This is what I am curious about. |
