佛教对六朝志怪小说的影响

佛教传入中国后 ,除了在义理上大力宣传以外 ,还更多地利用佛教典籍中大量的故事、寓言、譬喻、史诗等通俗易懂的形式 ,使佛教进一步走入广大的百姓中间。佛教的这些生动形式不仅为六朝正在兴起的志怪小说提供了丰富的素材、题材、语词等 ,尤为重要的是 ,它们还在人生观、道德观、时空观、小说的情节、叙事方式以及奇特的想象等方面 ,对六朝志怪小说产生了深刻的影响。如果抛开其宗教内容的话 ,可以说 ,佛教中的这些形式 ,是对中国文学的一大礼赠。

Influence of Buddhism on the Zhiguai Stories in the Six Dynasties

After it was introduced into China, Buddhism not only propagandized its religious doctrines, but also reached the Chinese people through easily understandable popular stories, fables, analogies and epics in Buddhist works. These lively forms in Buddhism supplied plenty of materials and phraseology to the Zhiguai Stories which were springing up in the Six Dynasties. What's more, they exerted great influence on the Zhiguai Stories in such respects as philosophy, morality, views of space time, story plots, ways of narration and fantastic imagination. Regardless of their religious content, these forms in Buddhist works were really a good present to Chinese literaure.