自佛教傳入中國以來，面對完全不同的文化環境，如何被接受、信仰，成為當時佛教傳播最重要的問題，佛教傳播最重要的問題，佛教僧徒也無不盡力於此。上層的知識階層，從譯經動、格義佛教到判教的建立，歷歷可見佛教中國化的痕跡。然而除了知識階層的傳播外，經由經師、唱導師、說法師、俗講僧、遊行僧、邑師、社僧為名，對佛教的喧講倡化，展開了佛教的民眾化運動，使佛教廣泛的深入庶民社會中。在士人筆下的遺棄中，呈現一番不同景象以普泛庶民為中心的佛教信仰世界。 「燃指焚身」是中世紀以來，佛教信仰的一個重要面向。它一方面表現對宗教的虔敬，一方面象徵大乘菩薩行的「利他」精神。直至今日，我國佛教的傳戒，猶有於頂燃香，燒「香疤」的制度。作為一種捨身行的「燃指焚身」，或許從理或的檢証，它是非理性的迷信，自殘身命的行徑，更是驚世駭俗。然而就宗教的虔信上來說，「燃指焚身」是「殉教」精神的表現，「自殘身命」的行為，則是難行能行的崇高宗教道德實踐。本文試圖說中國中世時期──六朝至隋唐，庶民大眾的佛教信仰，探討「燃指焚臂燒身」等激烈的宗教信仰的社會現象，追索此一現象的源流，及其宗教意義。

Since Buddhism preached into China, the most important problem was how Buddhism could be accepted in totally different culture environment. All monks and fellow believers at that time were trying their best to solve this problem. Some teachers of classics all made efforts on the publicity and promotion of Buddhism, which made Buddhism deeply immerse into common people’s society. Self-burning of body is one important facet in Buddhism belief since Middle Age. On one hand, it represents sincerity to religion. On the other hand, it symbolizes Mahayana Bodhisattva’s (大乘菩薩) spirit, benefiting others. Until now, we still have some practices such as burning incenses on the head, or burning a scar on the body in Buddhism. From the service, those behaviors might be unreasonable superstitions, self-hurting to life. However, the meaning of self-burning of fingers and body has the same meaning as dying for the religious cause. Self-hurting of life is upright moral practice that is hard to put into. This article tries to explore such fierce religious relief as self-burning of fingers, arms and body from the Six Dynasty to Sui, Tang Dynasty, to trace its origin, and to figure out its religious meaning.