Page 13 - Christie's Hong Kong May 31, 2017 Fine Buddhist Works of Art

A GILT-BRONZE 鎏金銅釋迦牟尼佛像
SEATED FIGURE OF
SHAKYAMUNI 羅文華

By Luo Wenhua

The figure of Shakyamuni is one of the most widely represented 釋迦牟尼佛是佛教藝術中表現最為頻繁的主題，而全
subjects in Buddhist art. Shakyamuni with his hand in bhumisparsha 跏趺坐施觸地印的釋迦牟尼佛則是東印度、尼泊爾至
mudra, calling the earth to witness, is the most popular form of 西藏中部地區最為流行的佛樣。這是因為，東印度比
Buddha in East India, Nepal and Central Tibet. This is because 哈爾邦的菩提迦耶是釋迦牟尼佛成道的地方，其成道
Bodh Gaya in Bihar of East India is where the historical Buddha 時所坐的石台座、菩提樹以及笈多時期建立起來的大
attained enlightenment. The stone platform on which he entered 菩提塔都是全世界的佛教徒頂禮膜拜的對象，塔內供
nirvana, the bodhi tree under which he sat, and the Mahabodhi 奉的就是同樣形象的釋迦牟尼佛像。不管歷史如何變
Pagoda are all objects of veneration for Buddhists around the 遷，不管經過多少次重修重裝，此像成為最具神聖性
world. The iconography inside the pagoda is the same Buddha 的佛陀形象之一。朝聖作為一種悠久的傳統，從釋迦
in bhumisparsha mudra. Even as time passes and after countless 牟尼涅槃之後就開始形成，朝聖的內容主要包括頂禮
renovations and rebuilding, this iconography still stands as one of 膜拜和恭請聖物。教世界的朝聖者、藝術家緊密結合
the most sacred forms of Buddha. Pilgrimage became a lasting 起來。由於比哈爾邦靠近尼泊爾和西藏中部，所以施
tradition soon after Buddha’s passing, and this includes prostration 觸地印釋迦牟尼佛成為這一地區佛造像題材中的不二
in front of sacred objects. This resulted in religious practitioners 之選。
working closely with artists in the creation of these objects. Since
Bihar is close to Nepal and Central Tibet, this form of Buddha 這尊釋迦牟尼佛像為紅銅鑄造，鎏金，金色深厚，與
became the de facto choice in the representation of Buddha. 尼泊爾造像單薄而明亮的鎏金效果不同。佛陀的髮髻
為高螺髮，密集排列，塗藍，多以青金石混合動物膠
The current Buddha is made of gilt bronze. The gilding is very 塗抹而成，以符合佛經所描述的佛為「紺青螺發相」
thick and has a deep tone, in contrast to the thin and bright gilding 的特徵。肉髻上有鎏金髻寶，點綴在髮髻之上，異常
of Nepalese examples. The hair of the Buddha is a collection of 醒目。佛陀寬額，呈圓弧形，白毫以嵌綠松石表示。
dense high-relief spirals, and painted blue by mixing ground lapis 雙眉弧線輕挑，雙目低垂，處在禪定狀態中，鼻梁修
lazuli with animal glue, in keeping with the canonical description 直，雙唇微抿含笑，下頦正中部分有明顯的隆起，耳
of Buddha where it is noted that he has ‘purplish blue curled 垂明顯拉長下垂，頸部有三道吉祥紋，均是佛的特徵
hair’. He has a gilt protrusion on top of his head, the ushnisha, 之一。此尊造像的尼泊爾特點在面部表現最為突出：
which is prominently represented here. He has a very broad, 比如輕挑的眉毛、額寬下頦窄，豆莢狀的眼睛，表情
curved forehead, on which a turquoise urna can be seen. His two 柔和，神態自然優雅，像一位青年貴族的形象。但是
eyebrows are lightly indicated with curved lines, above downcast 其白毫用綠松石，下頦正中的突出部分較為突兀則顯
eyes in meditation.The nose is thin and straight, and the lips gently 示出西藏的審美特點。
smiling. He has a prominent mental point, elongated earlobes, and
three lines around his neck – these are all prescribed features of 佛肩寬背厚，胸肌突起，這是尼泊爾藝術受西藏影響
the Buddha.The Nepalese influence is most noticeable on the face 以後出現的新特徵。這一特徵在西藏博物館保存的八
of the current figure: the thin curved eyebrows, broad forehead, 思巴像唐卡以及夏魯寺犀牛皮殿壁畫中的五方佛像有
narrow chin, and pea-pod shaped eyes combine to form the 相當的異曲同工之處。這兩者的年代均在 14 世紀上半
gentle countenance that exudes the elegance and ease of a young 葉，這也是我們判斷這尊造像年代的主要依據。
aristocrat. However, the turquoise urna and the prominent mental
point are Tibetan characteristics that betray its origin.

He has broad shoulders and a robust chest, with raised pectoral
muscles. This is a new style adopted by Nepalese artists and
characteristic of Tibetan Buddhist iconography. This new style can
be seen on the thangka of Phags-pa in the Tibet Museum, and the
murals of the Buddha of Five Directions in the Kangyur Lhakang
in Shalu Monastery.These are all dated to the first half of the 14th
century, and can be a benchmark in the dating of the current figure.

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