Page 20 - Contenplating the Divie Buddhist Art Christies Hong Kong

ELEGANCE PERSONIFIED:

A SUI STANDING BODHISATTVA

Robert D. Mowry
Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus, Harvard Art Museums,
and Senior Consultant, Christie’s

妙法自在

隋 鎏金銅菩薩立像

毛瑞
哈佛大學藝術博物館亞洲部榮譽主任暨佳士得高級顧問

Elegantly outfitted in the sumptuous trappings of an 此尊法相端凝的菩薩作古代印度王子打扮，衣飾華美且瓔珞
Indian prince of old, this compelling sculpture represents 琳瑯。 菩薩慈悲為懷，雖已證菩提，卻毅然發願，要渡盡有
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a bodhisattva 菩薩 , a benevolent, being who has attained 情眾生始入涅槃 。菩薩形象為早期的印度王子，借指悉達
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enlightenment 菩提 but who has selflessly postponed entry
into nirvana 涅槃 in order to assist other sentient beings— 多 ‧ 喬達摩（相傳約公元前 563 至 483 年）成為賢劫釋迦
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有情 or 眾生 —in gaining enlightenment. Bodhisattvas are 牟尼佛之前的俗世身份，暗示既然身為太子的悉達多能修得
presented in the guise of an early Indian prince, a reference 正果，諸位菩薩渡盡眾生後亦可成佛。此像的背光鏤雕精湛，
to Siddhartha Gautama’s worldly status before he became 以彰顯菩薩之神聖地位，背光再襯以鎏金銅面，不僅適用於
the Historical Buddha Sakyamuni 釋迦牟尼佛 , implying
that as Siddhartha 喬達摩悉達多 (traditionally, c. 563–c. 483 神祇題材，更體現了佛經所述菩薩煥發的光芒。
BC), who was born a crown prince, became a Buddha 佛 , 作為眾生之中的「覺者」，菩薩慈悲為懷，矢志渡盡一切有
so will bodhisattvas eventually become Buddhas, once all
sentient beings have attained enlightenment. The elaborate, 情眾生，使之免遭輪迴之苦；故此，菩薩體現了大乘佛教普
openwork halo 背 光 underscores the bodhisattva’s divine 渡眾生的理想。菩薩所積功德廣大無邊，但卻慨然施予眾
status, just as the gilded surfaces of bodhisattva and halo 生，以濟世扶弱，故名之曰「回向」或「迴向」，梵文為
alike not only make the sculpture appropriate for representing parinamana。
a deity but symbolize the light that, according to the sacred
texts, or sutras 佛經 , radiates from divine bodies. 如本尊所示，菩薩造型通常有一面、二臂及雙腿，偶爾也以

Meaning “enlightened being”, a bodhisattva is an altruistic 多面多臂之姿出現，須視乎菩薩類別及經文中的具體描述而
being who is dedicated to assisting other sentient beings in 定。菩薩衣飾華美，或坐或立，長髮常綰為頂髻，側有髮綹
achieving release from the samsara cycle of birth and rebirth 飄垂肩頭，高髻或像本拍品般佩有寶冠。菩薩身穿帔帛和織
輪迴 through the attainment of enlightenment; bodhisattvas 錦半裙，滿身瓔珞琳瑯，頸項、臂腕和足踝佩飾寶釧。菩薩
thus embody the Mahayana 大乘佛教 ideal of delivering
all living creatures from suffering 普度眾生 . Thanks to the 與佛陀均雙耳垂長，差別在於前者仍戴耳璫。菩薩通常跣足，
enormous stores they have amassed, bodhisattvas are able 本拍品便是一例，但在早期的印度和中國造像中，菩薩間或
to assist others through the transfer of meritorious karma to 也會足踏草鞋或芒鞋。 3
those in need, a concept known in Sanskrit as parinamana
and in Chinese as huixiang 回向 or 迴向 . 菩薩雖無特定的手印，但雙手常持合掌印或合十印，即當胸

16 Contemplating The Divine – Fine Buddhist Art 正觀自在 — 佛教藝術精品