論淨土三經與極樂淨土圖像的淵源

On the Origin of the Three Pure Land Sutras and Pure Land Iconography

張同標(Zhang Tong-Biao)

《夏荊山藝術論衡》 13期 (2022/03) Pp. 9-55

摘要

淨土信仰以「三經一論」為核心。聯繫古印度的文化傳統分析，鳩摩羅什譯《小經》美化了蓮華池，視之為極樂淨土；康僧鎧譯《大經》進一步提出了「三輩往生」，以蓮華化生的方式作為往生極樂的具體途徑。《觀經》晚出，基於坐禪觀想的要求，非常細緻地具體化了淨土三尊和極樂世界的形象特徵，突破了大小二經的模糊性，又吸納了華嚴信仰中的蓮華座和蓮華座佛像，使得淨土信仰更加具象化。世親著《往生論》明確提到了淨土信仰借用了華嚴信仰的某些理念。就圖像而言，中國的淨土變相源於犍陀羅表現「蓮華藏世界海」的穆罕默德那利浮雕，阿彌陀佛五十二菩薩造像則是華嚴五十二階位元的圖像化，也是淨土信仰進一步吸納華嚴信仰的結果。古印度沒有明確的阿彌陀佛崇拜，也沒有流行西方極樂世界的圖像表現，因而淨土信仰主要是中國古代僧俗主動選擇和主觀意志的體現，淨土變相主要是中國自我的創造。

關鍵字

淨土三經 ； 極樂淨土圖像 ； 蓮華池 ； 蓮華座

並列摘要

The Pure Land belief is based on ＂Three Sutras and One Treatise＂. It traces back to ancient Indian cultural traditions, and amongst the three sutras is the Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra (Amitabha Sutra) translated by Kumārajīva; it describes a celestial lotus pond, which is considered the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Subsequently, ＂Three Grades of Aspirants＂ is proposed in the Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra (Infinite Life Sutra) translated by Kang Sengkai (Saṅghavarman), which sees being born from a lotus flower as a tangible way to reach the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Lastly, the Amitayurdhyana Sutra focuses mainly on meditations and presents in intricate details the notable features of the Pure Land Trinity and the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, which breaks the ambiguity observed in the longer and shorter sutras. It also adapts the lotus throne and the iconography of Buddha on the lotus throne from the Avatamsaka belief, which gives the Pure Land belief more figurative substance. It is clearly stated in the Rebirth Treatise by Vasubandhu that the Pure Land belief has adapted certain ideologies from the Avatamsaka belief. In regards to iconography, stories in pictures of the Pure Land found in China originated from the Mohammed-Nari stele from Gandhara that depicts ＂the Ocean Worlds Ornamented by the Lotus＂, and turning the Avatamsaka's 52 stages of Bodhisattvahood into 52 icons also shows the Pure Land belief's further adaptation of the Avatamsaka belief. There was no apparent Buddha Amitabha worshipping in ancient India, nor was the iconography of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss a common practice. Therefore, the Pure Land belief is mainly based on active choices made by ancient Chinese monks and believers and shows the embodiment of subjective will. Hence, the Pure Land stories in pictures are predominantly created in China.

並列關鍵字

Three Pure Land Sutras Pure Land ； Iconography ； Lotus pond ； Lotus throne