照其本也——佛教美术中的莲花意象研究  

Pure and Bright As It Is:The Imagery of Lotus in Buddhist Art

作　　者：王云[1] Wang Yun

机构地区：[1]中央美术学院人文学院

出　　处：《故宫博物院院刊》2023年第2期4-21,129,共19页Palace Museum Journal

摘　　要：莲花图像散布于佛教建筑、造像和绘画之中,是佛法、佛国、佛和菩萨的象征。佛教为什么选择莲花?本文将莲花意涵置于佛教思想发展的大脉络中考察,得出以下结论:莲花有二义,照其本也。“不染”比喻佛的品行和境界,“光明”承担度化众生的任务。光明佛国世界的形成,促使佛教借用已有宗教表现光明的象征符号构建自身的图像系统,莲花即是其中之一。莲花的光明意象源自古埃及,经由波斯传入印度。古埃及的复活观念及表现形式与佛教“莲花化生”高度相似。佛教莲花的“不染”“芳香”和“光明”意涵丰富了中国的莲花意象,不过,在漫长的岁月中,人们选择了“不染”“芳香”,忘记了“光明”。This thesis focuses on the artistic lotus which commonly appears in the Buddhist architectures,sculptures and paintings as the symbol of Dharma,Buddha-ksetra and Bodhisattvas for its imagery in the context of Buddhism evolution,coming to the following:the lotus signifies‘pure(Asam klesa)’and‘bright(Prabha)’like what it looks.‘Pure’symbolizes a Buddha’s morality and ideal,while‘bright’represents a Buddha’s enlightening all beings and saving them from sufferings.The Buddha-ksetra(Buddha-Realm)of Light embodies lotus with‘enlightenment’in image either,which is used as the symbols of light by other religions already.Lotus as the symbol of‘light’originates in ancient Egypt,then reaches India via Persia.The idea on‘resurrection of life’of ancient Egypt has parallels in the‘reincarnation in lotus’of Buddhism in philosophy and embodiment.The Buddhist‘lotus’enriches the Chinese lotus in imagery with more signification like‘enlightenment(Prabha)’,‘pureness(Asamklesa)’and‘fragrance(Gandha)’,although‘enlightenment’is somewhat ignored with time passing away.

关 键 词：佛教 莲花 光明 

分 类 号：B948[哲学宗教—宗教学] J19[艺术—艺术理论] K86[历史地理—考古学及博物馆学]