佛像网

尺寸：H. 69.9 cm x W. 22.9 cm x D. 20.3 cm
年代：唐代 675年
质地：石灰石雕
风格：中原
来源：旧金山亚洲艺术博物馆
参阅：外部链接
鉴赏：
这尊弥勒佛（未来佛）造像制作于唐都长安（今西安）。与许多弥勒像一样，佛陀双腿垂下，坐于宝座上。宝座和脚托呈莲蕾形状。莲花从池塘的淤泥或不净中生长，却能开出洁白的花朵，是佛教艺术中常用的象征。残存的铭文表明，两位佛弟子——高周泥（Gao Zhouni）及其女儿惠明（Huiming）——敬造此像，其部分用意在于安抚地狱中的饿鬼。

佛螺发高肉髻，面相方团，眉间有白毫，双眼微启，圆形头光半边损毁，平滑无饰。内著僧祇支，外著对襟敞领袈裟，衣褶线条鲜明，轻薄贴体。右手损毁，左手握衣角置左膝上，双足分踏二莲，倚坐于束腰仰覆莲座上。莲座下长形基座正面刻发愿文：

An eighty four character inscription occupying the front and left side below the throne has been greatly damaged, but possibly reads in partial translation: Whereas Jin . . . dreamt. . . image(s) on the Orchid Terrace (?) setting out and illuminating nine … candles, three…. We consequently use compassion and mercy to lift the barriers in order to save universally (?) sentient beings and reverently had made (?) a Milo (Triad) of one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas…. And thus, we have set out … to placate separately the hungry ghosts; we descend to select the Eight-fold Path, and ascend to follow the Celestial Highway. In the Great Tang, the second year of shangyuan, the cyclical combination being yihai, the second month, beginning with the yihai day of the fifteenth of the same; Buddhist Disciple Gao Zhouni and daughter Huiming.