A BLACKSTONE STELE OF BUDDHA


NORTHEASTERN INDIA, PALA PERIOD, CIRCA 10TH CENTURYHimalayan Art Resources item no.61808 49 cm (19 1/4 in.) high
|In excellent condition, this superbly carved stele is a classic subject from the Pala period of Northeastern India, the location of Shakyamuni's life and teachings. It portrays Shakyamuni in deep meditation upon a throne guarded by lions. The Sanskrit for lion is 'sakya' and thus the animals refer to Buddha's epithet, 'The Sage of the Shakya Clan' (Shakyamuni). The declarative summation of Shakyamuni's enacted wisdom on this earth, commonly known as the "Buddhist Creed", is inscribed around his flaming halo. Huntington explains it is consecratory in nature, written on Pala sculptures to vivify them with the energy of the Dharma (Huntington, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree, Ohio, 1990, p.124). It translates to:   "All phenomena arise from causes; Those causes have been explained by the Tathagatha, And their cessation too has been taught by the Great Shramaṇa."   Also, flanking the head of Buddha are two stupas. No definitive explanation for their presence has been given, however, Melzer sees a symbolic association between them and the Buddhist Creed, with the stupas representing Buddha's remaining sacred presence on the earth, while the inscription embodies his supramundane essence, or "dharma body" (see Grewenig & Rist (eds.), Buddha: 2000 Years of Buddhist Art, Völklingen, 2016, p.120). The stupas are a feature that make this stele such an iconic Pala stone sculpture.   Shakyamuni is better carved here than in most comparable examples. The sheer robe that covers both shoulders and clings to his svelte body is reminiscent of the Gupta aesthetic developed at Sarnath. His face is especially handsome with pronounced eyebrows, pointed nose, and sensuous lips. Compare with a number of examples of this classic composition, published in: ibid., pp.98-9&120-1, nos.24&35; Huntington & Huntington, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree, 1990, p.415, no.19.   Provenance Collection of Dr. Richard and Ruth Dickes, New York, acquired in 1981 黑石佛陀禪定碑 印度東北部，帕拉時期，約十世紀 喜馬拉雅藝術資源網61808號高49釐米（19 1/4英吋）  800,000-1,200,000港元   此座石碑雕刻精美，是經典帕拉時期作品，来自印度東北部，即釋迦牟尼生活和弘法之地。石碑刻劃了寶座上的釋迦牟尼在獅子守護下冥想。獅子的梵語是「釋迦」，所以獅子與佛陀的尊稱「釋迦族之聖者（釋迦牟尼）」有關。釋迦牟尼在世時說法，以佛法之智慧開悟世人，此類總結了緣起法教義的语句統稱為「佛教信條（緣生法頌）」，此尊石碑上圍繞著釋迦牟尼焰緣背光環刻有緣生法頌。Huntington解釋說，寫在帕拉雕塑上的緣生法頌具有开光的效果（Huntington & Huntington，《Leaves from the Bodhi Tree》，俄亥俄，1990年，頁124）。此处銘文翻譯成中文為（摘自《四分律》）：   「如來說因緣生法，亦說因緣滅法。若法所因生，如來說是因，若法所因滅，大沙門亦說此義。此是我師說。」Melzer雖沒明確解釋佛陀兩側的兩座佛塔的出處，但他認為佛塔與佛教信條有象徵性的關聯。舍利塔代表佛陀在世的神聖存在，而碑文則體現了他的超凡本質，即「法身」。（見Grewenig及Rist編著，《Buddha: 2000 Years of Buddhist Art》，弗爾克林根，2016年，頁120）。此类带佛塔的石碑是帕拉時期的经典之作。   此碑上釋迦牟尼的雕刻比大多數相似例子較細膩以及完整。釋迦牟尼臉部細緻，眉毛突出，鼻樑筆直，脣線分明豐滿。佛陀身著薄衣披身，通肩式袈裟並不刻劃衣紋，散發出莊嚴之美，帶有笈多王朝时鹿野苑的造像風格。另論三尊相關例子參見同上，頁98－9，01-1號，24號和35號；Huntington & Huntington，《Leaves from the Bodhi Tree》，俄亥俄，1990年，頁415，19號。   來源 Dr. Richard and Ruth Dickes收藏，紐約，於1981年購入