敦煌普贤信仰考论

On the Samantabhadra Belief in Dunhuang Manuscripts

普贤乃汉传佛教四大菩萨之一,普贤信仰在汉传佛教和藏传佛教中都占有重要地位。据敦煌地区发现的中古普贤文物文献,普贤变中普贤跏趺坐法与后世有所区别,《普贤菩萨说证明经》则不但识别有讹,且实际上包括了两种形成于不同时代、性质也有所不同的小经。敦煌地区的普贤信仰,与当时的民族组成、政治气候、民众文化水平、民间信仰等方面有着密切关系。经过了民族化、政治化、通俗化和信仰本土化后的敦煌普贤信仰,已然在一定程度上民间化,成为具有浓郁中土色彩的中国佛教信仰了。

Samantabhadra is one of the four most favorable Bodhisattvas in Chinese Buddhism, and the Samantabhadra belief plays an important role in China. The cultural relics of the middle ancient times and Duhuang manuscripts about Samantabhadra belief have helped point out the difference in the crosslegged sitting of Samantabhadra then from that later on as well as some mistakes in former resear- ches. The Samantabhadra belief in Dunhuang is closely related to the then composition of nationalites, political atmosphere, people＇s cultural levels and folk beliefs. It was somewhat popularized after the naturalization in the above-mentioned process and had a strong Chinese flavor, and gradually became oart of Chinese Buddhism.