泗州佛信仰

The Belief of Sizhou Buddha

泗州佛,是人们对唐代来自西域的僧伽被神化成佛后的称谓,是在泗州的灵异事迹与造福于民众、坐化后被视为"观音菩萨"的化身而奉为"泗州大圣",进而成为"泗州佛"、"泗州文佛"。泗州佛信仰广传大江南北的江、浙、闽、豫等地区,无论是在其信仰的形成和由盛转衰时期,都伴随着对佛教与社会民俗文化的多方面影响。泗州佛信仰至今犹有其道德建设与开展文化旅游等多方面的意义。

Sizhou Buddha is the title for the Sangha coming from the Western Regions in Tang dynasty who was deified by the people. He was regarded as the incarnation of ＂Mother Guanyin＂ after his passing away and then respected as ＂Sizhou Mahatma＂ for his supernatural and beneficial deeds for the people in Sizhou. Then he became ＂Sizhou Buddha＂, and later ＂Sizhou Wen Buddha＂. The belief of Sizhou Buddha is spread widely among the places of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Henan provinces. No matter when the belief started to come into being or when it changed from flourish to decline, the belief of Sizhou Buddha had influenced Buddhism, social folk custom, and cul- ture in many ways. The Belief of Sizhou Buddha still has lots of significance today in the construction of ethics and the development of cultural tourism.