明朝天顺年间碑刻弥陀禅寺记与西方极乐世界图述论

On Record of Mituochan Temple and Amitābha Pure Land Image on Stele of Tianshun Years in Ming Dynasty

西安碑林藏明朝天顺年间碑刻,其"弥陀禅寺记"载录该寺重修经过和设置,重修施主来自西安的各级官府人员、寺院僧侣以及当地百姓和南京客人,弥陀禅寺名称则反映了当时佛教界禅净双修实践的流行。同碑线刻西方极乐世界图内容丰富、设计精致,一方面大量借用唐代以来西方净土经变因素,另一方面依据《观无量寿佛经》构思,形成一幅融会传统表现和明代精神的西方净土经变宏图。

The Stele of Tianshun Years in the Ming Dynasty being discussed belongs to collection of The Xi'an Beilin Museum. The Record of Mituochan Temple inscribed on the stele tells of reconstruction and layout of the temple. It reports that the donors of that reconstruction mainly consist of the local officials at all levels of Xi'an Government, monks of the temple, local plebeians and even guests from Nanjing. The title of the temple, i.e. Mituochan or Amitābha-Zen, reflects a popular trend to combine practices of Pure Land and Zen together in Buddhist circles at that time. The Amitābha Pure-land Image on the same stele displays rich content and exquisite design, for on the one hand, it borrows many factors from pictorial representations of Amitābha Pure-land from the Tang Dynasty, on the other hand, it is planned based on Guanwuliangshoufojing, or Contemplation on Amitāyus Buddha Sutra. In this sense, the Amitābha Pure-land Image shows a merge of pictorial traditions from the Tang Dynasty and religious spirits of the Ming Dynasty.