莫高窟礼佛仪式的左旋与右旋

Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise Circumambulation in the Buddha Worshipping Ceremony at the Mogao Grottoes

旋绕礼拜是古印度历史悠久的传统仪式,后来成为佛教的礼佛形式。文章对学者们所关注的敦煌莫高窟古代佛教信徒礼佛所遵循的旋绕礼佛方式进行了探讨。通过对莫高窟不同时代、不同形制的典型洞窟中塑像和壁画内容进行调查,结合莫高窟第23窟绕塔礼佛壁画中的图像资料及佛教典籍关于佛教信徒礼佛所遵循的规范进行综合分析,笔者认为古代佛教信徒旋绕礼佛遵循了以主尊佛为准的右旋礼佛仪轨。

Worshipping by circumambulating was a time-honored traditional ceremony in ancient India that was later adopted by Buddhism as a way to show respect for Buddha. This paper discusses whether ancient Buddhist followers at the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes worshipped Buddha by circumambulating clockwise or counter-clockwise. By investigating statues and murals in caves from different times and structures at the Mogao Grottoes, in particular the visual material on this ceremony in Mogao Cave 23, and by comprehensively analyzing the regulations for worshipping Buddha in Buddhist texts, this paper comes to the conclusion that ancient Buddhist followers paid their respects to Buddha by circumambulating clockwise around a central statue of Buddha.