形式与意义:关于阿育王狮子柱头的考察

Form and Meaning: On the Lion Capital of Asokan Pillar

古印度孔雀王朝第三代君主阿育王,在位时期与中国秦始皇约略相当。阿育王通过皈依佛教、圣迹巡游、竖立石柱、刻写法敕、建造窣堵波等方式,把佛教从单纯的教理层面转化为普通民众具体可感的宗教形态。阿育王石柱自身作为崇拜对象,可能始于婆罗门祭柱,后来成为因陀罗、湿婆以及水神婆留那的象征,礼拜石柱能获得神祇保祐、消除恐怖。柱顶圆雕是古印度美术史的早期实例,鹿野苑狮子柱头成为印度国徽的图案基础。柱头圣兽有狮、象、马、牛四种,对应特定的神祇崇拜。鹿野苑石柱刻有阿育王禁戒僧团分裂的铭文,柱顶法轮与佛陀在鹿野苑初转法轮对应,表明法轮柱开始与佛教联系起来,自此开始,法轮柱的佛教属性越来越明显,最终发展成为佛教的象征。

Asoka, the third emperor of Maurya Dynasty in ancient India, the reign of him is almost the same with Qin Shi Huang in China. By means of becoming a Buddhist, circuiting sacred relics of Buddhism, standing stone pillars, carving imperial edict and building stupas, Asoka transformed Buddhism from a purely doctrinal level into a concrete religious form for ordinary people. As an object of worship, Asokan pillar may originate from the Brahman pillar, then became the symbol of Indra, Isana and Varuna. Onecan receive God blessing and quell fears by reverencing the pillars. The sculp-ture on top of pillar is an early example of ancient Indian art history. The Lion capital in Sarnath is the foundation of the design in Indian national emblem. There are four sacred animals--lion, elephant, horse, bull, etc.-- on the top of pillar, each one corresponds to a particular deity. The Sarnath pillar is engraved with the inscription of Asoka interdict the division of sangha. The cakra on the top of pillar corresponds to the Buddha＇s First Preach in Sarnath. It showed that the Cakra pillar began to be associated with Buddhism. Since then, the buddhist attribute of the Cakra pillar has become more and more obvious, and eventually developed into a symbol of Buddhism.