Guanyin and Dizang; new Buddhist Triads; creation of Buddhist pantheon in China
摘要
Although Buddhist art and Buddhist scripture have a close relationship, the Buddhist pantheon is not always based on scriptures. The authors came to this realization through their separate researches. Both Yu and Yao were impressed by the pairing of Guanyin and Dizang among the cliff sculptures in Sichuan. The two bodhisattvas often share the same niche or their individual niches are placed side by side. Moreover, although the pair is most often presented alone, we also find interesting new triads of Amitābha, Medicine Buddha, the historical Buddha or Maitreya attended by the pair. Both the paired worship of Guanyin and Dizang and the new triads cannot be attributed to any scriptural sources. This article provides some examples of this artistic innovation and offers some hypotheses for its creation.
