麥積山石窟=Maiji shan caves; 佛傳碑=tablets portraying the Buddha's biography; 印度古石雕=ancient Indian stone carving; 犍陀羅藝術=Gandhāra art; 北魏佛教造像=Northern Weir Buddha statues
Carved tablet no. 10, located in Maiji shan cave no. 133, was created after the Jingming period in the Northern Weir, in the first half of the sixth century. Its contents are manifold, and its subject matter is highly representative. In the center of the upper portion of the tablet are carved two Buddhas, ?ākyamuni and Prabhtaūratna, seated next to each other. In the middle portion is carved Maitreya Bodhisattva in a lotus position. In the center of the lower portion is carved an image of the three holies, with ?ākyamuni speaking the Dharma. On the lower left is carved an image of Mañju?rī and Vimalakīrti in a pose of mutual questioning. Although the subject matter of this image is found in Chinese translations of Buddhist scriptures, the image's mode of creativity orginates in Central Asia. The left and right sides of the middle portion, as well as the upper portion contain a total of eight sides with images. Based on their contents, they represent important events in ?ākyamuni life: Dīpakṃara's prediction of buddhahood, an elephant bringing him to the womb, consecration by nine dragons, meditationg under a tree, shaving his head to leave the householder's life, overcoming Māra and attaining enlightenment, the first turning of the dharma wheel, and nirvā?a. The carved portrayal of these events was popular in China several hundred years befor this tablet was created. Examples can be seen at Longmen, Yungang, and Dunhuang caves. Also, there are countless individual examples in the form of stone tables and brass statues which were frequently reproduced. Although the subject matter of the Buddha's life is supported by scripture, even earlier origins can be found in Central Asia and India. This article first discusses early records of the Buddha's biography from India and compares tablets found in Central Asia and India for a detailed stylistic description. then, it discusses subject matter unique to Central Asia as well as its political background. Finally, it draws detailed attention to content relating to the thought in the Lotus and Vimalakīrti sūtras, as well as to the temporal significance of the Dharma-speaking and biographical images when taken together. It concludes that tablet no. 10 inherits the essence of the early Indian Buddhist biographical stories, and because it inherits modes of creativity from fourth century and later Central Asian Buddhist imagery, it displays Northern Wei styles of court sinicixation.l It also integrates the most popular Buddhist subject matter of the fifth century. Indeed, it represents one of the most fascination tablets prior to the sixth century.
