二十世紀中葉，西安發現窖藏11件貼金彩繪石刻造像，為中原地區罕見的唐代密教文物，推測其出土地點應為長安城具官寺性質之大安國寺遺址；本論聚焦於其中年代最早的佛、菩薩、明王、天部之6尊精美白石雕像。除了風格分析並配合佛教經典及相關歷史脈絡，考訂其製作年代應為代宗朝大曆元年（766）左右，依不空新纂之《仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經》及其註釋所造立體曼荼羅。代宗朝不空順應唐代社會情勢，強調密教「護國」功能，成功獲得帝王及掌握軍政權力者支持，將密教傳播推上高峰。此組造像不僅提供其傳法事業的罕見例證，亦有助於重建日本密教僧踏上唐土前近半世紀的唐代密教及其圖像的歷史。 當今最著名的《仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經》相關作品，為京都東寺講堂九世紀的木雕立體曼荼羅，擘劃者真言宗祖師空海曾入唐長安求法，師從不空弟子惠果，返國後亦繼承不空教團論述，陸續以「護國」為名建立道場。不空順應在地民情，將密教演繹為成就出世間佛法與世間護國大法的不二至道，建立起與唐王朝共榮的紐帶關係，為日本僧人承繼，促使密教在東亞生根茁壯。此6件白石造像，應是東亞獨特的「護國」密教首次實踐的跡證。

A group of elaborate stone sculptures with traces of pigment and gilt gold were found in a pit 500 meters northeast of the city walls of Xi’an, Shaanxi in 1959, the discovery represents among the most important excavations of sculptures in China after 1949 and the group as a whole offers a glimpse at activities of Esoteric Buddhism in Tang China. This location was identified as the Tang dynasty site of the Da Anguosi 大安國寺 (Great Monastery of Protecting the State) in capital Chang’an 長安.

This paper focuses on six of the delicate marble sculptures, through the formal analysis indicated this group dated around 760s, arguably were once part of a maṇḍala expounded in the Chinese apocryphon, Renwang huguo banruo boluomiduo jing 仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經 (Prajñāpāramitā scripture for humane kings who wish to protect the state ; often named as Renwang jing 仁王經; J. Ninnōkyō) and the exegeses retranslated by Amoghavajra and his circle that promised greater success in pacifying foreign assaults by responding to the need of the emperor and court elites.

This set of maṇḍala statues testifies to the rise of vernacular Esoteric Buddhism, under Amoghavajra’s vigorous promotion, the transmission of Esoteric Buddhism reached its apogee as one of the dominant religious forces in the court during the reign of Emperor Daizong 代宗 (r. 762-779).

The most celebrated remains of Renwangjing maṇḍala is the early ninth- century Ninnogyō maṇḍala at the Lecture Hall of Tō-ji 東寺, Kyoto, which was supervised by the founder of the Japanese Shingon 真言 Esoteric Buddhist sect, Kūkai 空海 (774-835), who studied under one of Amogavajra’s disciples in Chang’an during early ninth century. The legacy of Chinese apocryphon Renwangjing, i.e., the state-protecting doctrine ensured that Esoteric Buddhism continued until the late Tang dynasty in China and was also proselytized in Japan. This group of sculptures was arguably one of the earliest such pieces of evidence. 

唐代; 佛教雕刻; 密教; 不空金剛; 護國

Eighth century; Buddhist art; Esoteric Buddhism; Amoghavajra; State-protection