Stele of Maitreya Buddha

This stele depicts Maitreya, a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he is referred to as Ajita. According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. While small in scale, this exquisitely carved stele displays the full iconography found on larger Buddhist statues of the same theme. In addition to the central Maitreya image with its incised halo and flanking bodhisattvas, apsaras and dragons appear at the top and bottom of the flame-shaped mandorla. The small figures on lotuses at the feet of the bodhisattvas represent the new souls being born in the Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha. The neatly carved sixty-nine-character inscription on the rear of the stele names the donors who commissioned the piece and had it dedicated in 563. The cult of Maitreya (the Buddha of the Future) had a strong following by the sixth century. Known as the compassionate one and emblematic of universal love, Maitreya, according to Buddhist scriptures, is going to succeed Sakyamuni, the historical (or present) Buddha, as the Buddha of the coming age. Maitreya resides in Tusita heaven where he preaches to apsaras. While in theory, he is only a bodhisattva, during the late Six Dynasties period (220-589), he was often portrayed as a Buddha flanked by bodhisattvas, befitting his future status. Translation: In the second year of the Ho-ch'ing reign [563 CE] Zhao Tan Kui's mother passed away. Her children Kang Nuta, Ar Hsing, and Nien Jen and others, all devout Buddhists, had reverently commissioned a stele of Maitreya in the early days of the autumn in the first year of Heqing[562 CE]. May this bring salvation to the ancestors, all seven generations of the family, including the existing members, who worship devoutly. The temple masters, Monk Kui, Monk Jian. ____________ This object was scanned by The Minneapolis Institute of Art本造像碑刻画了弥勒（Maitreya）——佛教末世论中此世间的未来佛陀。在《阿弥陀经》《法华经》等佛教典籍中，他亦被称为阿逸多（Ajita）。据佛教传统，弥勒是将于未来降生于世间、成就圆满正觉并宣说纯净佛法的菩萨（bodhisattva）。 尽管体量小巧，但这件雕刻精湛的造像碑完整呈现了同类主题大型佛教造像所具备的全套图像体系。除中央带有刻绘头光的弥勒造像与两侧胁侍菩萨外，火焰形背光的上下方还饰有飞天（apsara）与龙纹。菩萨足畔莲座上的小型造像，象征往生阿弥陀佛西方极乐世界的新生灵魂。造像碑背面刻有工整的六十九字铭文，记载了造像的捐资者，并标注其刊立于公元563年。 至六世纪时，弥勒（未来佛）信仰已拥有广泛信众。据佛教经典记载，弥勒被称为“慈悲者”，亦是普爱众生的象征，他将接替历史上的现世佛陀释迦牟尼（Sakyamuni），成为未来劫的佛陀。弥勒现居于兜率天（Tusita），为诸天飞天说法。尽管在教义中弥勒仅为菩萨，但在六朝晚期（公元220-589年），人们常将其造像以佛陀形象呈现，并搭配胁侍菩萨，以契合其未来佛陀的身份。 铭文译文：河清二年[公元563年]，赵坦逵之母辞世。其子康奴达、阿兴、念仁等一众虔诚佛弟子，于河清元年[公元562年]初秋敬造弥勒造像碑。愿此功德普度七世先祖与现存眷属。寺主：僧逵、僧坚。 本文物由明尼阿波利斯艺术博物馆（The Minneapolis Institute of Art）扫描数字化。