彌勒菩薩立像

2022
30cm (l) x 25cm(w) x 81cm(h)
矽青銅、金箔

彌勒菩薩，意譯慈氏，是釋迦牟尼佛的繼任者，將在未來娑婆世界降生成佛，即未來佛。常被尊稱為“當來下生彌勒尊佛”或“彌勒佛”。彌勒菩薩亦是唯識學派鼻祖。

本尊彌勒菩薩造像極富蓬勃的生命力，菩薩天真稚趣，頭微左側，寬額細眉，笑意盈盈。雙目垂俯，袒上身，細腰收腹，曲線仙逸飄渺，肌肉張力富有動感。造像雙手雙腳各飾以龍華葉為環，象徵彌勒菩薩在龍華樹下成正覺，以三會說法度化眾生。菩薩右手自然下垂施與願印，左手於胸前施說法印，身體呈三折姿之勢，下身著綢裙，衣裙垂墜，紋飾柔曼輕婉，如行雲流水，雙腿呈開立姿，跣足立於蓮臺上，蓮臺造型靈感源於藏式立柱。彌勒菩薩身後飾以優曇波羅花，象徵彌勒佛在人間常轉法輪，優曇波羅花為天花，經典記載：若如來下世，金輪王出現世間，以大福德力故，感得此花出現。”

Maitreya Bodhisattva, translated as Ci in Chinese, inherits Sakyamuni Buddha’s mantle and is destined for the Saha World as the Buddha of the Future. Commonly honored with two other Chinese names meaning “Maitreya” as well, the Bodhisattva is also the great ancestor of the Vijnana-vada.

This statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva is full of vitality, from whose countenance exuding an air of childlike naivety. On the Bodhisattva’s head tilting slightly left, the broad forehead, thin eyebrows and the eyes gazing downwards hardly conceal the overflowing gentle smile. The Bodhisattva, with the upper body undressed, waist supple, artistically presents the contrast of a curvy body of ethereal beauty and the muscle tone of dynamism. Both hands and feet of the statue wear rings made of Nagapuspa leaves, so as to symbolize the awakening of Maitreya Bodhisattva under the Nagapusp tree where the Buddhist congregation meet and are enlightened. The Bodhisattva has the right hand naturally hanging down to gesticulate the Varada Mudra (favorable mudra), while the left hand holding in the front to make the Dharmachakra Mudra (teaching of the wheel of Dharma), positing a swaying stance in a semi-triangular form. The silk dress cascades down the lower body, on which the decorative patterns spread gracefully over like floating clouds and flowing water. Assuming an open posture, the Bodhisattva stands barefoot on the lotus throne whose shape is inspired by the Tibetan column. Decorated behind the Bodhisattva are the heavenly Audumbara flowers, emblem of the wheel of Dharma that Maitreya Bodhisattva turns. As the classics put it: should Tathagata Buddha descend to the world, Chakravartin appear among the mortals, it is by virtue of blessing and moral so touching that Audumbara flowers bloom.