| Buddhism reaches a peak in Northern and Southern Periods after it was spread to China between Western and Eastern Han Dynasties. The translation and spread of Buddhist Sutras let people accept the Buddhist thoughts of samaras and karma, which provides a basis for people to make and carve Buddhist statues in large scales. When Emperor Xiaowen moved to Luoyang and built it as the capital, Luoyang became a center of politics, economy and culture. In the meanwhile, it was also the center of expanding Buddhism. A massive practice of making Buddha statues prevailed in Luoyang. With the Buddha statues completed and grottoes carved, stone inscriptions were carved to prove the merits and virtues of the statue-makers. They provide valuable information to the study of Buddhist statues and the belief of Chinese people of the time. When the statue is completed, an Open-eye Ritual should be held to sanctify the Buddha statue. Few studies are found in the relationship between the statue-making and Buddhist rituals, and few people mentioned the study of early Buddhist rituals due to the scarce materials. The dissertation aims to explore the relationship between the statue-making and Buddhist rituals by analyzing the stone inscriptions in Longmen Grottoes.Firstly, the dissertation gives two reasons for the massive statue-making practice. One is the support of the royal family, whose adoration for Buddhism set a good example for other believers, which is the prerequisite for the flourishing statue-making practice. The other reason is the encouragement of Buddhist sutras. In some texts, Buddha told people to accumulate merits and virtues by making statues. The merits and virtues people get from the statue-making practice can be transferred to others, their dead and alive families, and even to any living creatures. People hope to gain merits and virtues for themselves, their dead and alive relatives by making and carving Buddhist statues. The wish to gain merits and virtues and the thought of beneficence transference actually are the incentive to encourage people to make and carve Buddha statues.Secondly, the dissertation analyzes the stone inscriptions which contain such information as who, for whom, why to make and carve the statues, when and what statue to make. The statue-makers, as the benefactors or donors, provided financial support to make the statues. They come from all levels of the society, the royal family, officers and officials, monks and Buddhist nuns, and the populace as well. The analysis of the inscriptions indicates that the benefactors or donors differ in believing in Buddha, and their belief change with time. They mainly believe in Shakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Avalokitesvara and Amitabh. The analysis also shows the fact that the Buddha’s name is not always in accord with the corresponding Buddhist thoughts, sometimes even irrelevant. So the purpose of making and carving statues is to accumulate merits and virtues, no matter what Buddha it is to make.Thirdly, the dissertation analyzes the relationship between statue-making and Buddhist rituals. When Buddhist statues are completed, a ritual is to be held to sanctify them, that is, to open the eyes for the Buddha as to render them to be effective. Some related Buddhist rituals include carrying the Buddhist statues moving around the city, the country, the temple, and on the streets and worshiping the Buddha. As the monk is necessary when the rituals are held, they will be invited by the donors to have a meal and be given some donations. As a reward, the monks will make wishes for the donors, and wish to dedicate all merits to all sentient beings. The donors usually want to transfer merits and virtues to their dead and alive relatives, and the living creatures. Since the donors have different wishes, there exist different categories of offering food to monks. The dissertation makes an elementary study on the Buddhist rituals in the Northern Period by making a category of different wishes. |
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