纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 041无量寿佛坐像(1)

It's morning in Battersea Park in London, and I'm standing¹ near the river, next to the Peace Pagoda². Every day, watched by four gilded³ Buddha⁴ statues, a Japanese Buddhist⁵ monk⁶ drums his way over the grass. His name is the Reverend Gyoro Nagase, and he knows these gilded Buddhas⁷ very well. But then so, in a sense, do we all: here, looking out over the Thames, is the Buddha sitting cross-legged, his hands touching⁸ in front of his chest. I hardly need to describe the figure any further, because the seated Buddha is one of the most familiar and most enduring images in world religion.

这是位于伦敦泰晤士河南岸巴特西公园的一个早晨，我正倚河而立，这听起来不像是会邂逅佛陀的地方。但正是在这里的和平宝塔一侧，一位来自日本的长濑法师每天都会敲着木鱼在4尊金佛像的注视下穿过草坪。法师对这几尊佛像极为熟悉。从某种意义上说，每个伦敦人都很熟悉。从泰晤士河看过去，佛像盘坐双手置于胸前。无须过多描述，因为坐佛是世界宗教史上最著名，历史也最悠久的造型之一。

Today you can find statues of the Buddha-seated and serene-all over the world, but it hasn't always been like this. The Buddha has not always been there for us to contemplate⁹. For centuries he was represented only through a set of symbols. The story of how this changed, and how the Buddha came to be shown in human form, begins in Pakistan around 1,800 years ago.

如今，在全世界都能找到宝相庄严的佛陀坐像，但起初，并非此番光景。佛陀其实并没有供人瞻仰的具体形象，几百年间都只能通过一些象征物来表现。佛陀以人类的形象示人，始于一千八百年前的巴基斯坦。

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 pagoda   

n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇

参考例句：

• The ancient pagoda is undergoing repairs.那座古塔正在修缮中。
• The pagoda is reflected upside down in the water.宝塔影子倒立在水里。

3 gilded   

a.镀金的，富有的

参考例句：

• The golden light gilded the sea. 金色的阳光使大海如金子般闪闪发光。
• "Friends, they are only gilded disks of lead!" "朋友们，这只不过是些镀金的铅饼！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

4 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

5 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

6 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

7 Buddhas   

n.佛，佛陀，佛像( Buddha的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She called on spirits and Buddhas and made innumerable vows, all to no avail. 她把一切的神佛都喊到了，并且许下多少誓愿，都没有用。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• Tibetans identification with the political role of Living Buddhas is declining. 藏新政权的政治舞台中活佛的政治角色处于边缘。 来自互联网

8 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

9 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。