纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 054度母雕像(4)

The new faith spread rapidly along the trade routes of India. So that when this sculpture of Tara was made around 800 AD, Sri Lanka had been predominantly Buddhist¹ for over a thousand years. The particular strand² of Buddhism³ that flourished in Sri Lanka at this time gave a special place to divine beings called bodhisattvas, who could help the faithful live better lives. Tara is one of them.

新的信仰沿着印度的贸易路线迅速传播开来，因而在这尊度母雕像完工之时，佛教已作为斯里兰卡的主要宗教存在了千年以上。在盛行于斯里兰卡的众佛教天人中，菩萨占据了重要位置，他们是能救信徒于苦难的神灵。度母便是其中之一。

Here's Professor Richard Gombrich, a leading expert on Buddhist history and thought:

佛教历史与思想研究方面的权威理查德贡布里希教授这样分析她的背景：

"Now, who exactly is this Buddhist image called Tara? She is a personification. She represents in person, symbolically⁴, the power of a Buddha⁵ to save you, to take you across the ocean which is this world, into which, according to most Buddhists⁶, you are continually reborn, until you find your way out. There is a particular future Buddha, a bodhisattva called Avalokiteshvara, and he is first found in texts which probably date from the first century AD. Initially⁷ he operates by himself, but after a few centuries the idea came that his power to save could be personified as a goddess. She represents his compassion⁸ and his power. Tara is simply an aspect of Avalokiteshvara."

她是一个化身，象征佛陀拯救众生、渡人脱离轮回苦海的力量。有一位特殊的未来佛菩萨，叫观世音，早在公元一世纪便有关于他的文字记录。起初他以男神的形象度化众人，但数百年后，他的救世力量逐渐以女神的形象来承载，她代表他的慈悲与无边法力。度母便是观世音的化身之一。

1 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。

2 strand   

vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地）

参考例句：

• She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
• The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。

3 Buddhism   

n.佛教（教义）

参考例句：

• Buddhism was introduced into China about 67 AD.佛教是在公元67年左右传入中国的。
• Many people willingly converted to Buddhism.很多人情愿皈依佛教。

4 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

5 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。

6 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。