回首阿彌陀佛立像

2023
22.4cm (l) x 19.4cm(w) x 69.5cm(h)
青石

本尊造像創作思路源於日本平安時代後期的“回頭的阿彌陀佛立像”，亦是創作者對傳統的致敬。
阿彌陀佛立像頭後現背光，髮髻微隆，眉心顯白毫相，清雋秀美。左手垂下結救護印，右手上舉結與願印。身著褒衣博帶式袈裟，佛衣輕柔飄逸。雙足立於蓮花月輪之上，極具美感。
這尊造像其特別之處在於佛像的頭部轉向左邊，以優美的曲線越過左肩往後方探望，表阿彌陀佛掛念跟隨他的眾生有無跟上。創作者巧妙地以這一回頭的瞬間，塑造了阿彌陀佛期待眾生得以解脫而駐足回頭等待的形象。整尊造像形態生動精美，滿懷無量慈悲之願力。

“A Standing Amitabha Buddha Statuary Glancing Back” is a sculpture inspired by the famous namesake in Japan’s late Heian Period, also a tribute to the tradition paid by the artist.
The halo around the standing Amitabha Buddha with a slightly raised hair bun illuminates his demure countenance: the urnalaksana between eyebrows emanates sheer elegance and graceful beauty. Dressed in a soft and elegant Baoyi-bodai styled kasaya with a low collar and a wide belt tied around the chest, the Amitabha Buddha naturally lays his left hand in the mudra of rescue and protection, and raises his right hand in the varada mudra. On his snow-white feet the Amitabha Buddha steadies himself on the lotus moon, exuding an appealing aesthetic sense.
Uniquely, the statuary tilts his head left, and glances backward in a harmonious curve, signifying that the concern of whether all living creatures have followed up always lies in the Amitabha Buddha’s heart. Ingeniously visualizing and reconstructing the glancing-back moment, the brilliant and dexterous artists create the vivid statuary of the Amitabha Buddha who stops and glances back in great expectation to await all living beings released from their sufferings. The exquisitely designed statuary with lively gestures contains the avedha-vasa of boundless compassion.