![[Precious and rare] Stone carving of Northern Qi Dynasty in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum of the United States: stele with two Maitreya sitting side by side](//simg.sinajs.cn/blog7style/images/common/sg_trans.gif "[Precious and rare] Stone carving of Northern Qi Dynasty in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum of the United States: stele with two Maitreya sitting side by side")
565 A.D Northern Qi Stone Carving in Quyang, Hebei Province
Size: 95.1 x 60.6 x 35.4 cm
Collection of Smithsonian Museum Longri Compilation
Welcome Maitreya Bodhisattva's Christmas on the first day of the first lunar month
"Two Buddhas Sitting Together" is a typical feature of the coexistence of Sakyamuni and Duobao Buddhas, which originates from the Lotus Sutra of the Magical Dharma, Volume IV. See the Pagoda Product. It is recorded in the scriptures that the Dobbo Buddha made great vows when he walked the Bodhisattva Way in the past. If he became a Buddha and died, there is a place in the ten countries where the Dharma Hua Sutra is said. In order to hear the sutra, the Dobbo Tower will appear as proof. When Sakyamuni Buddha wanted to speak Dharma, the pagoda poured out from the ground, and the Buddhist monks gathered separately. At the request of the public, the pagoda door was opened. The Buddha invited Sakyamuni Buddha to enter the pagoda, and divided it into half seats with Sakyamuni Buddha. "At that time, the public saw the two Tathagatas sitting together on the master and son seats in the seven pagodas.". "Two Buddhas Sitting Together" It is a unique sculpture theme of Chinese Buddhist art, which flourished from the Northern Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty.
This stele shows two half reclining figures of Maitreya Bodhisattva, which is a rare combination of "two Buddhas sitting side by side" and Maitreya Bodhisattva. In 1913, it was purchased from the New York branch of Yamanaka Shosha, Japan.
