英文原文
Can Contemporary Buddhist Art Be the Middle Way to Enlightenment? — shaopeng.blog
Taiwanese artist Chen-Yu Chang’s highly meditative paintings, on view at the exhibition Superimposition, Entanglement, and Excitation, bring us to the intersection of millennia-old Buddhist wisdom and the quantum world.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — This summer, I’ve been fascinated by interviews exploring spirituality from a scientific perspective. Among these, the meditation techniques put forward by Dr. Joe Dispenza have caught my interest. Under his guidance, I was led to the so-called “quantum field,” a realm brimming with the potential of the lives I desire. In this space, I was encouraged to visualise and deeply feel — with every cell of my being — as if I’m already living my dream life.
Some of you reading this might think it sounds like pseudoscience. How could our physical bodies be connected to the quantum field? For the skeptics, here are the scientific facts: our bodies are composed of organised patterns of energy and information. This means we are more than just physical beings; we are consciousness broadcasting a unique energy pattern. According to Dr. Joe Dispenza, we are all connected to “a sea of information in a dimension beyond physical space and time.”
Though I’m no quantum expert, my intuition urges me to venture into this sea of infinite possibilities where all potential experiences exist. It is perhaps this recent revelation that led me to discover the works of Chen-Yu Chang, a contemporary Taiwanese artist known for his Buddhism-inspired art.
While studying modern physics, Chang discovered that the notions of superimposition, entanglement, and excitation in quantum physics echo phenomena described in millennia-old Buddhist philosophy. This opened up a new world for Chang, who now explores the essence of life through his artistic expressions.
Chen-Yu Chang’s The Heart Sutra, measuring three metres by three metres, took the artist more than a year to complete. I had the opportunity to catch Cheng-Yu Chang’s solo exhibition, Superimposition, Entanglement, and Excitation at Ruomu Gallery in Taipei before it closed. As soon as I set foot into the gallery, my attention is immediately drawn towards a huge canvas titled The Heart Sutra.
Men and women, naked, swirl from the centre of the canvas like a school of fish rising from the ocean depths. Some appear to enjoy their journey, while others seem to suffer. This scene recalls both the Genesis and, to some extent, Michelangelo’s Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel.
These nude figures blend into the backdrop of a human face, carrying a compassionate expression reminiscent of a Buddha — one who has fully attained enlightenment and transcended the cycle of suffering — or a Bodhisattva, who delays final Buddhahood to help others achieve liberation. In The Heart Sutra, Chang depicts the Bodhisattva with half-open eyes and a hint of tears at the corners, as if showing tenderness towards mankind.
Superimposed on this compassionate visage and the sentient beings is a silhouette of a thousand-hand bodhisattva traced in neon blue. The various mudras, or symbolic hand gestures, add a sense of dynamism to this pensive image, putting viewers into a near-trance state.
In fact, The Heart Sutra recalls the artist’s mystical encounter in his mid-30s. During a deep meditation, he found himself facing a ten-story high Avalokiteshvara (the Bodhisattva of Compassion) with one-thousand arms and one-thousand eyes, exuding a semi-translucent light and warm texture. The artist knelt before the divine figure and was handed a golden-handled purple axe, as if being entrusted with a mission.
Heart Sutra is also the name for a popular sutra in Mahayana Buddhism, which teaches that all phenomena are emptiness (Sanskrit: śūnyatā), famously stating, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.”
The Heart Sutra is just one piece in Chang’s “Quantum Facebook” series, where he connects his understanding of quantum physics with the idea of the social media platform Facebook. This series marks a great shift from his earlier Buddhist paintings, showcasing a deeper internalisation of Buddhist principles. Instead of portraying the full body of the Buddha, the “Quantum Facebook” series gives the spotlight to the face.
Chang views the face as a symbol of the “profundity of superficiality,” a concept explored in contemporary French philosophy. The face holds particular significance in Buddhist doctrine: of the six faculties (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) that interact with the external world, four are on the face. The mind, influenced by these faculties, creates consciousness and manifests in accordance with karma. Thus, an individual’s perception of the world begins with the face.
Next, I encounter a canvas awash in gradients of blue, titled The Perfection of Compassion (translated from its Chinese title “慈悲波羅蜜”). It depicts the face of another Bodhisattva, with eyes cast downward and half-closed.
This portrayal of the Bodhisattva, with half-open and half-closed eyes, is called samāpatti in Sanskrit, an undistracted state of mind achieved through deep meditation. This half-closed gaze also symbolises compassion, reflecting an unwillingness to turn away from the suffering of sentient beings across the six realms.
Delicate lines, reminiscent of calming waves and water splashes, blend into the Bodhisattva’s compassionate visage, their subtlety akin to veins seen through the skin. On the forehead, where the third eye, or ajna chakra, is located, a tiny red circle is painted, evoking the setting sun. The figure’s cheeks are also tinted with a soft pink hue, reminiscent of the warm, golden tones of the golden hour.
Nearly every work on display features the Bodhisattva’s meditative face as a backdrop, with various elements artfully blended or superimposed. These include portraits of women embodying Tang dynasty (618-907) aesthetics and flying apsaras, nymph-like celestial beings from the Dunhuang caves. Alongside these classic subjects, Chang also incorporates contemporary elements, skillfully merging tradition with modernity.
Chang’s quest for “truth” in Buddhist wisdom is reflected in his art. By incorporating diverse elements into the meditative visage of the enlightened figure, he reinforces the Buddhist doctrine of the non-duality of emptiness (the non-material) and forms (the material).
Chang explains that “The face represents the whole, greater self, dharma realm, Buddha, Bodhisattva, with a focus on mindfulness of thought, sentient beings, and the individual. These subjects merge into the face, highlighting the non-duality of the whole and the individual...”
As I wander among these different faces, each gazing down at the sentient beings — or in this case, the viewers — I feel as though I have made a quantum leap into the role of the Bodhisattva. It seems that the elements woven into the artwork reflect fragments of my own memories from the material world, reminding me that everything before me is ultimately just an illusion.
Finally, I encounter Unity of Heaven and Humanity (translated from its Chinese title “天人合一”), where the contour of the Bodhisattva’s face emerges from a composite landscape of mountains and water, or shanshui. At that moment, I hear a voice whispering in my ear: the divine is everywhere.
In Buddhism, the Middle Way — or Madhyamaka — represents a balanced approach to spiritual practice and living, avoiding the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. Discovering Chen-Yu Chang’s contemporary Buddhist art prompts me to question whether art itself can embody the Middle Way, inspiring viewers to explore not only ancient wisdom but also the essence of life itself.
Chang contends that contemporary Buddhist art transcends mere imagery; it’s an interpretation of dharma — or teachings — and its contribution to civilisation. His “Quantum Facebook” series exemplifies this balance by blending traditional Buddhist symbolism and teachings with modern artistic expression, making it relevant for today’s audience.
Artworks, whether paintings or sculptures, have the potential to guide viewers beyond the material world through visual and emotional engagement. Chang’s creations offer a sense of comfort and serve as a refuge from a chaotic world, fostering mindfulness and inviting introspection.
So, if you ask me whether art — particularly contemporary Buddhist art — can act as the Middle Way to enlightenment, my answer is a definite yes. In my view, contemporary Buddhist art serves as a bridge, connecting timeless wisdom with modern sensibilities, guiding those who seek — for only those who seek will find.
中文翻译
当代佛教艺术能否成为通往觉悟的中道？—— shaopeng.blog
台湾艺术家张振宇极具冥想性的画作，在“叠加、纠缠与激发”展览中展出，将我们带到了千年佛教智慧与量子世界的交汇点。
台湾台北——今年夏天，我一直着迷于从科学角度探索灵性的访谈。其中，乔·迪斯彭扎博士提出的冥想技巧引起了我的兴趣。在他的引导下，我进入了所谓的“量子场”，一个充满我所渴望生活潜力的领域。在这个空间里，我被鼓励去想象并深切感受——用我存在的每一个细胞——仿佛我已经在过着我梦想的生活。
读到这里的有些人可能会觉得这听起来像伪科学。我们的身体怎么可能与量子场相连？对于怀疑者，这里有一些科学事实：我们的身体由有组织的能量和信息模式组成。这意味着我们不仅仅是物理存在；我们是意识，广播着独特的能量模式。根据乔·迪斯彭扎博士的说法，我们都连接着“一个超越物理空间和时间维度的信息海洋”。
虽然我不是量子专家，但我的直觉驱使我冒险进入这个充满无限可能性的海洋，那里存在着所有潜在的经历。也许正是最近的这一启示让我发现了张振宇的作品，他是一位以佛教灵感艺术闻名的当代台湾艺术家。
在学习现代物理学时，张振宇发现量子物理学中的叠加、纠缠和激发概念与千年佛教哲学中描述的现象相呼应。这为张振宇打开了一个新世界，他现在通过艺术表达探索生命的本质。
张振宇的《心经》画作，尺寸为三米乘三米，艺术家花费了一年多时间完成。我有机会在台北若木画廊张振宇的个展“叠加、纠缠与激发”闭幕前参观。一踏入画廊，我的注意力立刻被一幅名为《心经》的巨大画布吸引。
男男女女，赤裸着，从画布中心旋转而出，就像一群鱼从海洋深处升起。有些人似乎享受他们的旅程，而另一些人似乎在受苦。这个场景让人联想到创世纪，在某种程度上也让人联想到西斯廷教堂中米开朗基罗的《最后的审判》。
这些裸体人物融入了一张人脸的背景中，带着慈悲的表情，让人想起佛陀——一个完全觉悟并超越痛苦循环的人——或菩萨，他们延迟最终成佛以帮助他人获得解脱。在《心经》中，张振宇描绘的菩萨半睁着眼睛，眼角带着一丝泪光，仿佛对人类表现出温柔。
叠加在这张慈悲面容和众生之上的是一尊千手菩萨的轮廓，用霓虹蓝色勾勒。各种手印，或称象征性的手势，为这幅沉思的图像增添了动感，让观众进入近乎恍惚的状态。
事实上，《心经》让人回想起艺术家在三十多岁时的神秘经历。在一次深度冥想中，他发现自己面对着一尊十层楼高的观世音菩萨（慈悲菩萨），有着一千只手臂和一千只眼睛，散发着半透明的光芒和温暖的质感。艺术家跪在这尊神圣形象前，被递上了一把金柄紫斧，仿佛被托付了一项使命。
《心经》也是大乘佛教中一部流行经典的名称，它教导一切现象皆空（梵语：śūnyatā），著名地指出“色即是空，空即是色”。
《心经》只是张振宇“量子脸书”系列中的一件作品，在这个系列中，他将自己对量子物理学的理解与社交媒体平台脸书的概念联系起来。这个系列标志着他早期佛教绘画的重大转变，展示了对佛教原则更深层次的内化。与描绘佛陀全身不同，“量子脸书”系列将焦点放在了脸上。
张振宇将脸视为“肤浅的深度”的象征，这是当代法国哲学中探索的一个概念。脸在佛教教义中具有特殊意义：在与外部世界互动的六根（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意）中，有四根在脸上。受这些根影响的心识创造意识，并根据业力显现。因此，个人对世界的感知始于脸。
接下来，我遇到了一幅浸染在蓝色渐变中的画布，名为《慈悲波罗蜜》（译自中文标题“慈悲波羅蜜”）。它描绘了另一尊菩萨的脸，眼睛向下看，半闭着。
这种菩萨半睁半闭眼睛的描绘，在梵语中称为samāpatti，是通过深度冥想达到的一种不分心的心境。这种半闭的目光也象征着慈悲，反映了不愿转身离开六道众生的苦难。
精致的线条，让人联想到平静的波浪和水花，融入菩萨慈悲的面容，其微妙之处如同透过皮肤看到的血管。在前额，即第三只眼或眉心轮所在的位置，画了一个微小的红色圆圈，让人联想到落日。人物的脸颊也染上了柔和的粉红色调，让人想起黄金时段的温暖金色色调。
几乎每一件展出的作品都以菩萨冥想的脸为背景，各种元素巧妙地融合或叠加。这些包括体现唐代（618-907）美学的女性肖像和敦煌石窟中仙女般的飞天。除了这些经典主题，张振宇还融入了当代元素，巧妙地融合了传统与现代。
张振宇对佛教智慧中“真理”的追求反映在他的艺术中。通过将多样元素融入觉悟者的冥想面容，他强化了佛教关于空（非物质）与色（物质）不二的教义。
张振宇解释说：“脸代表整体、更大的自我、法界、佛、菩萨，专注于念、众生和个体。这些主题融入脸中，突显了整体与个体的不二性...”
当我漫步在这些不同的面孔之间，每一张都俯视着众生——或者在这种情况下，是观众——我感觉自己仿佛量子跃迁到了菩萨的角色。似乎编织进艺术品中的元素反映了我自己来自物质世界的记忆碎片，提醒我眼前的一切最终都只是幻象。
最后，我遇到了《天人合一》（译自中文标题“天人合一”），其中菩萨脸的轮廓从山水（山和水）的复合景观中浮现。在那一刻，我听到一个声音在我耳边低语：神性无处不在。
在佛教中，中道——或称中观——代表了一种平衡的灵修和生活方式，避免自我放纵和自我苦行的极端。发现张振宇的当代佛教艺术促使我质疑艺术本身是否能体现中道，激励观众不仅探索古老智慧，也探索生命的本质。
张振宇认为，当代佛教艺术超越了单纯的意象；它是对佛法——或教义——的诠释及其对文明的贡献。他的“量子脸书”系列通过将传统佛教象征和教义与现代艺术表达相结合，体现了这种平衡，使其与当今观众相关。
艺术品，无论是绘画还是雕塑，都有潜力通过视觉和情感参与引导观众超越物质世界。张振宇的创作提供了一种舒适感，并作为混乱世界的避难所，培养正念并邀请内省。
所以，如果你问我艺术——尤其是当代佛教艺术——是否能作为通往觉悟的中道，我的答案是肯定的。在我看来，当代佛教艺术是一座桥梁，连接永恒的智慧与现代的感性，引导那些寻求的人——因为只有寻求的人才会找到。
文章概要
本文探讨台湾艺术家张振宇的当代佛教艺术，其作品融合量子物理学概念与佛教哲学，通过“叠加、纠缠与激发”等系列，展现佛教中道思想在现代艺术中的体现。文章以《心经》《慈悲波罗蜜》《天人合一》等画作为例，分析艺术家如何将佛教智慧与量子理论结合，强调艺术作为通往觉悟的桥梁作用，并讨论当代佛教艺术在中年艺术表达中的意义。
高德明老师的评价
用12岁初中生可以听懂的语音来重复翻译的内容：这篇文章讲的是一个台湾艺术家叔叔，他画画很特别，把佛教的故事和科学里的量子物理混在一起。比如，他画了一张大画叫《心经》，上面有很多光着身子的人转来转去，还有一张菩萨的脸，看起来又温柔又想哭。他说这就像我们玩手机时，脸书上的信息一样，都是空的，但又很真实。他的画让人看了感觉安静，好像能帮我们忘记烦恼，找到内心的平静。
佛学的各个宗派视角评价，突出《显密圆通成佛心要集》的视角：从佛教显宗和大乘视角看，张振宇的艺术体现了“色空不二”的核心教义，这与《显密圆通成佛心要集》强调的显密圆通、理事无碍精神相契合。作品如《心经》和《慈悲波罗蜜》通过视觉艺术展现菩萨的慈悲与智慧，符合大乘佛教利他修行的宗旨。准提法作为显密圆通的法门，其简便易行、普摄众生的特点，在艺术表达中得以隐喻，艺术成为接引现代众生的方便法门，帮助人们直观理解佛法深义。
在修行实践上可以应用的和可以解决人们的十个问题：1. 缓解焦虑和压力，通过观想艺术中的平静面容培养内心安宁。2. 提升专注力，借鉴画作中的冥想状态练习正念。3. 增强慈悲心，从菩萨半闭眼神中学习关怀他人。4. 理解空性智慧，借助“色即是空”的视觉化减少执着。5. 促进自我反思，艺术作为镜子照见内心烦恼。6. 连接传统与现代，帮助中年人在艺术表达中找到生命意义。7. 培养审美情趣，提升灵性生活的品质。8. 减轻孤独感，通过艺术共鸣感受宇宙一体性。9. 启发创造力，鼓励以艺术方式探索佛法。10. 增强信心，艺术作为中道桥梁，引导寻求者走向觉悟之路。