The Transformation Text of Subjugation of Demons

Dunhuang manuscript, The Transformation Text of Subjugation of Demons, primarily tells the intriguing story of the construction of Jetavana Monastery. It focuses on the tale of Shariputra, a foremost disciple of Buddha known for his wisdom, engaging in a series of miraculous battles with Raudrāk?a, a representative figure of the Six Heretics. Several copies of the Transformation Text of Subjugation of Demons were discovered in the Library Cave, among which the handscroll manuscript P.4524 is the most valuable. The front of this manuscript is adorned with five groups of images. From right to left, they depict the Vajra striking the mountain, a lion devouring a bull, an elephant trampling a pool of treasures, a garuda fighting a venomous dragon, and the deity Vaisravana subduing the Yaksha. On the back of the horizontal scroll are five sections of text, each corresponding to the scenes on the front. During the 9th and 10th centuries, storytelling performances were popular in the Dunhuang region, where "curtains were raised, paintings were displayed, bells were struck, and chants were performed". Typically, only one or two storytellers were needed. They would recite rhymed verses or explain the story while displaying the scroll illustrations. This particular manuscript is currently the only known scroll of Transformation Text of Subjugation of Demons that has been used for storytelling performances, providing tangible evidence of the practice of illustrating and narrating tales in this form of literature.

The story of the miraculous battle is also depicted in Dunhuang murals, where this theme is referred to as Raudrāk?a's Contest with ?āriputra. A total of 19 murals depicting the theme can be found in Dunhuang, including the Mogao Caves, Yulin Caves, Western Thousand-Buddha Caves, and the Five-Temple Caves. This theme of scriptural transformation and narrative exerted a significant influence on Chinese classical supernatural fiction. For example, the divine battles in Journey to the West, such as those between Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) and Erlang Shen, or between Sun Wukong and the Goat-Strength Immortal, bear a striking resemblance to the battle between Shariputra and Raudraksa.

《降魔變文》

敦煌文獻《降魔變文》主要講述建造祇園精舍的曲折故事，重點講以智慧第一著稱的佛弟子舍利弗與六師外道的代表勞度叉多次神變斗法的故事。敦煌藏經洞出土了多件《降魔變文》，其中敦煌文獻P.4524講唱手卷最有價值。本件文獻正面繪有5組圖像，從右到左依次繪出金剛擊山、獅子啖牛、象踏寶池、金翅鳥戰毒龍、毗沙門天王降夜叉。橫卷的背面存有5段文字，內容與正面畫面情節一一對應。9至10世紀敦煌地區講唱文藝流行，“于是張翠幕，列畫圖，扣洪鐘，奏清梵”。通常只需要一位或兩位故事講述人，邊吟唱韻文或者講解故事，邊展示畫卷。這件文獻是目前找到的唯一作講唱用途的《降魔變文》手卷，它以實物形式證實了講唱文學中觀圖聽講這一事實。

敦煌壁畫也繪有這個斗法的故事，這一題材的經變畫叫《勞度叉斗圣變》。敦煌壁畫共繪有19鋪《勞度叉斗圣變》，莫高窟、榆林窟、西千佛洞和五個廟石窟均有繪制。這個題材的經變和變文對中國古典神魔小說產生了巨大的影響，如《西游記》中孫悟空與二郎神、孫悟空與羊力大仙的神變斗法，就和舍利弗與勞度叉斗法的情節十分相似。