唐代道世所著的《法苑珠林》，並非翻譯的經典或由特定人士撰述、帶有個人觀點的文書，而是輯錄諸多典籍的佛教類書。該書乃隨順民情以擇定各篇章之主題，足堪代表當時佛教信仰者普遍之觀點。普遍佛教信仰者之觀點，往往與特定經典或個人著作具有縝密的統合性有別，偏於簡易或概括的形式。考察該書後，可梳理出當時佛教信仰者普遍的佛陀意象，即：認為釋迦佛為諸佛之一；諸佛皆為根本法身所化現；佛佛等同；彌陀為諸佛淨土的代表；彌勒承繼釋迦佛的教法，並作為彌陀信仰外的另一選擇。現留存唐代乃至更早的佛教像例，多缺乏直接證據供研究者判斷尊名，研究者便多依據特定文獻判斷尊名，但是仍存在許多難解處。佛教教理本有著不同於固著思想之融通性，若由具普遍性意義，通於各教派乃至常民所知的「法身為根本」、「諸佛相即」之概念進行理解，便可開闊地解明該類造像存在之意涵，不需再執意將各尊像比附於特定經典的名相上。

Fayuan Zhulin of the Tang Dynasty is not a translated classic, nor does it contain the opinions of any notable individual. However, it is a renowned work of literature that is frequently referred to in books regarding Buddhism. This book draws from public sentiments for its many chapters, illustrating the prevalent form of Buddhist faith at the time. From a Buddhist viewpoint, classical literature or works by individuals often overgeneralize or oversimplify. After a thorough review of this book, one can piece together a general image of Buddha pertaining to that time period: Gautama Buddha was one of many Buddhas; all Buddhas are manifestations of Dharma; all Buddhas are equal; Amitabha Buddha is the representation of pure land; Maitreya Buddha is the successor of Gautama Buddha, an alternative choice to the teachings of Gautama Buddha. Using the teachings of Buddha from the Tang Dynasty as an example, many works lack direct reference to a particular Buddha, making it difficult for researchers to determine which Buddha they are referring. Researchers can look to specific references for such data, yet controversies are still present. The teaching of tolerance in Buddhism is what makes it different from other ideological fixations. The general concepts gathered from religious groups are “Dharmakaya as a fundamental concept” and “All Buddhas are corresponding”, in which the concepts are subject to further interpretation. This depicts the significance of the statues, removing the need for attributing specific names.