「樹下靜坐圖」過去通稱為「樹下觀耕圖」，本文梳理關於該主題的各類文本，認為「樹下靜坐」或「悉達多最初的禪定」之名，較能彰顯該文本的原初意涵。經由考察「樹下靜坐」的各版本及相關圖像，發現除了過去學界已知的印度二例及犍陀羅八例外，尚有三個例子以及五個疑似像例。「樹下靜坐」（悉達多最初的禪定）故事的原形，是在釋迦佛自述苦行時回憶的文脈下被陳述出，釋迦佛回憶起幼年（當時尚未成佛）於閻浮樹下入禪定的情景，從而放棄苦行。該故事的原形十分古老，內容簡略，可能在西元前四世紀便已存在。約在西元前一世紀，與佛傳文學成立的相近時間，該故事被放置於具有時間序列的傳記中，與「出遊四門」的意義越趨相近，共同成為太子出家的近因，同時加入了觀眾生苦、起慈悲心等大乘內容，以及神異的描述。早期的「樹下靜坐圖」與早期文本的描述相近，主尊像結跏趺坐，手結禪定印。部分中後期文本則不再強調結跏趺坐的姿態，並多次使用「思惟」二字描述當時的太子，如三世紀左右譯出的《異出菩薩本起經》記述著：「太子在樹下，精長思惟」。在犍陀羅一地少部分的像例，轉為半跏思惟的姿態，可與描述「太子思惟」文本相對應，亦可能與該故事內涵轉為重視慈悲心等大乘教理有關。本文再依據天人無法飛過太子的情節，以及該圖像中「樹」的母題識別出過去未被提出的可能像例。

Traditionally, the image of Meditation Under the Tree was known as the image of Meditation Overlooking the Field. In this article, the author sorts through all the text relating to this topic in an attempt to reveal its original meaning. After investigating every version of Meditation Under the Tree and all its related images, the author discovered three new examples as well as a possible five more to add to two well-known cases from India and eight cases from Gandhāra. The original story of Meditation Under the Jambu Tree (Prince Siddhārtha’s first meditation) is Gautama Buddha’s account of his own progress of practicing. Gautama Buddha recollects memories of childhood meditation under the Jambu tree (before becoming a Buddha) and his subsequent renouncement of Tapas. The original story is ancient and crude, perhaps dating from the 4th century BC. At around the 1st century BC, when The biography of the Buddha was only just beginning, the story was put into biographical form. This account is similar to the Four Encounters in that they were both deciding factors behind the prince’s reasoning to embark on a spiritual journey as a monk. At the same time, supernatural power and parts of the Mahāyāna (Prince Siddhārtha’s observation of suffering and resulting compassion) were incorporated into the legend. The early image of Prince Siddhārtha Meditating Under the Tree closely match early written records as the Buddha sits （Nyasīdat-paryavkam Ābhujya） and holds the Dhyāna mudrā seal. Some documentation no longer places importance on the meditation, instead using the words “pensive” to describe Prince Siddhārtha. An example of this usage can be found in Yichupuaabenqijing（One of the chinese translation of Cārya-nidāna）, translated in 3rd century, “the prince is pensive under the tree.” There are also some similar examples found in the Gandhāra, pairing the written record of “the prince is pensive” with a later statue of pensive bodhisattva. This change might have to do with placing more importance on compassion. In addition, this piece is based on a plot in which Deva was unable to fly over Prince Siddhārtha and the tree as the main motif , pointing to more possible cases.