十(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)羅漢(han)(han)是指佛教(jiao)傳說 [1]  中(zhong)十(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)位永住(zhu)世間、護持(chi)正(zheng)法的阿羅漢(han)(han) [2]  ，由十(shi)(shi)六羅漢(han)(han)加二尊者而來。他(ta)們都是歷史人物(wu)，均(jun)為(wei)釋(shi)迦牟尼的弟子(zi)。十(shi)(shi)六羅漢(han)(han)主要流行于唐代(dai)，至唐末，開始出現(xian)十(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)羅漢(han)(han)；到宋代(dai)時，則(ze)盛行十(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)羅漢(han)(han)了(le)。十(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)羅漢(han)(han)的出現(xian)，可能與中(zhong)國文化 [3]  中(zhong)對十(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)的傳統偏(pian)好(hao)有關。

羅漢又稱阿(a)羅漢，指(zhi)能斷(duan)除一切煩惱，達(da)到涅槃(pan)境界(jie)，不再受生死輪(lun)回之(zhi)苦，修行圓(yuan)滿(man)又具有引導眾生向善(shan)的德行，堪(kan)受人天供養(yang)的圣者。 [4] 

“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)”是一個(ge)吉數，中國(guo)文化(hua)中的(de)許(xu)多數量表達都用(yong)“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)”，如“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)世”、“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)侯”、“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)般(ban)武藝”、“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)學(xue)士(shi)”等(deng)。佛教中也(ye)有(you)許(xu)多“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)”，如“《十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)部論》”、“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)界”、“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)變”、“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)層地(di)獄(yu)”等(deng)，“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)六羅漢(han)(han)”變為“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)羅漢(han)(han)”顯然與這種“十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)”情結(jie)有(you)關(guan)。在歷史上嵩山(shan)少林寺也(ye)出(chu)現過少林十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)羅漢(han)(han) [5]  。功(gong)夫羅漢(han)(han)潘國(guo)靜(jing)是現代(dai)少林十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)(ba)羅漢(han)(han)之一

十(shi)八羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)，系(xi)自(zi)十(shi)六(liu)羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)演變而(er)來。目前所(suo)知最早的十(shi)八羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)像(xiang)，為五(wu)代·張玄及貫休所(suo)繪(hui)。其后，宋(song)(song)·蘇東坡分別(bie)為此(ci)二畫(hua)題十(shi)八首贊，并于(yu)貫休所(suo)作(zuo)標出羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)名(ming)稱。此(ci)外，杭州(zhou)飛來峰金光洞中，刻在石床上(shang)的十(shi)八羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)像(xiang)，也(ye)(ye)是宋(song)(song)代的作(zuo)品。元代以后，各寺(si)院的大殿中多供有十(shi)八羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)，且在佛教(jiao)界，羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)像(xiang)的繪(hui)畫(hua)與雕塑，也(ye)(ye)多以十(shi)八羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)為主。自(zi)此(ci)，十(shi)六(liu)羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)乃逐漸(jian)沉寂，十(shi)八羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)代之(zhi)而(er)起。日(ri)本鐮(lian)倉(cang)光明寺(si)也(ye)(ye)有十(shi)八羅(luo)(luo)漢(han)(han)(han)像(xiang)，據考證系(xi)南宋(song)(song)至(zhi)元代期間之(zhi)作(zuo)