AMITABHA

Amitabha (Sanskrit, “Limitless Light”) is one of the five primordial or dhyani buddhas of Mahayana Buddhism.  Also called Amida or Amitayus (“Limitless Life”), Amitabha is the central buddha in Pure Land Buddhism, and as such, is one of the most widely worshiped in Mahayana Buddhism. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Amitabha is renowned for longevity, profound insight, pure perception, and the purification of the aggregates (skandhas) through a deep understanding of the emptiness of all phenomena.

Pure Land teachings say that Amitabha was once a monk known as Dharmakara. Guided by forty-eight vows, he aspired to become a buddha and establish the Pure Land, a realm beyond our ordinary world,. Notably, his eighteenth vow ensured rebirth to anyone sincerely calling upon him, even just ten times. His nineteenth vow promised that he would appear to those invoking his name at the time of death. Amitabha’s boundless merit culminated in the creation of Sukhavati, “the  Land of Ultimate Bliss,” in which those reborn there could learn the dharma and aspire to become bodhisattvas and buddhas themselves.

Amitabha’s boundless merit, stemming from his countless virtuous deeds as Dharmakara, earned him the epithet “the Buddha of Infinite Light.” He is also known as Amitayus, though the two are not wholly interchangeable. Amitayus, which translates from the Sanskrit as “the Buddha of Infinite Life,” is considered an emanation of Amitabha, and is generally seen in royal finery, where Amitabha appears in monk’s garb. Both would be known as Amida to practitioners of the Chinese or Japanese traditions. 

Amitabha Imagery & Iconography

Amitabha is usually shown in meditation, with his hands on his lap in a meditation mudra (hand gesture). Often, he is seen accompanied by two assistant bodhisattvas, Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) on the right and Mahasthamaprapta on the left. Together, they form a triad that is frequently seen in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

VAJRAPANI

Image
Vajrapani is a bodhisattva, a being who has attained enlightenment but chooses to remain in the world to help others reach the same state, in Mahayana Buddhism. He is considered the protector and guide of the Buddha, and is often depicted holding a vajra, a ritual object symbolizing indestructibility and the power to cut through ignorance. Vajrapani is known for his fierce and powerful appearance, often depicted as a muscular figure with a fierce expression and dark blue skin. He holds a vajra in his right hand and a lasso in his left hand, which he uses to capture and subdue negative influences and obstacles on the path to enlightenment. He is also often shown standing on a prostrate figure, symbolizing his subjugation of the forces of evil. In addition to his protective role, Vajrapani is also associated with the practice of tantra and is considered the embodiment of the Buddha's power. He is often depicted in mandalas, intricate diagrams of the universe that are used in tantric ...
Read more

JEBTSUNDAMBA KHUTUKTU

Image
JEBTSUNDAMBA KHUTUKTU     The Jebtsundamba Khutuktu or Khalkha Jetsün Dampa Rinpoche is a title given to the spiritual head of the Gelug lineage of Buddhism in Mongolia. They also hold the title of Bogd Gegeen, making them the top-ranked lama in Mongolia. The first Jebtsundamba, Zanabazar (1635–1723), was identified as the reincarnation of the scholar Taranatha of the Jonang school of Tibetan Buddhism. Zanabazar was the son of the Tüsheet Khan Gombodorj, ruler of central Khalkha Mongolia, and himself became the spiritual head of the Khalkha Mongols. Like Zanabazar, the 2nd Jebtsundamba Khutughtu was a member of Mongolia's highest nobility and direct descendant of Genghis Khan. After Chingünjav's rebellion and the demise of the second Jebtsundamba Khutugtu, the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty decreed in 1758 that all future reincarnations were to be found from among the population of Tibet. When the region of Outer Mongolia declared independence from the Qing dynasty in 19...
Read more

GREEN TARA

Image
  Tara is the most beloved of all the female enlightened beings in the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon. The essence of awakened love and compassion, she is known as “the mother of all the buddhas” and “she who ferries beings across the ocean of samsara.” As a fully enlightened female buddha, Tara is the actuality of compassion and wisdom, and meditating on her helps us awaken our own buddhanature. Her right foot is slightly extended because she is ready to leap to the aid of beings. Her right hand is opened out on her right knee, in the gesture of generosity. Her left hand holds the stem of a lotus flower, which is blossoming next to her left ear. We need to approach Tara with an open heart and mind. In order for Tara to be able to benefit us, we need to approach her with an open heart and mind. Through continued meditation practice on Tara, we can establish a relationship in which we are able to trust and rely on her, and the more we are able to open to Tara, the more she is able to ben...
Read more