Amitabha

Newari Paubha Painting 

Handmade natural mineral pigments on canvas

 

Artist: Sudharshan Suwal 

 

Buddha Amitabha, or ‘Buddha of Limitless Light’ in Vajrayana Buddhism, is renowned for longevity, profound insight, pure perception, and the purification of the aggregates through the understanding of the emptiness of all phenomena. 

 

In Pure Land Buddhism in China, Amitabha Budddha is greatly revered. It is explained in Pure Land teachings 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. Amitabha’s 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.

 

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. 

 

The Amitabha Sutra, is a primary scripture in Pure Land Buddhism, dating to the third century CE. The sutra details all that awaits the virtuous in the pure land of Sukhavati and the necessary steps for attaining rebirth in this pure land.

 

The main practice in this sutra is reciting Amitabha’s name with faith and strong intent to be reborn in the Pure Land. This is sometimes referred to as “mindfulness of the Buddha”. The sutra says any being, regardless of their previous karma or degree of spiritual progress, can be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land through sincere devotion and invocation of his name, particularly at the time of death. Once reborn there, one will be guided to complete enlightenment by Amitabha and his retinue. 

 

Amitabha mantra in sanskrit:

On Amitabha Hri