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Amida Nyorai Amida Tathagata Amida Buddha

AMIDA NYORAI (Skt. Amitabha)

Gokuraku = Land of Ultimate Bliss
Also called Western Pure Land or
Jodo = Pure Land | Sukhavati (Skt.)
Amida described in Infinite Life Sutra
Originally HOZO Bosatsu (see below)

Amida, which means Infinite Light or Infinite Life, is one of the loftiest savior figures in Japanese Buddhism, and Amida faith is concerned primarily with the life to come (paradise). Amida is also one of the Five Great Buddha (Tathagata) of Wisdom. The world-famous Big Buddha (Daibutsu) statue in Kamakura, around 15 meters in height, is Amida Nyorai.

Before attaining Buddhahood, Amida was known as Hozo Bodhisattva (Skt. Dharmakara). Hozo made 48 Vows which serve as the basis for the modern vows taken by lay followers, monks, and nuns in Tibet, China, and Japan. In the 48 Vows, Hozo pledged that, upon attaining Buddhahood, he would create the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (the terms Jodo = Pure Land, and Gokuraku = Land of Ultimate Bliss, refer to the same realm).

Hozo guaranteed rebirth there to anyone who recited his name with utmost sincerity, even those on their death bed. Hozo fulfilled the vows and thereafter became Amida Nyorai. For a few more details on Hozo Bosatsu, please click here.

Faith in Amida's Pure Land (Jodo 浄土宗) can be traced back to the Six Dynasties Period in China (317-589). Buddhism arrived much later in Japan, in the 6th and 7th centuries AD. In Japan, by the Heian Era (794-1192), Amida worship gains increasing favor among the Japanese court, scholars, and monasteries, partly as a result of widespread belief in the Age of Mappo (decline of Buddhist Law). At the time, the "Days of the Dharma" were divided into three periods, the first phase lasting 500 years (Age of Shobo 正法) during which Buddhism gains acceptance and spreads; the second phase lasting 1000 years (Age of Zoho 象法) during which Buddhist practice begins to weaken; and the final phase lasting 3000 years (the Age of Mappo 末法), when Buddhist faith deteriorates and is no longer practiced).

But faith in Amida Nyorai remained largely confined to a small segment of the Japanese population until the Kamakura Era (1185-1333), when it is popularized by new Buddhist sects (the Pure Land sects; see below) committed to bringing Buddhism to the illiterate commoner. These sects express concern for the salvation of the ordinary person, and stress pure and simple faith over complicated rites and doctrines. Their leaders, Honen Shonin and his disciple Shinran, taught that anyone could attain salvation by faithfully reciting the name of Amida Buddha. Even today, the key practice for Amida devotees is simply to chant Amida's name, "Namu Amida Butsu," for Amida Nyorai vowed that whoever calls his name with faith shall be reborn in a paradise called the Pure Land. In modern terms, Amida faith is a Mahayana philosophy that represents the "quick path" to enlightenment. Those who live in the Western Pure Land of Bliss, also called Jodo or Gokuraku -- a land devoid of worry or toil -- can focus their energies on attaining Buddhahood. Here, in the Pure Land, they have escaped the Six States of Existence -- they are no longer trapped in the cycle of birth and death (Skt. samsara), and can thus devote all efforts to attaining enlightenment. 

The Nichiren Sect, which also came to prominence during the Kamakura period, adamantly rejects the Amida "quick path" to salvation, claiming it actually harms Buddhist belief, for it does not prompt people to pursue a life of reflection and improvement. It is a false doctrine to adherents of the Nichiren Sect, for it lulls people into believing they need not practice Buddhism during their lifetime -- they need only repent on their deathbed to gain salvation. To Nichiren devotees, chanting alone will not bring salvation. It is only a first step, a preliminary practice, in religious advancement. It must be followed by rigorous Buddhist practice and meditation.  

Amida Nyorai - Mantra in Japanese

Amida Nyorai presides over the Great Western Paradise. When a Buddhist dies, it is believed that Amida descends from his paradise to lead the faithful back to the Pure Land. In artwork, this is often depicted by showing Amida riding on a cloud (often accompanied by two Bodhisattva attendants, Kannon and Seishi). Please see Amida Raigo Triad for photo of this grouping. Amida is also sometimes accompanied by Bosatsu on Clouds.

ABOVE:
Amida descends from heaven to lead followers back to paradise
(L) Unknown, found at http://www.koku-j.com/english.html
(R) Kamakura Era Scoll from Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art

Big Buddha in Kamakura
Constructed in 1252. Of the three giant effigies of Buddha in Japan, it alone remains in orginal form, whereas the 8th-century 72-feet-high statue in Nara was recast, and the famous 160-feet-high Kyoto Daibutsu was entirely destroyed and replaced by a small wooden substitute. (See Big Buddha page for descriptions of all three and others).The Kamakura Daibutsu is roughly 50 feet in height (the face itself over eight feet long) and weighs 93 tons. Upon the head are 656 curls, a traditional characteristic of the Amida Buddha. The silver boss on the forehead (from which emanates the light that illuminates the universe) weighs 30 pounds.

Amida Nyorai (stone carving) in private garden, Kamakura
Visit 8 Buddhist Protectors of the Zodiac for More

* PURE LAND SECTS - BUDDHISM REACHES THE COMMONER
The Jodo-shu and Jodo-Shinshu sects (Pure Land Sects) were founded by Honen Shonin (1133 - 1212) and his disciple Shinran (1173 - 1262), respectfully. Both taught that anyone, whether noble or peasant, could attain salvation by faithfully reciting the name of Amida Buddha -- chanting the invocation "Namu Amida Butsu" with devotion would lead to rebirth in the Pure Land Paradise. The rapid spread in popularity of the Pure Land sects was a serious challenge to the institutionalized Buddhist monestaries of that day, who responded by condemning Honen and his followers to exile. Shinran, Honen's disciple, continued to challenge the existing Buddhist authorities by declaring that meat-eating and matrimony were not contrary to the teachings of the Buddha (at the time, neither acts were allowed by the reigning Buddhist powers). By stressing pure and simple faith over complicated rites and doctrines, and by allowing believers to enjoy worldly benefits with the promise of salvation in the afterlife, the Pure Land gained widespread popularity among the peasantry. Today, the Jodo-Shinshu sect, along with the Nichiren Sect (also founded in Kamakura Period), are the two leading sects of Japanese Buddhism.

Below Text Courtesy of:
www.jodo.org/about_plb/buddhas.html
Buddhist "Pure Land" (Amida's Paradise) sect, founded in 1174 by Honen (1133-1212) and which teaches that the worship of Buddha, in particular the invocation of Amida's name, leads to rebirth in the Pure Land paradise.

Amida Buddha is the central Buddha and object of devotion of Pure Land Buddhism. This Buddha, whose name means "infinite light" and "immeasurable life" is thought to pervade the universe with his presence and power. In the Sutra of Immeasurable Life (muryoju-kyo), it is said that a long time ago a bodhisattva named Dharmakara (Hozo-bosatsu) made forty-eight original vows in order to save all sentient beings and after eons of energetic practice, fulfilled them and so became Amida Buddha and succeeded in creating his Pure Land as a part of his vows. Amida Buddha is believed to still continue his preaching in his Pure Land in the West.

Above Photos - Amida Nyorai (Buddha)
Located at Hase Dera in Kamakura
This gilt statue is about three meters high
Reportly made during Yoritomo's time (Kamakura Period)
It is worshipped to ward off calamities that occur in the "unlucky ages"
(yakudoshi in Japanese); according to the Japanese, the years especially
 prone to misfortune for men are 25 and 42, and for women 19 and 33.

Below Text Courtesy of:
www.mikalina.com/Texts/japan_buddhist_painting.htm
Belief in Amida and his Pure Land (Jodo) can be traced to the Six Dynasties Period in China (317-589). In Japan the cult became increasingly widespread during the Fujiwara period (898-1185) partly as a result of the belief in the impending age of mappo (decline of the Buddhist Law). 

Below text courtesy of Ed Jacob
www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/sculpture.html
Famous examples of the Amida Buddha include the Great Buddha at Kamakura (this is one of the few Buddhas with a moustache, showing that he is a Western deity), the Amida Trinity at Horyuji, and the Amida Nyorai at Byodo-in at Uji (near Kyoto). 

48 Bodhisattva Vows Made by Hozo Bosatsu
Below text courtesy of:
www.uwec.edu/greider/Chinese.Japan/jodo_shinshu.htm
The focus is on sutras about Hozo Bosatsu (Bodhisattva Dharmakara) and Amida: (a) The Larger Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra - (Sutra of Infinite Life) (Daimuryoju kyo) 2 volumes. In this sutra is recorded the discourses delivered by Shakyamuni at the Mount of Holy Vulture in Rajagriha. Shakyamuni speaks of Hozo Bosatsu (Bodhisattva Dharmakara) who makes 48 vows, all of them for the benefit of all sentient beings. For a countless number of years, Hozo Bosatsu meditates and works for a realization of a Buddha Land perfect in every sense, where all beings can be reborn. He becomes Amida Buddha - the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life .

The Larger Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra tells the story of Hozo Bosatsu who made 48 vows and meditated and worked for countless years to fulfill all the vows. Of the 48 vows, the eighteenth vow is most important: in this vow Hozo Bosatsu aspires for the universal salvation of beings. It reads, "Upon my attainment of Buddhahood, if sentient beings in the ten quarters, who have sincerity of heart, hold faith, and wish to be born in my land, repeating My Name perhaps up to ten times, would not be born therein, then may I not obtain the Great Enlightenment". Upon the fulfillment of all the forty-eight vows, Hozo Bosatsu became Amida Buddha. Amida Buddha is a manifestation of Universal Truth in human form while His vows, especially the eighteenth, are considered an active merciful and loving expression of His Great Compassion.

AMIDA: ONE OF THE FIVE GREAT BUDDHA OF WISDOM
courtesy buddha-gallery.net/pantheon.htm#jinas (no longer online)
Buddha of the West: Amitabha (Japanese: Amida Nyorai). This is the fourth Jina, by far the most popular and revered one, particularly in Japan."The One whose splendour is immeasurable," Amida is the Buddha of the beyond, of the afterlife. Amida corresponds to the meditation of the historical Buddha under the Bodhi tree, and Amida is typically represented in the meditation one, the Dhyana mudra (Japanese: Jo-in): both hands opened and resting on the lap with the right hand above the left one and the thumbs touching each other. There are several variations of this mudra with different finger positions. Represents Wisdom of Distinction. For more, please see the mudra page.

Amida Nyorai is a member of the Padma  (Lotus) Family. The main attributes of the Amida Nyorai are to convert desire, lust and passion into the wisdom of discriminating awareness, or the wisdom of distinction. Represesent the direction West and the color Red. 

ABOUT HOZO BOSATSU
From the Sutra of Immeasurable Life. Many eons ago there was a king. He had the opportunity to listen to a sermon given by a buddha, Tathagata Lokeshvararaja (Sejizaio Nyorai). Upon hearing the sermon, he made up his mind to renounce his palace life, and he became a monk called Bodhisattva Dharmakara (Hozo Bosatsu). He established forty-eight vows as a Bodhisattva and practiced austere religious disciplines for a long time. He accomplished these vows and became the Buddha called Amitabha. Among the forty-eight vows, the eighteenth vow is the vow of the nembutsu through which every man can attain salvation by chanting "Namu Amida Butsu."  

LEARN MORE ABOUT AMIDA NYORAI

• Amida Nyora Photo Tour Page (Lots of Photos)
   
• Eight Buddhist Protectors of the Zodiac (Lots of Photos)
   
• Big Buddha of Kamakura
   
• Amida's Bosatsu on Clouds
   
• Amida Nyorai - Triad (Raigo, Sanzon) Sculpture
   
• 48 Vows of Hozo Bosatsu (Who Becomes Amida Nyorai)
   
• Five Great Tathagata of Wisdom
   
• Kamakura Pilgrimage for Amida Nyorai
   
• Manjushri - Excellent Resource on Amida / Others Gods
  A wonderful site that combines strong research with good photos, and provides the Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan name of the various Buddhas. www.manjushri.com/BUDDHA/
   
• What is Pure Land Buddhism?
  www.jodo.org/about_plb/buddhas.html
   
• Kamakura: Fact and Legend by Iso Mutsu, Charles E. Tuttle Company. A wonderful book, first released in 1918, with detailed descriptions of more than 40 temples in Kamakura, including anecdotes & unbelievable details about various Buddhist deities.
   
• Amida Raigo Triad at Kyoto National Museum
  www.kyohaku.go.jp/mus_dict/hd34e.htm
   
• Shingon Web Site
  www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/jusanbutsu.html
   
• Restored Paintings of Amida
  www.koku-j.com/english.html
   
• Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art
  www.museum.cornell.edu/HFJ/handbook/hb68.html
   
• Forty-Eight Great Vows
  www.amitabha.com/glossary/f-j/gloss_f-j.htm
  www.amitabha.com/glossary/glossary.htm
  www.omplace.com/omsites/Buddhism/bodhisattvavows.html
  www.ne.jp/asahi/pureland-buddhism/amida-net/48vows.htm
   
• Jodo Pure Land
  www.jodo.org/terminology/english.html
  www.amitabha.com/pure_land_texts/pure_land_texts.htm
   
• OTHERS
  www.amitabha.com
  www.uwec.edu/greider/Chinese.Japan/jodo_shinshu.htm
  www.ne.jp/asahi/pureland-buddhism/amida-net/shoshinge.htm
   
• Hozo Bosatsu
  Below text courtesy Charles Muller's Buddhist dictionary
  www.acmuller.net/ddb/
  Hozo is the name of Amitabha (Amida) Buddha in a previous incarnation before his enlightenment. According to the Sutra of Infinite Life , in an earlier age, at the time when the Buddha Lokesvararaja was in the world, there was a king who, upon hearing the Buddhist teachings, arose the mind of enlightenment, abandoned his throne, and became a monk. This was Dharmakara, later to be called Dharmakara Bodhisattva (Hozo Bosatsu). He continued to practice meditation for five eons, after which he took the 48 vows , and became the Buddha of Infinite Life (), aka Amida Nyorai.
   

Copyright Mark Schumacher. Email Mark.
All stories and photos, unless specified otherwise, by Mark
www.onmarkproductions.com