Himalayan Art Resources

Item: Amitabha Buddha - Sambhogakaya

སངས་རྒྱས་འོད་དཔག་མེད། 无量寿佛
(item no. 57361)
Origin Location Tibet
Date Range 1300 - 1399
Lineages Buddhist
Size 31.20cm (12.28in) high
Material Metal
Collection Private
Notes about the Central Figure

Classification: Deity

Appearance: Peaceful

Gender: Male

Interpretation / Description

Amitayus, Buddha (Tibetan: tse pag me. English: the Enlightened One of Immeasurable Life) Lord of Limitless Life and Pristine Awareness, the Sambhogakaya appearance (Enjoyment Body) of Buddha Amitabha.

Amitayus Tibetan: Tse pag me

"Bhagavan Lord of Limitless Life and Pristine Awareness with a body red in colour, one face, two hands and with two long eyes glancing with compassion on beings, gazing on the entirety of migrators; and a smiling face, wearing the complete sambhogakaya vestments. Above the two hands held in meditation is a long-life vase filled with the nectar of immortality; with the hair in tufts, adorned with silks and jewels, seated in vajra posture, the body blazing with the shining light of the [32] marks and [80] examples." (Sakya Tridzin Kunga Tashi, 1656-1711).

Common to all traditions of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhism Amitayus primarily belongs to the three lower Tantra classifications. In the Nyingma tradition, there are both Kama (Oral) and Terma (Treasure) lineages of practice.

Jeff Watt 9-1998

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