Revered across East Asia, Amida is the Buddha of Infinite Light in Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism. He presides over Sukhāvatī—the Pure Land—offering rebirth and rapid awakening to anyone who calls his name with sincere trust.
His cult stems from Indian Mahayana scriptures like the Sutra of Measureless Life and the Amitābha Sūtra. Devotion spread through China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet, centered on name-recitation: nianfo, nembutsu (“Namu Amida Butsu”), and Tibetan rites such as phowa. Images often show him in a triad with Avalokiteśvara (Kannon) and Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Seishi), radiating boundless light; he also appears as Amitāyus, associated with long life.
In Japan he shaped the medieval religious landscape: Hōnen (1133–1212) founded Jōdo-shū and Shinran (1173–1263) Jōdo Shinshū, teaching reliance on Amida’s vow. The nembutsu became a lay practice for all. Iconography includes welcoming descent (raigō), with hands forming a greeting mudra. The Phoenix Hall at Byōdō-in (Uji, 1053) enshrines a celebrated Amida by the sculptor Jōchō, surrounded by heavenly musicians.
Today, Pure Land temples and lay congregations remain vibrant, and “Namu Amida Butsu” is chanted at daily services and funerals for solace and guidance. Amida endures as a symbol of unconditional compassion—salvation through simple faith and remembrance.
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