Amitabha triad

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Amitabha Buddha (Korean: Amita) was the focus of worship in Pure Land Buddhism, which enjoyed great popularity during the Goryeo period. Devotees were promised entrance to Amitabha’s Western Paradise upon recitation of his name. Seated high on an elaborate lotus throne, Amitabha is flanked by two bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara (Korean: Gwaneum) on his left and Mahasthamaprapta (Korean: Dae Seji) on his right. The identifying attributes of the former include a miniature image of Amitabha in her crown and a ritual sprinkler, or kundika, in her left hand; the latter can be identified by the kundika in her crown. The Buddha’s hand gesture, or mudra, represents the preaching of Buddhist law. The symbol on his chest, associated with Buddhism, originated in ancient India. The intricately rendered gold decoration on the deities’ robes, particularly in the roundels of the Buddha’s garment, exemplifies the dazzling virtuosity of Goryeo Buddhist painting.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art