Amida, the Buddha of Limitless Light

Amida, the Buddha of Limitless Light

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Amida Nyorai—referred to in Sanskrit as Amitabha Tathagata—the Buddha of Limitless Light, sits upon a lotus pedestal with his hands forming the mudra of meditation. Amida presides over his own paradise, the Western Pure Land, to which he welcomes any being who calls upon his name. His benevolent gaze, directed toward the viewer below, is symbolic of this boundless compassion. The Pure Land sects of Buddhism, with their emphasis on salvation through faith, stirred the imagination of both courtiers and commoners alike, and temples dedicated to Amida were constructed throughout Japan.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Amida, the Buddha of Limitless LightAmida, the Buddha of Limitless LightAmida, the Buddha of Limitless LightAmida, the Buddha of Limitless LightAmida, the Buddha of Limitless Light

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.