Amitabha, The Jina Buddha of Infinite Light

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Amitabha, The Jina Buddha of Infinite Light

Indonesia, Central Java, circa 900-950
Sculpture
Copper alloy
4 3/8 x 2 5/8 x 2 1/8 in. (11.1 x 6.7 x 5.4 cm)
Gift of Daniel Ostroff (AC1992.261.1)
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

Although previously identified tentatively as the Medicine Buddha Bhaishajyaguru, this sculpture more likely represents Amitabha, the Jina Buddha of Infinite Light on the basis of its iconography....
Although previously identified tentatively as the Medicine Buddha Bhaishajyaguru, this sculpture more likely represents Amitabha, the Jina Buddha of Infinite Light on the basis of its iconography. Both deities are frequently represented holding a bowl (patra) in their lap, with Amitabha’s vessel being a begging bowl and Bhaishajyaguru’s container being a medicine bowl. Both deities display the gesture of meditation (dhyana mudra), but Amitabha has both hands in his lap holding the bowl, whereas Bhaishajyaguru has only his left hand in his lap holding the bowl and typically holds a myrobalan fruit in his right hand. Otherwise, this image has the standard iconographic features shared by both deities and often Buddha Shakyamuni: snail-curl hair, cranial protuberance (ushnisha) emblematic of his omniscience, elongated earlobes symbolizing his renunciation of the material world, sacred forehead marking (urna), and a monk’s robe (sanghati). He is seated on a lotus base in the meditation posture (padma asana) in front of a now-damaged throneback. See also M.77.19.12, M.77.19.13, M.80.228.3, and M.2005.108.1.
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Bibliography

  • Little, Stephen, Tushara Bindu Gude, Karina Romero Blanco, Silvia Seligson, Marco Antonio Karam. Las Huellas de Buda. Ciudad de México : Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, 2018.