1. Amitabha Buddha

1. Amitabha Buddha

Central Tibet, 19th century; pigment on cloth; 38 1/2 x 25 1/2 in.; The Rubin Museum of Art, New York, F1997.6.3.

Amitabha Altar

Amitabha Altar

2005, photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Pure Land Buddhism is very popular in East Asia; in that iconographic tradition, the celestial Buddha Amitabha (Amituo in Chinese; Amida in Japanese) is often depicted standing with the right hand upraised in a gesture of reassurance, as seen in this devotional setting. The other hand makes varada mudra, or the gesture of generosity. Avalokiteshvara frequently makes this gesture as well, most commonly with the opposite hand. Here the shimmering reflective surfaces and abundant offerings suggest the splendor of Amitabha’s Pure Land.