15th Century Japanese Gilt Wood Amida Nyorai Buddha. His hands are held in the vitarka mudra, the gesture of discussion and transmission of Buddhist teaching.
Amida is captured here in his welcoming descent from Heaven to greet the soul of a faithful devotee at death. Images of his
descent to earth illustrate the nineteenth of forty-eight vows made by Amida
in a previous life, in which he promises to appear at the moment of death to
all beings who devoutly desire rebirth in his paradise. Painted and sculpted
versions of this theme first became popularized in Japan during the 11th
century and were placed near the deathbed of a devotee so that he or she
could see it. 30 inches, 76 cm.