Amitabha - The Buddha of Infinite Light

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Amitabha is the lord of the Western Paradise called Sukhavati, also known as the Land of Bliss or the Pure Land. He is the synthesis of the purity of the maya-body with its appropriate signs in the clarity of mind, which in its essential nature is the same as light. He is the inexpressible luminous essence. He is represented in his Western Paradise of Sukhavati, and sometimes by himself as a Tathagata. Red in colour, he is in monastic robes with the vase for alms placed in his hands in Samadhi-mudra of contemplation. He is the nirmana-kaya, the preparation for the spiritual maturity of his devotees. It is said that before entering Mahaparinirvana, Shakyamuni transmitted to his favourite disciple Shariputra the splendour of Amitabha and his Pure Land Sukhavati. His symbolic syllable is HRIH: H is the sound of breadth, the symbol of all life, R is the sound of fire, I is the intensity of vibration which stands for the highest spiritual activity. Amitabha is of the nature of conceptualization. Conceptualization proliferates, sparking new ideas, and lording over it is Amitabha. His red colour bears the meaning that compassion is enamored of all of all living beings. The colour of Enamour (raga) is red in the Buddhist tradition. According to the principle of Hatha-yoga, the human personality is adduced into Amitabha's world by a projection of the conscious principle. In the great splendour of the Pure Land, the devotee can spend aeons in contemplation of Boundless Light preaching the Law.

Amitabha Buddha is very popular in Nepal. The highest devotion is tendered to him at Svayambhu, as he is the Buddha of the present aeon. Bountiful offering are bestowed on him in the western quarter of the Svayambhunath shrine. The Jodo sect and the Jodo-shin sect, the two most prevalent sects in Japan, pertain to Amitabha. When his immeasurable light shines upon the sadhaka, all his grave sins and hindrances of karma are nullified. He contemplates subtle distinctions of the spiritual capacities of beings and then he preaches Dharma according to their receptivity, revealing to them their lotus-like principle and the purity of their fundamental nature.

Amitabha belongs to the lotus family – Vairochana enters the Tathagata's pure lotus Samadhi of the fundamental nature of all dharmas, and then radiates around a light of the colour of a crimson lotus which illuminates the immeasurable Western World.

In this painting Amitabha Buddha is seated in vajraparyankasana on a moon disk on lotus flower against a brilliant aureole with lotus flowers and branches of a tree against a moon disk. The complexion of his body is red and he has a smiling countenance, as he is filled with compassion for all beings of the universe. He looks down with tranquility, as Amitabha Buddha feels equal compassion for all beings. His both the hands are in Samadhi-mudra and hold a pindapatra or begging bowl. Amitabha is in silk monastic robes, covering both the shoulders. The background of the painting depicts rays of light with little stars. The painting is very much suitable for the prayer, sadhana and practice of Amitabha Buddha.

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma. His Doctorate thesis being: "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.