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In the center of this composition sits Buddha Amitayus, the Buddha of Infinite Life, on a Chinese-style seat. In front of him a lotus blossom and its branches carry a king and his auspicious “Seven Jewels.” Amitayus presides over a paradisiacal realm with a two-story palace behind him, the roof tiles of which carry the six syllable mantra of Avalokiteshvara. The palaces in the corners of the painting represent realms similar to the central one and are situated at the cardinal directions around it. Each of them is occupied by an assembly of eight deities from the mandala of Amitayus.
Buddha Amitayus in His Pure Realm
OriginInner Mongolia
Date19th century
Dimensions56 3/4 × 37 3/8 × 1 5/8 in.
MediumPigments on cloth
Classification(s)
Credit LineRubin Museum of Art
Object numberC2002.2.5
Himalayan Art Resources Number65037
DescriptionThis painting is a fine example of the cross‑fertilization of Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese aesthetics. Buddha Amitayus is shown seated on a lotus in front of an elegant Chinese palace. The artist closely observed imperial architectural style—lion heads carved on the posts of white marble balustrades, changing colors on inset panels between railings, marble plinths in profile—suggesting that they werefamiliar with Chinese buildings. The palaces at the four corners of the composition were common structures in later imperial garden settings. The arrangement of these surrounding palaces creates a sense of perspective.In the center of this composition sits Buddha Amitayus, the Buddha of Infinite Life, on a Chinese-style seat. In front of him a lotus blossom and its branches carry a king and his auspicious “Seven Jewels.” Amitayus presides over a paradisiacal realm with a two-story palace behind him, the roof tiles of which carry the six syllable mantra of Avalokiteshvara. The palaces in the corners of the painting represent realms similar to the central one and are situated at the cardinal directions around it. Each of them is occupied by an assembly of eight deities from the mandala of Amitayus.
Not on view
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