Item: Mandala of Amitayus Buddha - Amitayus

Amitayus Nine Deity Mandala (Tibetan: tse pag me lha gu kyil kor) according to the lineage of mahasiddha Jetari.

At the center is the buddha of long-life Amitayus, red in colour with one face and two hands placed in the mudra of meditation, holding a golden vase of long-life nectar. Adorned with a crown, gold and jewel ornaments and variously coloured silks, he sits in vajra posture on a moon disc and lotus blossom. Eight identical forms surround the central figure. In the east is Vajra Amitayus, south Ratna Amitayus, west Padma Amitayus, north Karma Amitayus. In the northeast is Avaloka Amitayus, southeast Guna Amitayus, southwest Jnana Amitayus and northwest Achala Amitayus.

The floor of the celestial palace is divided into four colours ornately patterned with floral designs: red, green-blue, dark blue and yellow. The red veranda outside of the palace walls, on each side of the four doors ('T' shaped), is decorated with yellow flower designs, curved knives and a yellow railing. The outer light blue and ornate white lines forming a square enclosure represent the stylized decorative facade on the four sides of the upper palace roof, adorned with upright banners and gold vases. The elaborate lintels above each of the four doors are constructed of four tiered steps, red, blue, green and white topped with a gold Dharma wheel and two reclining deer with a silk canopy above.

The palace is placed squarely on a horizontal multi-coloured double vajra (Sanskrit: visvavajra) with only the prongs and makara heads (an Indian mythological sea creature) appearing on the four sides. Surrounding that is a circle of multi-coloured lotus petals representing the enormous lotus upon which the entire palace structure rests. The final ring is composed of the multi-coloured fires of pristine awareness completely surrounding all.

Lineage: Amitayus, Acarya Garbha, Jetari, Acarya Bodhi Bhadra, Acarya Samadhi Bhadra, Vajrasana the greater and younger, Bari Lotsawa Rinchen Drag, Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), etc.

Jeff Watt 3-99 [image added 2-2014]