Item: Item No. 35817

Amitayus, Buddha (Tibetan: tse pag me. English: the Enlightened One of Immesurable Life) Lord of Limitless Life and Pristine Awareness, the Sambogakaya aspect (Enjoyment Body) of Buddha Amitabha.

Amitayus Tibetan: Tse pag me

The Five Symbolic Buddhas that are represented on the Tashi Gomang Stupas of Densatil Monastery are part of an overall iconographic program. They are generally found on the levels closest to the top that are associated with the Charya and Yoga Tantras. There are some unusual aspects to these particular Densatil sculpture which can be accounted for when assessing the variations in Buddha forms found in the Yoga Tantras. There is not always any difference that can be found between Amitabha and Amitayus Buddha. Having ornaments or no ornaments, having a black beginning bowl or a long life vase, all of these differences can be accounted for in the various Tantric liturgical texts.

"Bhagavan Lord of Limitless Life and Pristine Awareness with a body red in colour, one face, two hands and with two long eyes glancing with compassion on beings, gazing on the entirety of migrators; and a smiling face, wearing the complete sambhogakaya vestments. Above the two hands held in meditation is a long-life vase filled with the nectar of immortality; with the hair in tufts, adorned with silks and jewels, seated in vajra posture, the body blazing with the shining light of the [32] marks and [80] examples." (Sakya Trizin Kunga Tashi, 1656-1711).

Common to all traditions of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhism Amitayus primarily belongs to the three lower Tantra classifications. In the Nyingma tradition, he has both Kama (Oral) and Terma (Treasure) lineages of practice.

Jeff Watt 4-2014