amida

Amida, or Amitābha Buddha, is a celestial Buddha prominent in Mahayana Buddhism and especially in East Asian Pure Land traditions. The name Amida is the Japanese rendering of Sanskrit Amitābha, meaning “Infinite Light.” In Pure Land Buddhism, Amida is the focus of devotion and the patron of a realm called the Pure Land or Sukhāvatī, a place of bliss prepared by his vows to aid sentient beings.

Central to Amida’s teaching is the belief that beings can be reborn in the Western Pure Land through faith, practice, and vow-driven aspiration. According to sutras such as the Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha and related scriptures, Amitābha made a series of vows to help countless beings attain liberation, culminating in a promise that sincere reliance on his name and presence can ensure rebirth in the Pure Land, where enlightenment is facilitated. The core practice in many schools is the recitation of Amida’s name—nembutsu in Japanese or nianfo in Chinese—often combined with visualization and rituals aimed at fostering faith and mindfulness.

Historically, Amida worship developed in India and spread to China, Korea, and Japan, where it became a dominant influence in Buddhist practice. In Japan, major Pure Land movements include Jōdo Shū (founded by Hōnen) and Jōdo Shinshū (founded by Shinran), which emphasized accessible, faith-oriented paths to rebirth in the Pure Land.

Iconography commonly portrays Amida as a serene, luminous Buddha, frequently accompanied by attendant bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) and Mahāsthamāprāpta, and presiding over the Western Paradise. Amida’s imagery and liturgy remain influential in temple worship, devotional art, and liturgical practices across East Asia.