Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Buddha (nyorai)

Amida Nyorai

阿弥陀如来あみだにょらい

An illustration of Amida Nyorai created for this site
An original illustration made for this site.

Amida Nyorai is taught as the buddha of the Western Pure Land of Utmost Bliss (Gokuraku Jōdo). His two names, Muryōkō and Muryōju, express immeasurable light and immeasurable life. He is the central buddha of the various Pure Land schools, and is also depicted as the Amida Triad, accompanied by the two bodhisattvas Kannon and Seishi.

This introduction is based on materials from Shōhōin (Tobi Fudō). It is summarized within the scope of the beliefs and traditions those materials convey, and does not present explanations or practices shared by all schools, temples, and shrines.

English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む

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A buddha whose names mean boundless light and life

Amida Nyorai is taught as the buddha of the Western Pure Land of Utmost Bliss (Gokuraku Jōdo). His two names, Muryōkō and Muryōju, express immeasurable light and immeasurable life. He is the central buddha of the various Pure Land schools, and is also depicted as the Amida Triad, accompanied by the two bodhisattvas Kannon and Seishi.

Source: 浄土宗

The vow to lead people to the Pure Land

At the heart of faith in Amida is the Original Vow (hongan): not to abandon people in the midst of suffering, but to lead them to the Pure Land. The Jōdo school values the nenbutsu, calling on Amida Buddha, and rebirth in the Pure Land (ōjō). Each school has its own teachings on how rebirth and salvation are understood and on the place of the words that are recited.

Source: 浄土宗・浄土宗

The forty-eight vows made by Hōzō Bosatsu

In the story told in the sutras, Hōzō Bosatsu, in the presence of Sejizaiō Nyorai, aspires to become a buddha who saves people. It is taught that he fulfilled the forty-eight vows he made for this purpose and became Amida Buddha. The long reflection and practice before he became a buddha are also a story expressing his care for people who seek salvation.

Source: 浄土宗

Hands of welcome, hands of meditation

There are many kinds of statues of Amida Nyorai, including forms representing his coming to welcome the dying (raigō) and seated forms forming a mudra. The image published by Shōhōin is explained as showing the jōbon jōshō mudra, and among the Five Buddhas of the Diamond Realm (Kongōkai) he is placed in the west. Even for the same Amida Nyorai, the context of explanation differs between Pure Land Buddhism and esoteric Buddhism.

Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院

The Kuhonbutsu and Amida's mudras

Kuhonbutsu is a name associated with, among other things, sets of nine statues of Amida Nyorai. The kuhon mudras show nine modes of rebirth in the Pure Land through the shape of the hands. The Butsuzō zui also illustrates the differences between these mudras, but old surviving statues and the statues of individual temples do not all match the forms in its illustrations.

Source: 浄土宗・浄土宗

The Twelve Lights: twelve names praising his radiance

The Twelve Light Buddhas (Jūni Kōbutsu) are names that praise the workings of Amida Buddha's light. The names listed in the Muryōju-kyō are Muryōkōbutsu, Muhenkōbutsu, Mugekōbutsu, Mutaikōbutsu, Ennōkōbutsu, Shōjōkōbutsu, Kangikōbutsu, Chiekōbutsu, Fudankōbutsu, Nanjikōbutsu, Mushōkōbutsu, and Chōnichigakkōbutsu. These twelve names are not treated as twelve separate, unrelated buddhas.

Source: 浄土宗

Mantra (in Japanese, as written in the sources)

おん あみりたていせい からうん。

Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院

ノーボーアラタンノータラヤーヤーノーマクアリヤーミタバヤータタギャタヤーアラカテイサンミャクサンボダヤータニヤターオンアミリテイアミリトードバベイアミリターサンバベイアミリターキャラベイアミリターシッテイアミリターテイゼイアミリタービギャランテイアミリタービギャランターギャミネイアミリターギャギャノーキチキャレイアミリタードンドビソバレイサラバーアラターサダネイサラバーキャラマーキレイシャキシャヨーキャレイソワカー

Source: 浄土宗

Shown as written in the Japanese sources. This site does not set how or how many times to recite it.

Related shrines and temples

Related kami and buddhas

Sources (in Japanese)