“Amida Buddha, Japan,” Print, 8″x11″, $5.85 Ea

Here is an image of the Amida Buddha Statue which is located in Kamakura on the Island of Honshu, Japan. Cast in several parts in 1252, it was housed until 1495 in a vast wooden temple, which was finally destroyed by floods. This massive bronze statue of Amida Buddha is 41 feet tall and weighs 93 tons. The Buddha’s hand gesture shows him in meditation, which symbolizes the intense concentration that is required for a person to overcome the self and achieve enlightenment. This Buddha statue is considered a Japanese national treasure. The Chinese Buddhist Master Hui-Yuan (CE 334-417) founded the Pure Land School of Buddhism. Pure Land Buddhists revere the Amitabha Buddha and hope to be reborn in his pure land. During the ninth century, Pure Land Buddhism spread from China to Japan, where Amitabha is known as Amida. His devotees repeat the phrase, “Na Mo Amida Butsu,” which means “I put my faith in Amida Buddha.” Amitabha or Amida means infinite light and infinite life.