Amitayus (Buddha of the Immeasurable Life) tanka

Amitayus (Buddha of the Immeasurable Life) tanka , 1800s

Where object was made: Sino-Tibet or Mongolia

Material/technique: embroidering; satin stitch; silk; thread; couching

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width (Height x Width): 55.88 x 38.73 cm
Object Height/Width (Height x Width): 22 x 15 1/4 in
Frame Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 26 x 19 1/4 in

Credit line: Bequest of Hubert M. Floersch, M.D.

Accession number: 2003.0171

Not on display

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Exhibition Label: “The Sacred and the Secular: Buddhist Imagery in Religious and Popular Contexts,” Oct-2005, Hillary Pedersen The Buddha of Immeasurable Life is a popular figure in Tibetan Buddhism who is able to prolong life. His hands hold a bowl or vase which contains the elixir of life. Believers commissioned images of this deity in order to gain merit and to increase their chance for a long life. The meticulous, time-consuming task of embroidery increases the merit accrued for making a Buddhist image. The Buddha is seen in the form of a bodhisattva, or a being who has postponed his own nirvana to help others attain enlightenment. The necklaces, elaborate crown surrounding a high topknot, and garlands swirling around the figure indicate his earthly attachments.