Seated
in diamond posture (dhyanasana) with legs crossed in full
lotus, and hands held flat in his lap. This traditional Chinese
wood carving of the meditating Buddha is presumably Amida
Buddha (Sanskrit: Amitabha). Though such posture is at times
used for the historic Buddha Shakyamuni; given Amida's enormous
popularity in China; and that the diamond posture (dhyanasana)
is a distinguishing gesture of Amida Buddha, we concluded
that the iconography of this Buddha is likely Amida, the Buddha
of Infinite Light.
Amida
has been considered the most benevolent of all Buddhas by
the Chinese since the 5th century AD. His popularity grew
in Japan around the 12th century on. Amida Buddha is often
seen in the second court of Buddhist temples by the side of
Shakyamuni.
This
sculpture, which was carved from a single block of wood shows
the stylistic grace of Qing carvings. The figure is seen suspended
on a double lotus; his robe is deeply carved in symmetrical
arrangement, yet retains a naturalistic liveliness even though
Amida is engaged in deep meditation. Indeed, the Buddha is
on the plane of the absolute, the distinction between the
passive and active no longer exist. Though time has weathered
much of its original colors, nontheless, the spirtual presence
in the Amida Buddha statue remains radiant.
