What is Amida Buddha? (Part 2)

There is much gold in the Naijin. Gold is considered high value and never tarnishes. Gold expresses how the Buddha sees the world. From the Buddha’s view everything is as shiny and as brilliant as gold.  On the other hand, our view is very dualistic – good and bad, like and dislike, self and other. Amida Buddha’s light of wisdom helps us recognize our nature of seeing everything through our discriminating eyes and teaches us to rely on the wisdom of the Buddha rather than relying on our self-centered viewpoints.

The bump on the head is one of the 32 marks of a Buddha indicating vast wisdom. The eyes are half-open and half-closed showing the Buddha looking outward yet also looking inward in introspection. The spot on the forehead is also one of the 32 marks of a Buddha and in this form is thought to be the third eye or spiritual eye. This third eye to see beyond this world into the realm of enlightenment.

The prongs surrounding the head of the Buddha are 48 in number. They are 48 rays of light that represent the 48 Vows made by the Bodhisattva Dharmakara who fulfilled them and becomes Amida Buddha. These symbolic rays of  light shine unhindered and can penetrate the ego-shell of karmic beings like us. It is the light of wisdom to show us the truth. The rounded shaped shield behind the Buddha is like a boat, which carries one across to the other shore. This metaphor is that one does not have to strive through treacherous terrain on one’s own but can be carried across the ocean through boundless wisdom and compassion.

The facial expression conveys warmth and reassurance. Amida’s compassion means the Buddha shares in your emotions. The Buddha’s compassion is different from our human compassion. We are limited in how we express compassion but the Buddha truly is one with everyone. We can see our emotions in the face of the Buddha and that can give us comfort knowing we are accepted as we are. Even the Buddha’s facial features are descriptive of people from many races, serving as a reminder that the possibility of becoming a Buddha is not limited to one people, but is possible for all people.

So remember the feelings we can have when we see the Buddha. It is the compassion we feel from Amida Buddha that we are not alone.

We can see Amida in our daily life through the awe and appreciation for the life-giving realities that produce, nurture and sustain life. I also find Amida in the negatives of life like the funeral of someone who died at a young age. In my sorrow I am led to see life as it really is and not as I would like it to be. The tears I shed help me to see more clearly. This experience is a reminder for me to cherish the present moment.

These ideas are difficult to fully actualize but they serve to point the way. In the experience of trying to live up to these ideals we are humbled in the realization that my very existence is indebted to the myriad causes and conditions that pervade the universe.

The boundless and ever-expanding everyday compassion reflects what Amida means to me. Amida is the immanent fundamental reality that was there all along, of which I am a part, like a wave is to the waters of Lake Michigan. What that means is if we think of our life like a wave in Lake Michigan located near our temple. For a certain period of time the wave has a certain shape and form. That is like our life. When our life ends it is like the wave that breaks on the shore and goes back into lake Michigan but it was never really separated from the lake. We each have a form, as each wave has a particular distinct shape due to causes and conditions, yet it’s form is temporary as soon as the wave breaks on the shore. As the wave goes away the water returns to the lake as the wave was always part of lake Michigan and will continue to be part of Lake Michigan. We go back to the universe that we were always a part of.

We recite Namo Amida Butsu as a spontaneous expression of my appreciation and amazement for all that is. Namo Amida Butsu is what we can say when there are no words to express how profound our gratitude is.

Previous
Previous

The Future of American Buddhism

Next
Next

What is Amida Buddha? (Part 1)