Amitabha

Amitabha or Amida, Buddha of compassion in Mahayana Buddhism, whose cult is central to the Pure Land sect. According to the Sukhavativyuha Sutra (Description of the Western Paradise Sutra), the principal source for his cult, Amitabha, whose name in Sanskrit means “Infinite Light”, was originally a monk called Dharmakara who was instructed by the Buddha Lokesvararaja about the beauty of the Buddha Lands (Buddhist heavens) of the 80 Buddhas who had preceded him. In the course of his ascent to buddhahood, this monk made several vows, the 18th of which was that on becoming a Buddha he would create a Buddha Land 81 times better than other Buddha Lands, and there would receive the departed believers who faithfully evoked his name. On his enlightenment as the Buddha Amitabha, this vow was accomplished. He was and is venerated everywhere that Pure Land belief spread, especially in China and Japan, with believers constantly repeating his name in the hope of rebirth in the Pure Land. Classical Japanese art abounds with images of Amida (his Japanese name), often welcoming the faithful to the Pure Land. Amitabha is also held to have manifested himself on Earth as Avalokitesvara (Japanese, Kannon), a boddhisattva of compassion. As one of the five cosmic Buddhas, he is also venerated in Buddhist Tantra.