Amitabha in Vajrayana traditions

[dumb bonbu]

hi folks, i was wondering how the Vajrayana traditions view Amitabha and the Pure Land? what are the practices? how is Amitabha viewed in relation to the Trikaya? what texts are given primary focus - i'm guessing the Contemplation Sutra and/or the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra?

thank yee

[thornbush]

OM Ami Dewa Hri!

I have some links for your kind perusal here:
The Different Levels of Amitabha Practice
Amitabha Sadhana
Amitabha and the Pure Land of Dewachen
The Ritual Practice of Amitabha
Pure Land Patriarchs
Phowa and Amitabha Sadhana
Buddha Amitabha
Amitabha Phowa Excerpt
Vajrayana/Pure Land
Longevity Sutra of Amitabha
Amitabha's Pure Land
Rebirth in Dewachen
Pure Lander

Om Amitabha Hrih!

[dumb bonbu]

many thanks thornbush! looks like that's my reading sorted for tonight's nightshift!

[Ngawang Drolma]

I've noticed that Vajrayanas describe his color as red, while those of the Pure Land tradition often describe him as golden colored. I've been curious about the reason for this difference.

[thornbush]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha
In Tibetan Buddhism, Amitābha is red in color (red being the color of love, compassion, and emotional energy). His direction is west and so he is envisioned as the (red) setting sun. He is seen as the supreme power and energy of nature, cast on an earthly plain, accessible to all sentient beings. For this reason he is considered one of the most popular of all Dhyāni Buddhas.

http://www.amitabhahospice.org/public/w ... eanin1.php
Amitabha Buddha emanates ruby red light. Red symbolises love and compassion. Like the setting sun, his radiant form warms and pacifies the hearts of all who gaze at him. As head of the Lotus family, he represents gentleness and openness. This reflects his boundless compassion and receptivity enabling one to feel accepted and protected.

http://www2.bremen.de/info/nepal/Icono/ ... itabha.htm
Amitabha has given red body color, as this color is believed to emanate from him also among the six elements of which man is composed, the element of fire is believed to emanate from Amitabha. He is purified aspect of our aggregate of perception/taste.

And no He is not red because of England's Manchester United

Om Amitabha Hrih!

[dumb bonbu]

i've always presumed that outside Vajrayana traditions his portrayal as golden is symbolic of the aspect of infinite light, which in turn represents the wisdom aspect, able to penetrate through even the greatest darkness of ignorance.

[Dazzle]

.

In Tibetan Buddhism Amitabha is red in colour and represents the purification of desire and attachment. When we feel attachment and aversion we don't understand the true nature of things. Through ignorance we accept and reject objects of attachment and aversion.
With discriminating wisdom one understands things as they appear without any confusion or predjudice. This is the realisation of Buddha Amitabha. The Tibetan is sangay Odpamed --' boundless light'.

Buddha Amitabha also belongs to the lotus family. A lotus grows in muddy water whilst its blossom is stainless. Amitabha similarly is the freedom which emerges from the attachments which cause suffering. Purification of the negative emotion of attachment brings pure peace.

Buddha Amitabha sits in vajra posture with hands in the posture of mental clarity, free from discontent and predjudice, and knowing everything as it appears. There is no subjectivity with the wisdom of discrimination, only peace and ease.

(from a teaching I attended )

Dazzle

[Ngawang Drolma]

Thanks so much

[Luke]

Dear Bonbu,

I have heard that there are Amitabha Phowa practices in Vajrayana. Phowa deals with ejecting your consciousness at the time of death. I'm a mere beginner so I know little about these things, but here's a link

http://buddhism.inbaltimore.org/phowa.html

I hope all of you who have devotion to Amitabha will succeed in being reborn in his Pure Land.

Om Ami Deva Hrih

[Drolma]

Adding link to more on Buddha Amitabha, the Five Buddha Families, and the Eight Consciousnesses by Thrangu Rinpoche -that you might enjoy, Luke.

http://www.rinpoche.com/teachings/5families.pdf

[Dazzle]

Thank you for posting a link to Thrangu Rinpoche, Drolma. He is a wonderful teacher and I have been very privileged to be able to attend many of his offline teachings over the years. My previous post with notes taken about Amitabha was from one of those.

May he have a long and healthy life and continue to benefit others.
_/\__/\__/\_


Dazzle

[Heruka]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha
In Tibetan Buddhism, Amitābha is red in color (red being the color of love, compassion, and emotional energy). His direction is west and so he is envisioned as the (red) setting sun. He is seen as the supreme power and energy of nature, cast on an earthly plain, accessible to all sentient beings. For this reason he is considered one of the most popular of all Dhyāni Buddhas.

This is just the wrong type of information that gets placed around the web.
Take the Amitabha empowerment and all will be revealed, otherwise one is just in a fantasy about these things.