Seated Amitabha Buddha (Amida Nyorai)

Amida, the Buddha of the Western Paradise, is seated in deep concentration with half-closed eyes and hands held in the gesture of meditation. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, images like this were created in large numbers as a direct result of the popularity of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. This teaching instructed believers about the horrors of Buddhist hell and celebrated the glories of the Western Paradise, which can be attained through meditation and recitation of Amida's name.