This is my favorite statue of Amida Buddha, and it is unique since Amida is depicted in the act of looking back, quite strange considering its standard representation According to the legend behind the statue, in 1082, in Eikandō’s Amida-dō Hall, in the dim hours before dawn on February the fifteenth, a miracle occurred. The monk Eikan (1033–1111) was deep in his daily practice of circumambulating a statue of Amida Buddha while reciting Amida’s name. Eikan believed that by diligently performing this practice—called the nenbutsu—he could achieve rebirth in Amida’s western paradise, where enlightenment was guaranteed. It is recorded that Eikan recited the nenbutsu 60,000 times each day. As he paced around the statue, Eikan saw something that made him freeze on the spot: the wooden statue of Amida gracefully descended from its lotus-shaped dais and began to walk ahead of him, as if leading him toward paradise. As Eikan gaped in amazement, Amida paused. He looked back over its left shoulder, to where Eikan stood dumbstruck. “Eikan, stop dawdling,” said Amida. It is believed that Eikan was so inspired by this vision of Amida urging him forward to the Pure Land that he begged the statue to remain in the same posture in order to inspire others. The “Looking-back Amida” (Mikaeri Amida) has been at Eikandō ever since.
南無阿弥陀仏🙏🏼
This is such an interesting story! What does Amida’s quote mean though?
Eikan, stop dawdling
Eikan stopped reciting since he was amazed by the sight of Amida, so Amida told him to keep moving and reciting
That’s interesting what that implies doctrinally, somewhat goes against Jodo Shinshu for a more traditional (Chinese) understanding of focus on Amida, not being saved through saying it once.
Pure Land Buddhism is quite different between Mainland and Japan, I think it is always better to go to the source, aka the Pure Land sutras. Saying once in full sincerity is in theory enough, since Amida Vows are already fulfilled since it became a Buddha, so a practitioner’s rebirth “already” happened.
