Amitāyus Series

Deities › Amitāyus

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Amitāyus, Buddha of Boundless Life

Courtesy of Himalayan Art Resources

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Buddha of Infinite Life, foremost guide for beings in this world,

Your glory overcomes all untimely death,

You are a refuge for those of us who suffer without protection—

To you, Buddha Amitāyus, I pay homage!

Texts related to Amitāyus (tshe dpag med), the Buddha of Boundless Life:

Lineage Prayers

A prayer to the lineage of Mitrayogin's Amitāyus practice, part of the Heart-Essence of the Mahāsiddha Mitra (grub chen mi tra'i snying thig) cycle, revealed as a pure vision by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.

Praise

Jamyang Khyentse composed these verses in praise of the Buddha of Boundless Life in Gangtok on the first day of the Tibetan year of the Earth Dog (1958).

One of three praises—to each of the Three Deities of Long Life (White Tārā, Amitāyus and Uṣṇīṣavijayā)—that Jamyang Khyentse composed while travelling in a boat along the River Ganges.

Prayers

Jamyang Khyentse composed these verses of prayer to Amitāyus after completing the recitation for the Iron Tree longevity practice (tshe sgrub lcags sdong ma), which is part of the Northern Treasures.

A four-line supplication of Amitāyus, the Buddha of Boundless Life, requesting the bestowal of supreme and indestructible longevity.

Sādhanas

A brief daily sādhana of Amitāyus, the Buddha of Boundless Life, composed at the request of Jigme-la from the aristocratic Sampho (Samdrup Phodrang) family of Lhasa.

A short daily practice for longevity focusing on Amitāyus, which, in Kyabjé Düdjom Rinpoche's own words, distils "the many vast and profound longevity practices of the treasure tradition."

This concise instruction for accomplishing longevity (tshe sgrub) is said to be an abridgement of Thangtong Gyalpo's (1361–1485?) original sādhana. According to the colophon, Khyentse Wangpo composed the practice in a meditation cave used by Thangtong Gyalpo himself.

This short longevity practice involves the visualization of concentrated elixir, which flows from the long-life vase in Amitāyus's lap into the crown of one's head, filling one's body and restoring vitality. Mipham Rinpoche wrote the text in 1892, and it is also included (with some additions) among the writings of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö.

Sūtra

This brief invocation of Buddha Amitāyus, featured in the Nyingma Mönlam, combines the famous four-line Praise of Amitāyus with the mantra and passages from The Sūtra of Boundless Life and Wisdom.

The Aparimitāyurjñāna-nāma mahāyāna-sūtra ('phags pa tshe dang ye shes dpag tu med pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo, Toh 674 & 849) is said to bring extraordinary merit and longevity when written out, read aloud, copied, or venerated with offerings.

A short 'means of recitation' (bklag thabs), providing additional prayers and practices to be chanted before and after the root text of the Sūtra of Boundless Life and Wisdom (tshe dang ye shes dpag tu med pa’i mdo).

Related Topics

Vajrayāna Buddhism places restrictions on the reading and practice of certain texts, which are intended only for those who have received the requisite empowerments, transmissions and instructions.

If you are unsure as to whether you are entitled to read or practice a particular text please consult a qualified lineage-holder.

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