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Akshobhya

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on April 9, 2010 at 2:29:19 pm
 

Aksobhya

Akshobhya

"Immovable One"

Japanese: 阿閦如来 Ashuku nyorai

Chinese: 阿閦如来 āchùrúlái

Mongolian: Ködelüsi ügei

 

 

Overview

Akshobhya Buddha symbolizes the overcoming of passions such as anger. This buddha originates from the blue mantra "Hum" and when he became a Buddha he was given charge over over the eastern paradise Abhirati. Sankskrit for this land translates to the joyous, so it is the land of the joyous. It is believed that those who are reborn in this realm can never fall back to lower realms of consciousness. therefore it is said all believers should seek to follow and fulfill the vow of Akshobhya. Akshobhya's bija is Hum and his mantra is Om Akshobhya Hum.

 

 

The Five Wisdom Buddhas

 

Vairocana

Akshobhya

Ratnasambhava

Amitabha

Amogasiddha

Name

Buddha Supreme and Eternal; The Radiant One

Immovable or Unshakable Buddha

Source of Precious Things or Jewel-Born One

Buddha of Infinite Light

Almighty Conquerer or Lord of Karma

Direction

Center

East

South

West

North

Color

white

blue

yellow

red

green

Mudra

dharmachakra (wheel-turning)

bhumisparsa (witness)

varada (charity)

dhyana

abhaya (fearlessness)

Vija (Syllable)

Om

Hum

Trah

Hrih

Ah

Symbol

wheel

thunderbolt

jewel (ratna) or Three Jewels (triratna)

lotus

double thunderbolt

Embodies

sovereignty

steadfastness

compassion

light

dauntlessness

Type of wisdom

integration of the wisdom of all the Buddhas

mirrorlike

wisdom of equality

discriminating

all-accomplishing

Cosmic element (skandha)

rupa (form)

vijnana (consciousness)

vendana (sensation)

sanjna (name or perception)

samsakara (volition)

Earthly element

ether

water

earth

fire

air

Antidote to

ignorance and delusion

anger and hatred

desire and pride

malignity

envy and jealousy

Sense

sight

sound

smell

taste

touch

Vehicle

lion

elephant

horse

peacock (because of eyes on its plumes)

garuda (half-man, half-bird)

Spiritual son

Manjushree

Vajrapani

Ratnapani

Avalokiteshvara

Vajrapani

Consort

White Tara

Locana

Mamaki

Pandara

Green Tara

Paradise

 

Abhirati, the Land of Exceeding Great Delight

 

Sukhavati, Western Paradise, or Pure Land

 

Other info

Integration or origin of other Dhyani Buddhas

       

 

 

http://www.manjushri.com/Buddha-List/Akshobhya.html

 

Origins

In at least one legend Akshobhya was a Bodhisattva that vowed to never give into anger or disgust towards anyone. This is how he received his name meaning the "immovable one." It is said he pursued enlightenment for an endlessly long amount of years and finally obtained it and along with it he obtained the Abhirati Paradise.

 

Pure Land

Pure Land Buddhism traditions of the Mahayana Buddhism that is specific to different regions which originated in Japan.  They are practices and concepts from the Mahayana Buddhism traditions of cosmology. Pure Land Buddhism was practiced in schools and eventually became its own school only in Japan. One of the main concepts of the Pure Land Buddhism is that Nirvana has become harder and harder to attain. The only way to attain Nirvana is through complete devotion to Amitābha Buddha with guidance from Amida Buddha. Then one can be reborn into the Pure Land Buddhism. Each Buddha has his own Pure Land.  Akshobhya’s is the Eastern Pure Land.  Even though the Western Pure Land is traditionally considered to be more popular, Akshobhya’s Eastern Pure Land is the most popular. This has been one of the most straightforward ways of attaining salvation.

(http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Pure_Land_Buddhism)  

 

 

 

The Five Wisdom Buddhas

content goes here

 

 

Iconography

Akshobhya is one of the five Dhayani buddhas, which are icons of the Mahayana Buddhism. Each icon represents the different stages of the path to spiritual enlightenment. Akshobhya is usually shown blue, but sometimes gold as well.  Akshobhya is most often portrayed with his right hand touching the earth.  Touching the earth is a symbol for using the earth as a witness to enlightenment. In his left hand he holds his eblem; a vajra which is the symbol of shunyata, or emptiness. All beings are unmanifested.

Akshobhya is known as the immovable one because he was immovable at keeping his vow which was to never feel anger or disgust at another being. Therefore, he is often used in meditation to overcome hatred and anger.  (http://buddhism.about.com/od/thetriyaka/ig/Five-Dhyani-Buddhas/Akshobhya-Buddha.htm)

 

Picture Analysis

Akshobhya is one of the five dhyani

buddhas (wisdom buddhas), along with Vairocana, Amitabha, Ratnasambhava, and Amoghasiddhi.

This depiction of the wisdom buddha, Akshobhya, shows him calling the earth as his witness by forming touching the earth mudra with is right hand. Through this stance, Akshobya, tells us that he is an Enlightened being and conveys his "Unmovable" reputation. Akshobya supposedly said that he would never give into hatred or anger. Interestingly enough, this image shows him as intimidating by his blue skin and holding a diamond in his left hand. This buddha is also commonly seen riding a blue elephant, but this image shows his skin being blue instead. His emphasis is on the significance of the presence and one's actions 'now' in order to cleanse one's past. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this ancient painting of Akshobhya, he is forming the earth mudra with his right hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this picture Akshobhya is sitting in a calm manner, he is painted in gold and has a smile on his face. His right had is extending out and touching the ground, this is his touching the earth mudra that he is known for. Akshobhya's left hand is on his lap facing upwards forming the mudra of meditation. Wearing a crown of gold and jewels, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, he also has on him different colored cloths draped around his body. With the legs folded in vajra posture which is normal in the form for meditation, he is sitting on top of a  multi-coloured lotus which is on top of two elephants on both sides of the lotus. on both sides of him by his arms there are elephants, snow lions, and naga's all on top of each other. The human figures on the sides are supposed to be Bodhisattva's displaying various mudra's. Above Akshobyha to the right and left of him, there are four more seated Bodhisattva's. There are 191 golden buddha's that are the surrounding pictures in this image.

 

 

 

 

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://dharmaflower.net/_buddha/_images/akshobhya.jpg&imgrefurl=http://dharmaflower.net/_buddha/akshobhya.aspx&usg=__QG1k9hVl_QU8HBjMml2RZzMp4Pw=&h=246&w=180&sz=30&hl=en&start=9&sig2=dD4SG4b9QM_5FFiFCeas-w&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=5nssLmIq5_ZOiM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=80&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dakshobhya%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Den-us%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=Wom7S8jaHZj6tAOInfS-BA

http://www.himalayanart.org/image.cfm/373.html

 

 

Sources

religionfacts.com/buddhism/deities/five_dhyani_buddhas.htm

en.allexperts.com/e/a/ak/akshobhya.htm

en.allexperts.com/e/v/va/vajra.htm

 

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