Akshobhya

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An ancient painting of Akshobhya

In Vajrayana Buddhism, Akshobhya (Sanskrit: "Immovable One") (Japanese: 阿閃如来 Ashuku nyorai; Chinese: A Jiu Rulai) is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, a product of Adibuddha, who represents consciousness as an aspect of reality. By convention he is located in the east of the Diamond Realm and is the lord of the Eastern Pure Land Abhirati ('The Joyous'), although the Pure Land of Akshobhya's western counterpart Amitabha is far better known. His Shakti is Locana and he is normally accompanied by two elephants. His color is blue and his attributes include the bell, three robes, and staff, along with a jewel, lotus, prayer wheel, and sword. He has several emanations.

1 Origin
2 Doctrine
3 Iconography
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Origin

Akshobhya appears in the "Scripture of the Buddha-land of Akshobhya" (阿閃仏国経 Ashuku Bukkyokukyō), which dates from 147 CE and is the oldest known Pure Land text. According to the scripture, a monk wished to practice the Dharma in the eastern world of delight and made a vow to think no anger or malice towards any being until enlightenment. He duly proved "immovable" and when he succeeded, he became the buddha Akshobhya.

Akshobya is sometimes merged with Acala (Japanese: 不動明王 Fudō myō-ō), whose name also means 'immovable one' in Sanskrit. However, Acala is not a buddha, but one of the Five Wisdom Kings of the Womb Realm in Vajrayana.

Prior to the advent of Bhaisajyaguru (Yakushi), Akshobya was the subject of a minor cult in Japan as a healing buddha, though even now both are found within the Shingon school of Buddhism in Japan.

[edit] Doctrine

Part of a series on Buddhism
History of Buddhism Dharmic religions Timeline of Buddhism Buddhist councils
Foundations Four Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path The Five Precepts Nirvāna · Three Jewels
Key Concepts Three marks of existence Skandha · Cosmology · Dharma Samsara · Rebirth · Shunyata Pratitya-samutpada · Karma
Major Figures Gautama Buddha Buddha's Disciples · Family
Practices and Attainment Buddhahood · Bodhisattva Four Stages of Enlightenment Paramis · Meditation · Laity
Buddhism by Region Southeast Asia · East Asia Tibet · India · Western
Schools of Buddhism Theravāda · Mahāyāna Vajrayāna · Early schools
Texts Pali Canon Pali Suttas · Mahayana Sutras Vinaya · Abhidhamma
Comparative Studies Culture · List of Topics Portal: Buddhism This box: view • talk • edit

Akshobhya is believed to transform the human failing of anger into a clear, mirror-like wisdom. With this wisdom, we see things just as they are, impartially and unaffectedly. A mirror will reflect both a red rose or a bloody dagger just as they are.

Akshobhya’s blue color is closely linked to the mirror symbolism. Blue is the color of water, and water has the capacity to act as a clear mirror.

[edit] Iconography

Akshobhya makes the bhumisparsha mudra (earth touching gesture). This mudra suggests confidence, deep-rootedness, and the same kind of determination which carried the Buddha to his enlightenment, in spite of the numerous hurdles that stood in his path.

Akshobhya’s emblem is the vajra, the symbol of Vajrayana Buddhism. The vajra essentially signifies the immovable, immutable, indivisible, and indestructible state of enlightenment. That is why Akshobhya is depicted touching the earth with the fingertips of his right hand, the earth too being a symbol of the immutable, the solid, and the concrete.

Akshobhya’s mount is the elephant. An elephant places its foot upon the earth with unshakeable certainty. It has the same unalterable quality as the Buddha’s fingers touching the ground, and the same determination that carried the Buddha through his tribulations.