A CARVED WOOD SCULPTURE OF SEATED AMIDA NYORAI (AMITABHA)

Amida was central to the Jodo (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism propounded in 1175 by the monk Honen, with the intent of making Buddhism more readily available to all people. Salvation could be attained by the simple repetition of the name of Amida or the Nenbutsu, of which there were a number of different methods of chanting. Many statues of the Buddha of the Western Paradise were made in response to the widespread popularity of Pure Land Buddhism from the twelfth century. This image is seated with legs crossed in the lotus position with the hands in gesture, or mudra, of "meditation" (zenjo-in).