One of the many apotheoses of the Amitabha Buddha, the Amitayus is the personification of longevity. In Buddist culture, Amitayus is associated with rituals for prolonging life and good health. A highly venerated avatar of long life and prosperity, Amitayus is believed to bestow perpetuity and peace. In fact, Amitayus is one of the three Buddhist deities associated with long life, along with Namgyalma and White Tara. Housing the statue of Amitayus in one’s home or alter is said to bring in the southern winds of good health. Amitayus’s aura is also believed to cleanse the space of any negative energies.   

The beautifully hand-crafted statue of Amitayus by Milushree Arts is depicted holding the ambrosia vase (Kalash), which is the deity’s emblem, in the Dhanya Mudra asana. Amitayus sits in the Padmasana pose, folding the right leg over the left, perched atop a lotus, with the soles of the feet facing the sky. 

 

Coated with mercury gold and a luxuriant gold dust veneer, the statue is opulently decorated with ornaments embedded with precious stones like rubies, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. From the ambrosia vase falls four string beads. These represent the sacred longevity pills of the deity, which, during Buddhist rituals, are made from buttered dough. The ambrosia itself is concocted from fermented malt or spirit, which the monks use as the sacred elixir offered to the deity during prayers and ceremonies. 

 

Painstakingly hand-crafted by our artisans and metalsmiths,It also presents intricate details in every little line and indentation carved into it, from the crown that adorns Amitayus’s head to the ornate details that embellish the robe.       

 

 

“OM AMARANI JIVAN TIYE SVAHA” _The Amitayus Mantra

 

Rituals of longevity, called Tshewang, with the statue of Amitayus as the centrepiece, are often carried out by the Buddhist Lamas and monks of the Himalayas of Nepal and Bhutan. People who wish to be empowered by the ritual, an ill person, or people seeking spirituality, can become patrons and request the Lamas to conduct the longevity ritual. In Buddhism, having a long life is perceived as an excellent opportunity to seek enlightenment. Thus, various rituals and ceremonies are performed by Buddhist practitioners for longevity, and in most rituals, Amitayus is invoked for blessings of good health and long life. 

Our professional metalsmiths, sculptors, and artisans create each statue and item offered by Milushree Art with great care. Each of our creations is distinctive and has unique features shaped by our commitment to, and love for, the art form. We are pleased to be a part of this modern excursion of offering ardent collectors exquisite specimens that are veiled in centuries of traditional wisdom and cultural principles. Each of our pieces is exactly as depicted in the photo. With the utmost reverence for the culture and heritage from which it is derived from, each exhibit is managed, hand-crafted, hand-curated, and hand-moulded using authentic motifs and characteristics that are unique to that particular cultural value and tradition.

We at Milushree Arts want to facilitate your spiritual path by presenting you with immaculately designed and exquisitely created artefacts that will not only enhance your home or altar but also aid in your meditation process.