In Vajrayāna contexts, Buddha Amitābha in his sambhogakāya form is referred to as Buddha Amitāyus, ‘The Buddha of Boundless Life.’ He is particularly associated with longevity. The two are inseparable but appear as different manifestations.
The iconography of Amitayus is that of a bodhisattva. He wears a crown ornamented with 5 jewels. Amitayus is adorned with five silk garments and jewelry described as the “eight ornaments”. He holds a long life vase in both hands which are folded in the mudra of meditative concentration. The vase itself is a symbol of longevity because it holds amrita, the nectar of immortality. Amitayus is usually depicted seated in meditation posture in a lotus seat upon a moon disc.
The short mantra of Amitayus is Om Amarani Jiwantiye Soha. In this video teaching, Phakchok Rinpoche explains the visualization practice of Buddha Amitayus that guards against the fear of death.
