jou-in Amida　定印阿弥陀

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Amida with the jou-in 定印 or *zenjou-in 禅定印 (Sk:dhyanamudra; concentration/meditation mudra). *Amida 阿弥陀 seated in the full lotus position with both hands facing up resting on his lap with the thumb and forefinger of each hand touching and forming a circle while the other fingers lie flat. The earliest example is seen in the Muryouju Bosatsu 無量寿菩薩 located to the west of the central eight petaled lotus section of the *Taizoukai mandara 胎蔵界曼荼羅. It was brought back from China by *Kuukai 空海 (774-835) in 806 and resides in the collection of Jingoji 神護寺, Kyoto. Jou-in Amida is thus associated with Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou 密教. Variations include similar poses with the thumb forming a circle with the middle and ring fingers. These Amida jou-in mudras are associated with the highest class and three highest levels of birth in Amida's Pure Land joudo 浄土.

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