APARMITA (AMITAYUS)

    Aparmita is the name given to Amitabha in his character of bestower of longevity. Aparmita may be turned either a “Crowned Buddha or a Bodhisatwa and is therefore richly clad and wears the thirteen ornaments. His hair is painted blue and falls on either side to his elbows or may be curiously coiled. He is seated like a Buddha and his hands lie on his lap in Dhyana Mudra holding the ambrosia vase, his special emblem. The vase is richly decorated and from the cover fall four strings of beads which represent sacred pills. For obtaining long life the lamaist ceremony is held in a curious mixture of Buddhism and demon-worship. In the preliminary worship, the pills made from buttered dough and the ambrosia brewed from spirit or beer and offered in a skull bowl to the great image of Aparmita.the lama then places a vajra on the ambrosia vase, which the image of Amitayus holds in its lap, and applies a cord, which is attached to the vajra, to his own heart. The wine in the ambrosia vase is then consecrated and the people partake of it as well as of the sacred pills with the firm conviction that their lives will be prolonged through their faith in Aparmita.