Keywords
Art History
Iconography
Lit. Amida triad. A triad consisting of the Buddha *Amida 阿弥陀 (Sk:Amitabha/Amitayus) at the center flanked by two attendants, most commonly the bodhisattvas *Kannon 観音 (Sk: Avalokitsvara) on the left and *Seishi 勢至 (Sk: Mahasthamaprapta) on the right. Kannon's crown displays a small image of Amida *kebustu 化仏, while Seishi's crown contains a small water bottle suibyō 水瓶, which represent compassion and wisdom respectively. The central Amida may be standing or seated, gesturing any of a variety of mudras. Amida triads are the main images of *amidadō 阿弥陀堂. The grouping also appears in *jōdo hensō 浄土変相 and *raigō-zu 来迎図, Amida sanzon raigō-zu 阿弥陀三尊来迎図. Especially popular in the late Heian and Kamakura periods.