Amitābha Buddha — Buddha of Infinite Light / Western Pure Land

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• Amitābha — Buddha of Infinite Light and the Western Pure Land
  **Amitābha Buddha** (阿弥陀佛, 'Infinite Light') is one of the most venerated figures in Mahayana Buddhism, particularly central to **Pure Land Buddhism** (also called Amidism). According to Mahayana tradition, Amitabha was once a monk named **Dharmakara** who, after many eons of spiritual cultivation, made 48 vows to create a **Western Pure Land (Sukhavati)** — a realm where beings can be born and easily achieve enlightenment. The 18th vow of Dharmakara (Amitabha's earlier identity) is particularly famous: "If, when I attain Buddhahood, any human being in the ten directions should, with sincere heart, call my name and desire to be born in my land, and even for ten times not be accepted by me, may I not attain perfect enlightenment." The **Bodhnath Stupa** in Kathmandu, Nepal (36m tall, 120m circumference) is one of the largest stupas in the world and a major pilgrimage center dedicated to Amitabha. Tibetan Buddhists circumambulate daily, spinning prayer wheels (mani wheels) and turning butter lamps. The stupa was originally built in the 5th century and expanded in the 14th century. Chinese pilgrims **Faxian** (5th century) and **Xuanzang** (7th century) both described Amitabha worship and Pure Land practice in their travel accounts. **Ibn Battuta** (14th century) encountered Pure Land devotion across Central Asia. Pure Land Buddhism became especially popular in East Asia. In Japan, **Hōnen** (1133-1212 CE) founded the **Jōdo-shū** (Pure Land School) emphasizing exclusive practice of chanting "Namu Amida Butsu" (homage to Amitabha Buddha) for rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Today Amitabha worship is one of the largest Buddhist traditions worldwide, with hundreds of millions of practitioners in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Nepal, Tibet, and beyond. The simple practice of chanting Amitabha's name (nembutsu in Japanese, nianfo in Chinese) has made Pure Land Buddhism accessible to people of all educational backgrounds.
  — Buddhist tradition + Mahayana sutras + Pure Land texts + scholarly sources