Karma Amitayus from a Mandala of the Ninefold Amitayus

This thangka features a large, dark green-skinned Amitayus Buddha seated in dhyanasana on a lotus base, holding a golden vessel (kalasha) containing the nectar of immortality in his hands. He wears a crown, heavy necklaces, and armbands against a green mandala background. Two standing bodhisattvas in contrapposto poses flank him; the one on the left is white, the one on the right is golden, and both hold lotus flowers. The upper and lower registers contain smaller figures, including seated Buddhas or bodhisattvas and, in the bottom right, a small, wrathful blue figure holding a sword.

This painting is a central component of the Ninefold Amitayus mandala cycle, a ritual tradition centered on the visualization of the Buddha of Infinite Life to extend lifespan and secure spiritual merit. Such thangkas served as supports for meditative practice within the Vajrayana traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.