Mindfulness Meditation · Determination
This week’s meditation session is led by Tracy Cochran and the theme is Determination.
Buddha Amitayus; Tibet; 17th century; Pigments on cloth; 28 1/2 × 21 1/8 in. (estimated); Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2002.18.1
Buddha Amitayus sits with his legs crossed in meditation wearing a golden crown and regal jewelry. Flanked by two attendant bodhisattvas, he holds a vase filled with ambrosia or the nectar of immortality referencing the meaning of his name “limitless life.” Behind Amitayus is a repeated motif of a buddha in brilliant gold. Though originally considered a form of Amitabha, the Buddha of the West, Amitayus has developed his own unique characteristics and cult. Considered one of the three long-life deities in Himalayan Buddhism (the other two are White Tara and Ushnishavijaya), Amitayus is worshiped in the hopes of increasing lifespan. The goal of increasing one’s lifespan is not for selfish purposes; rather it is so one can prolong his or her practice of Buddhism, displaying a determination to take full advantage of the precious human life and body.
Tracy Cochran has been a student and teacher of meditation and spiritual practice for decades. She is the founder of the Hudson River Sangha. In addition to offering meditation online, Tracy has taught mindfulness meditation and mindful writing at the Rubin Museum and the New York Insight Meditation Center, as well as in schools, corporations, and other venues worldwide. She is also a writer and the editorial director of Parabola, an acclaimed quarterly magazine that seeks to bring timeless spiritual wisdom to the burning questions of the day.
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