This
mural of the Western paradise has deteriorated badly over the centuries,
but let your imagination fill in the rich colors of the original and you
can see quite a glorious scene. Amida sits in the center in the cross-legged
lotus position, his hand gestures indicating his consuming desire to save
all living beings. An elaborate canopy hangs above, and to either side
stand Boddhisattva attendants. Of these, the one on the right, known in
Japanese as Kannon, is of special distinction.