Amida wears plain robes, without any flashy adornment such as silk embroidery, pearls, or gems. Nor does he wear any jewelry. The Buddha’s simple and humble appearance signifies his relinquishment of wealth and earthly pleasures.

The cranial bump at the crown of the Buddha’s head is called an ushnisha. It indicates the great wisdom the Buddha acquired at the time of enlightenment.

Buddhas are depicted sporting a hairstyle of curls that look like snail shells. This is one of the thirty-two physical attributes of the historical Buddha.

A mark on the Buddah’s forehead, called the urna refers to his supernatural wisdom. This element can be represented either as a tuft of hair often depicted or as it here on the Amida Buddha, a jewel.

The Buddha’s arms, hands, and fingers are carefully arranged in gestures, called “mudras,” that are laden with meaning. Mudras appear in Buddhist and Hindu art, and are also important to Buddhist and Hindu religious practice. In this sculpture, both hands are open with the right hand palm open with the index finger bent. The left hand rests on his leg with his palm facing upward and the index and thumb touching. This gesture conveys a message of welcome.

Amida Buddha is sitting in the lotus position, in which legs are crossed with feet turned upward resting on his thighs. This pose indicates the purity of his Enlightenment.

The Buddha is often presented sitting atop a lotus flower. The lotus is a water plant with a large white or pink flower. Buddhists liken their pursuit of enlightenment to the lotus: like the flower, they rise through the mud of desire and into the purity of Enlightenment.