Mikaeri Amida (見返り阿弥陀) is one of the treasures of Eikandō (永観堂) or Zenrinji (禅林寺) in Kyoto. Why the head was positioned in this way derives either from the imaginative story about the Buddhist monk Eikan, or as practical solution to a problem in casting bronze. The story goes that Eikan (永観) was reciting the nembutsu (念仏), moving around on a freezing winter morning, when the statue stepped down, and led the way. Astonished, Eikan stopped, only to be chided by the Mikaeri Amida. Other variants echo this theme - "hey, why have you stopped, Eikan?". The mudras are not clear from this image, the remaining gilding suggesting both hands raised. In fact the right hand is raised in the Abhaya-mudra; "do not fear", and the left hand in the descending Varada-mudra; "bestowal".The temple dates back to the 9th Century, the current abbot, Ogiso Zenryu, being the 89th in succession. It is the head temple of Jodo-shu Seizan Zenrin-ji sect. The grounds are particularly beautiful in spring and autumn, with cherry and maple respectively. See for example, an autumn "light-up" of the maples, and a "four seasons" view.
I can't make up my mind about the statue, it doesn't quite work for me as art, which, I confess, is how I see much Buddhist iconography. That may not exclude the numinous, but sometimes does. Another koan for me. Likewise the blue carpet.
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Ah yes, I remember this image. A good friend of mine, not a million miles away, gave me a framed photograph of it.
The same image graces the mantal in the seniors common room in one of our monasteries.
I remember the admonishment as, "Eikan, Stop dawdling"!
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