Silasiddhi on Akshobhya

by Silasiddhi

In the Mahayana and Vajryana Buddhist traditions, Akshobhya is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas — or, alternatively, the Five Dhyani Buddhas. Each of the five Buddhas represents a different aspect of enlightened consciousness. Each is affiliated with a compass direction (east, west, north, south, and central) and each is associated with a color (blue, red, green, yellow, and white). In paintings, he is shown seated in the meditation posture, touching the earth with his right hand and holding a double vajra scepter in his left hand. His name means “the Unshakable” or “the Immoveable One,” reflecting his deep, unwavering mind. Akshobhya represents “mirror-like wisdom'“ — the ability to see the non-dual nature of reality — or, alternatively, the interrelatedness of all phenomena.

In symbolic terms, Akshobhya can be understood as an archetype of equanimity and profound insight into the nature of reality. This archetype represents the capacity for stability and clarity in the midst of our everyday world. Akshobhya offers a model of how, even in the face of personal or collective turmoil, an individual can cultivate an individual authenticity that does not react impulsively without awareness, but instead responds with wisdom and compassion.

One of Akshobhya’s qualities is symbolized by the color blue. Blue is often associated with calmness, the vastness of the sky and the depth of the sea, a sense of peace and stability. The color hints at Akshobya’s serenity and the ability to transform harsh emotion into wisdom and understanding — a symbol of inner peace, unperturbed by external turmoil.

Akshobhya represents the eastern direction with the suggestion of the freshness of morning, the start of a new day, the often sharp quality of morning light emerging from darkness — a reminder of our potential to transform ignorance into wisdom. The east suggests the ability to bring about personal transformation and allow for the clarity of a fresh perspective.

He seems an archetype with qualities particularly relevant to reflect upon right now: depth of understanding, resoluteness of purpose, clarity of awakened consciousness, and compassion arising from an appreciation of the interconnectedness of all phenomena.