How can you tell Shakyamuni and Amitabha statues apart?

[Mawkish1983]

I've recently noticed that statues representing Amitabha look almost EXACTLY the same as statues representing Shakyamuni. Are there any tell-tale signs to look out for to tell the two apart? Does it even matter?

[Prasadachitta]

Well Many of the Amitabh Statues have a kinda slouchy posture. They will also be in the Meditation Mudra where both hands are either stacked or fingers curled and touching in the lap. Also Amitabh is likely to have a dot between his eyes.

These are just a few things Ive gatherd over time.

Metta

Gabriel

[David N. Snyder]

That is true, they both look almost identical. I have bought some Amitabha statues, but use them for my purposes as images of Buddha since they are so similar in appearance.

Usually both Amitabha and Buddha have the dot between the eyes, representing the 'third eye' of enlightenment or the 'Divine eye.'

Amitabha usually has his hands forming two circles in his lap. Whereas the Buddha is usually depicted with the teaching mudra or in the 'earth witness' where one hand is reaching for the ground when the earth witnessed his enlightenment.


Amitabha, with hands forming two circles

[David N. Snyder]

My avatar shows a posture of Buddha in the teaching mudra position.



Historical Buddha in earth witness posture



Medicine Buddha (Vajrayana) usually in blue and holding a herb - medicine



Hotei, 830 AD - 902 AD, Chinese monk (mistaken for the Buddha most frequently among non-Buddhists)

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Amitabha has chubbier cheeks than Shakyamuni and is often red.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ngawang Drolma.]

I think the most surefire way to distinguish will be the mudras.