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Mudrā
• Buddhas and bodhisattvas often are depicted in
Buddhist art with stylized hand gestures called
mudras.
• The word "mudra" is Sanskrit for "seal" or "sign,"
and each mudra has a specific meaning.
• Buddhists sometimes use these symbolic gestures
during rituals and meditation.
Dhammacakka Mudra
• Dharmachakra, in Sanskrit means the
wheel of Dharma.
• Thus, the Dharmachakra mudra
represents the setting into motion of the
wheel of the teaching of the Dharma.
• Generally, the Dharmachakra mudra
is shown being used by Gautam
Buddha, the historical Buddha.
• The Dharmachakra mudra is formed
when the thumb and index finger of
both the hands touch at their tips to form
a circle.
• This particular circle symbolizes the Wheel of Dharma.
• Similarly, this circle also means, in the metaphysical term,
the union of method or Upaya and wisdom or Prajna.
• Both the hands are held against the chest in Vitarka, while
the left hand is facing inward which covers the right hand
facing outward.
• The three remaining fingers of both the hands remain
extended and they have their own symbolic importance:
• The middle finger of the right hand represents the 'hearers'
of the teachings of the Buddha, the index finger represents
the 'realizers’ of the teachings and the little finger
represents the Mahayana or 'the great vehicle.
• Similarly, the three extended fingers of the left
hand represent the three jewels of the Buddhist
principles.
• They are: the Buddha, the Dharma and the
Sangha.
• As the gesture is performed with the hands held in
front of the left side of the chest, or in front of the
heart, the Dharmachakra mudra represent the
teachings are straight from the Buddha's heart.
• There are many variants of the Dharmachakra mudra
such as the ones in the frescoes of Ajanta in India where
both the hands are separated and the fingers do not touch
each other.
• In the meantime, in the Indo-Greek style of the Gandhara
Buddha statues, the right fist overlooks the fingers joined to
the thumb on the left hand.
• And in the Japanese Horyu-ji pictures, the right hand is
seen to be overlapped on the left. In the same way, the
Amitabha Buddhas originating before the 9th Century in
Japan are also seen using the Dharmachakra mudra.
Abhaya mudra (mudra of no-fear)
• It
represents
protection,
peace,
benevolence, and dispelling of fear.
• InTheravada Buddhism, it is usually
made with the right hand raised to
shoulder height, the arm bent and the
palm facing outward with the fingers
upright and joined and the left hand
hanging down while standing.
• The mudra was probably used before the onset of
buddhism as a symbol of good intentions proposing
friendship when approaching strangers.
• In Gandhara art, it is seen when showing the action of
preaching. It was also used in China during the Wei and Sui
eras of the 4th and 7th centuries.
• The gesture was used by the Buddha when attacked by an
elephant, subduing it as shown in several frescoes and
scripts.
• In mahayana Buddhism , the northern schools' deities often
paired it with another mudra using the other hand.
• One of the most common and popular
mudras which are found depicted in
Buddha
Statues
is
the
Bhumisparshamudra, translated as
the earth touching gesture.
• Buddha statues with this mudra are
commonly
known
witness"
Buddha
as
the
"earth-
and
these
iconographic representations are one of
the most popular Buddhas you can find
anywhere in the world.
• In Buddha statues with the Bhumisparshamudra, the
Buddha, more specifically, the historical Shakyamuni
Buddhais seen seated with his right hand as a pendant
over the right knee reaching toward the ground with
the palm inward while touching the lotus throne.
• In the meantime, the left hand can be seen with the
palm upright in his lap.
• This gesture represents the moment of the Buddha's
awakening as he claims the earth as the witness of his
enlightenment.
• Just before he realized enlightenment, it is believed that the
demon Mara tried to frighten him with the armies of
demons and monsters including his daughters who tried to
tempt him to get out of meditation under the Bodhi tree.
• While the demon king Mara claimed the throne of
enlightenment for himself, his demon army claimed to be
the witness for Mara's enlightenment.
• Mara then challenged Siddhartha about the witness. Then
the former prince reached out his right hand to touch the
earth as it is believed that the earth itself roared "I bear you
the witness!" Hearing the roar from the earth herself, the
demon king disappeared.
• The following morning saw the first appearance of the one
who is awakened, the Buddha. Hence, it is believed that
the Bhumisparshamudra, or "the earth witness" mudra
commemorates the Buddha's victory over the temptation
by the demon King Mara.
• This particular mudra does not only represent the defeat of
Mara and his demonic army by the Buddha, it also
represents the unwavering or firmness shown by the
Buddha while he was in the pursuit of enlightenment by
meditating under the Bodhi tree.
• Similarly, the Bhumisparsha mudra also signifies the
union of skillful means or Upaya which is well
represented by the right hand touching the earth, and
wisdom or Prajna, which is represented by the left hand
with its palm facing upward on the lap in the meditation
position.
• As the story tells about the earth being the witness of the
Buddha's
enlightenment,
the
Bhumisparshamudra
depicts the Buddha's firm belief and effort while pursuing
the path of enlightenment.
Dhyana Mudra
• The Dhyana mudra is the gesture of
meditation and of the concentration of
the Good Law.
• The two hands are placed on the lap,
right hand on left with fingers fully
stretched (four fingers resting on each
other and the thumbs facing upwards
towards one another diagonally), palms
facing upwards; in this manner, the
hands and fingers form the shape of a
triangle, which is symbolic of the
spiritual fire or the Triratna (the three
jewels).
• The Dhyana mudra is used in representations of the
Sakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha.
• Sometimes the Dhyana mudra is used in certain
representations of Bhaisajyaguru as the Medicine Buddha,
with a medicine bowl placed on the hands.
• It originated in India most likely in the Gandhara and in
China during the Wei period. The Dhyana mudra was used
long before the Buddha as yogis have used it during their
concentration, healing, and meditation exercises.
• It is heavily used in Southeast Asia in Theravada Buddhism ;
however, the thumbs are placed against the palms.
Namaskara Mudra
• The Namaskara mudra / Anjali mudra is
the gesture of greeting, prayer and adoration.
• Anjali in Sanksrit, has different meanings.
These meanings may be for offering, a gesture
of reverence, salutation. This particular term
means to honor or to celebrate.
• The Namaskara or the Anjali Mudra is usually
taken as the mudra of gesture of offering and
devotion. It is also a gesture of prayer with the
palms folded together.
• The Namaskara / Anjali mudra is also the
gesture of greeting, prayer and adoration.
• The gesture of Namaskara is a hand gesture which is
practiced throughout many countries in Asia and used as a
sign of respect and greeting in countries like Nepal, India,
Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, etc.
• This gesture is used in many yoga asanas too.
• Mudra means "seal" or "sign", the translation or the
meaning of the phrase "Anjali Mudra" is "salutation seal"
or a "greeting seal".
• This mudra is also known as the Hridayanjali Mudra,
which means admiration to the heart seal from the soul.
• In this particular mudra, the hands of the subjects are
generally held at the level of the stomach or the thighs, the
right above the left, the palms upwards, fingers extended
and thumbs touching at the tips.
•
•
•
•
Vitarka Mudra
Vitarka mudra is one of the much
commonly found mudra or poses.
Vitarka Mudra is the mudra or a
gesture representing the discussion
and transmission of the teachings by
the Buddha.
It is also taken as the hand gesture
which induces the energy of the
teachings and discussions of the
spiritual principles which may also
involve the arguments of the ideas.
These discussions may also feel like
the transmission of a particular
teaching without the use of words.
• The Vitarka Mudra is usually performed by joining the
tips of the thumb and the index fingers together while
keeping the other fingers straight, which is pretty much
similar to Abhaya as well as Varada mudra but with the
thumbs touching the index fingers.
• The circle formed by the thumb and the index finger
symbolizes the constant flow of energy and information.
• The hand with the tips of the thumb and index finger
joined together is held closer to the chest than in that of
the Abhaya Mudra while the palm is facing outward.
• The other three fingers of the hand are pointed upwards.
Varada Mudra
• The Varada mudra (favourable mudra)
signifies offering, welcome, charity,
giving, compassion and sincerity.
• The Varada mudra is nearly always
shown made with the left hand by a
revered figure devoted to human salvation
from greed, anger and delusion.
• The Varada mudra can be made with the
arm crooked and the palm offered slightly
turned up or in the case of the arm facing
down the palm presented with the fingers
upright
or
slightly
bent.
•
• The Varada mudra is rarely seen without another mudra
used by the right hand, typically the Abhaya mudra.
• It is often confused with the Vitarka mudra, which it
closely resembles.
• In China and Japan during the Wei and Asuka periods
respectively the fingers are stiff and then gradually begin
to loosen as it developed through time, eventually leading
to the Tang Dynasty were the fingers are naturally curved.
• In India the Varada mudra is used in images of
Avalokitesvara from the Gupta Period of the 4th and 5th
centuries.