A mudra is a bodily posture or
symbolic gesture. In Buddhist iconography every buddha is depicted with a
characteristic gesture of the hands. Such gestures correspond to natural
gestures (of teaching, protecting, and so on) and also to certain aspects of the
Buddhist teaching or of the particular buddha depicted.
Here mudras accompany the performance of liturgies and the recitation of mantras. They also help to actualize certain inner states in that they anticipate their physical expression; thus they assist in bringing about a connection between the practitioner and the buddha visualized in a given practice.
Here mudras accompany the performance of liturgies and the recitation of mantras. They also help to actualize certain inner states in that they anticipate their physical expression; thus they assist in bringing about a connection between the practitioner and the buddha visualized in a given practice.
The most important mudras are:
1.) Dhyani
Mudra.................(gesture of meditation)
2.) Vitarka Mudra................(teaching gesture)
3.) Dharmachakra Mudra.....(gesture of turning the wheel of the teaching)
4.) Bhumisparsha Mudra......(gesture of touching the earth)
5.) Abhaya Mudra...............(gesture of fearlessness and granting protection)
6.) Varada Mudra................(gesture of granting wishes)
7.) Uttarabodhi Mudra.........(gesture of supreme enlightenment)
8.) Mudra of Supreme Wisdom
9.) Anjali Mudra...................(gesture of greeting and veneration)
10.) Vajrapradama Mudra....(gesture of unshakable confidence)
2.) Vitarka Mudra................(teaching gesture)
3.) Dharmachakra Mudra.....(gesture of turning the wheel of the teaching)
4.) Bhumisparsha Mudra......(gesture of touching the earth)
5.) Abhaya Mudra...............(gesture of fearlessness and granting protection)
6.) Varada Mudra................(gesture of granting wishes)
7.) Uttarabodhi Mudra.........(gesture of supreme enlightenment)
8.) Mudra of Supreme Wisdom
9.) Anjali Mudra...................(gesture of greeting and veneration)
10.) Vajrapradama Mudra....(gesture of unshakable confidence)
1.)Dhyani Mudra
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In this mudra, the back of the
right hand rests on the palm of the other in such a way that the tips of the
thumbs lightly touch one another. The hands rest in the lap. The right hand,
resting on top, symbolizes the state of enlightenment; the other hand,
resting below, the world of appearance. This gesture expresses overcoming the
world of appearance through enlightenment, as well as the enlightened state
of mind for which samsara and nirvana are one. In a special form of this
mudra, the middle, ring, and little fingers of both hands lie on top one
another and the thumbs and index finger of each hand, touching each other,
form a circle, which here also symbolizes the world of appearance and the
true nature of reality.
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2.)Vitarka Mudra
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The right hand points upward, the
left downward; both palms are tuned outward. The thumb and index finger of
each hand form a circle. The right hand is at shoulder level, the left at the
level of the hips. In a variant of this teaching gesture, the left hand rests
palm upward in the lap, and the right hand is raised to shoulder level with
its thumb and index finger forming a circle. In a further form of this mudra,
the index finger and little fingers of both hands are fully extended, the
middle and ring fingers somewhat curved inward. The left hand points upward,
the right downward.
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3.)Dharmachakra Mudra
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The left palm is tuned inward
(toward the body), the right outward, and the circles formed by the thumbs
and index fingers of each hand touch one another.
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4.)Bhumisparsha Mudra
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The left hand rests palm upward in
the lap; the right hand, hanging over the knee, palm inward, points to the
earth. Sometimes the left hand holds a begging bowl. This is the gesture with
which the Buddha summoned the Earth as witness to his realization of
buddhahood. It is considered a gesture of unshakability; thus Akshobhya (the
Unshakable) is usually depicted with this mudra.
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5.)Abhaya Mudra
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Here the right hand is raised to
shoulder height with fingers extended and palm turned outward. This is the
gesture of the Buddha Shakyamuni immediately after attaining enlightenment.
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6.)Varada Mudra
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The right hand, palm facing out,
is directed downward. When Shakyamuni is depicted with this mudra, it
symbolizes summoning Heaven as witness to his buddhahood. This mudra is also
seen in representations of Ratnasambhava. In a variant, the thumb and index
finger of the downward extended hand touch one another. Frequently the abhaya
and varada mudras are combined: the right hand makes the gesture of
fearlessness, the left that of wish granting.
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7.)Uttarabodhi Mudra
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Both hands are held at the level
of the chest, the two raised index fingers touch one another, the remaining
fingers are crossed and folded down.; the thumbs touch each other at the tips
or are also crossed and folded. This mudra is frequently seen in images of
Vairochana.
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8.)Mudra
of Supreme
Wisdom |
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The right index finger is grasped
by the five fingers of the left hand. This mudra, characteristic of Vairochana,
is the subject of many interretations in esoteric Buddhism, most which have
to do with the relationship between the empirical world of manifoldness and
the principle that is its basis-the unified world principle, the realization
of unity in the manifold as embodied in Buddha.
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9.) Anjali Mudra
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The palms are held together at the
level of the chest. This is the customary gesture of greeting in India. Used
as a mudra, it expresses "suchness" (tahata).
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10.)Vajrapradama Mudra
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The fingertips of the hands are
crossed. This is gesture of unshakable confidence.
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Source: The Shambhala Dictionary
of Buddhism and Zen
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