The meaning of mudras: part two

Editor’s note: We see images of mudras all around us—but few of us know what they mean. The five fingers of the hand represent five levels of consciousness needed to attain Buddhahood. The two-part series offers a guide to Buddhist mudras—simple gestures that are rich with spiritual meaning. Part one had the most common mudras that represent fearlessness and charity—as well as devotion. Part two looks at sacred gestures for dhyana, the wheel of law and Bhumisparsha—which represents demon king Mara’s defeat at the hands of Siddhartha and his journey towards enlightenment.

This article originally appeared on the MAP Academy website. All images that appear with the MAP Academy articles are sourced from various collections around the world, and due image credits can be found on the original article on the MAP Academy website. The MAP Academy is a non-profit online educational platform committed to building equitable resources for the study of art histories from South Asia. 

Mudras are a set of hand gestures that serve as symbols in Buddhist art and iconography, representing the Buddha’s various roles and states of mind. Their earliest instances are seen in sculpture from Gandhara in the first century CE, and they appear to have been codified by the third century CE.

The fingers of the hand are thought to represent five levels of consciousness needed to attain Buddhahood, therefore various gestural configurations are seen as syntheses of these factors. Mudras also represent the dominant themes in particular episodes of the Buddha’s life, making the gestures useful as narrative and pedagogical devices for viewers familiar with the symbolism. They are typically shown being performed by figures of religious authority such as the Buddha and bodhisattvas.

Of the large number of such gestures, the five primary mudras are the abhaya mudra (the most common), the dharmachakra mudra, the bhumisparsha mudra, the varada mudra and the dhyana mudra. They are also associated, respectively, with the five celestial Buddha-aspects known as the Tathagata or Dhyani Buddhas, and accordingly form part of their iconography.

Mudras are also found in Hindu and Jain iconography, albeit to a lesser extent and only after being established in Buddhism. Classical dance forms, particularly those in India that have emerged in association with religion, also feature a repertoire of mudras.

Bhumisparsha Mudra

One of the five common mudras or sacred gestures in Buddhist iconography and practice, the bhumisparsha or ‘earth touching’ mudra represents the moment of prince Siddhartha’s attainment of Buddhahood or enlightenment. It symbolises his invocation of the earth-goddess to witness the overcoming of the final barrier towards enlightenment, and is also known as the ‘earth witness’ mudra. Performed while seated cross-legged on the ground, the mudra is formed with the right hand reaching over the knee so that all four fingers extend downwards to touch the earth. Among the five celestial Tathagata or Dhyani Buddhas, considered to represent cardinal qualities, the bhumisparsha mudra is associated with Akshobhya.  

The mudra is associated with Siddhartha’s defeat of the demon king Mara — a popular narrative and important episode in the Buddhist canon. In the final stages of Siddhartha’s meditation under a pipal tree, Mara is said to have appeared to claim the throne of enlightenment for himself, producing his army of demons as witness. In response, Siddhartha is believed to have reached out to touch the ground and declare the earth as his witness; Mara is defeated and Siddhartha attains enlightenment. The gesture is thus understood as a symbol of unshakeability; of moral triumph over temptation and evil intention; and of the liberation of the spirit from its worldly trappings. 

Accordingly, it is also linked with mastery over one’s senses and emotions, emphasised in Buddhist teachings as the means to achieve true awakening.

When the left hand is simultaneously placed upturned on the lap in the dhyana mudra, the posture is thought to signify the union of skillful means and wisdom — upaya and prajna respectively.

Dhyana Mudra

One of the five common mudras or sacred gestures in Buddhist iconography and practice, the dhyana or ‘meditation’ mudra denotes a state of concentration, representing the prince Siddhartha’s final meditation before enlightenment as the Buddha. Though developed as an iconographic element in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, the gesture was prevalent in yogic practices predating Buddhism. It is also known as yoga mudra, and is performed by placing one or both hands palms-up in the lap while seated in padmasana or ‘lotus pose’. Among the five celestial Tathagata or Dhyani Buddhas, considered to represent cardinal qualities, the varada mudra is associated with Amitabha.  

When the dhyana mudra is done with both hands, the right hand is laid flat over the left hand, with the fingers of both extended. The orientation of the thumbs varies across traditions: they may remain parallel to the other fingers and each other, or meet over the palms to form a triangle. 

The triangle carries various symbolisms in Buddhism, including that of the Triratna or Three Jewels — the Buddha, the dhamma, and the sangha or community. The overlapping hands are often considered to signify that the method or means, denoted by the right hand, can only arise out of the wisdom of meditation, denoted by the left hand. Some other traditions interpret the top hand as signifying realisation or enlightenment, which transcends the world of appearances symbolised by the bottom hand. 

In Theravada Buddhism, the mudra sometimes takes a variant form known as samadhi mudra, in which the index fingers are raised to meet the thumb of the respective hand, and also touch each other. The dhyana mudra is sometimes made using the left hand alone, representing the principle of wisdom or meditative void. 

Occasionally objects such as a sacred text or a bowl of alms may be placed on the upturned hand or hands — for instance, the medicine bowl depicted in the open palm of Bhaisajyaguru or the ‘Medicine Buddha’.

Dharmachakra Mudra

One of five common mudras or sacred gestures in Buddhist iconography and practice, the dharmachakra or ‘wheel of law’ mudra represents the Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath. The teachings of this sermon are considered to have set the wheel of dhamma or dharma in motion, dispelling ignorance with the wisdom of reality. Both the hands are held at the chest level, with the right above the left and the thumbs of each hand touching the respective index fingers to form a circle. The tips of the left and right thumbs and index fingers in turn touch each other in such a way that the palm of the left hand faces inwards, while that of the right hand faces outwards. Among the five celestial Tathagata or Dhyani Buddhas, considered to represent cardinal qualities, the dharmachakra mudra is associated with Vairochana.  

According to some interpretations, the three extended fingers of the right hand are believed to represent the three vessels, or yanas, of the Mahayana Buddhism tradition, while those of the left hand are thought to denote the capacities for following these yanas. The symbolism is further extended to the open palms, of which the right suggests the method of conveying teachings and the left suggests their internalisation and the gaining of wisdom. When the left hand is shown holding a corner of the robe, as in early iconic representations, it symbolises renunciation. 

In some versions, the left hand is held at the hip level with fingers pointing downwards and palm outwards while forming the symbolic dharmachakra. 

A variant and possible derivative of the dharmachakra mudra is another ‘teaching’ gesture, the vitarka mudra, in which the left hand lies on the lap with the palm upturned, while the right hand forms the wheel shape with the palm turned outwards. 

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This article has been written by the research and editorial team at the MAP Academy. Through its free knowledge resources—Encyclopedia of Art, Online Courses, and Stories—the MAP Academy encourages knowledge building and engagement with the region's visual arts. Follow them on Instagram to learn more about art histories from South Asia.