A Buddha image can have one of several common mudras, combined with different asanas. The main mudras used represent specific moments in the life of the
Buddha, and are shorthand depictions of these.
Abhaya mudrā The
Abhayamudra ("gesture of fearlessness") represents protection, peace, benevolence and the dispelling of fear. In
Theravada Buddhism, it is usually made while standing with the right arm bent and raised to shoulder height, the palm facing forward, the fingers closed, pointing upright and the left hand resting by the side. In Thailand and Laos, this mudra is associated with the
Walking Buddha, sometimes also shown having both hands making a double Abhaya mudrā that is uniform. This mudrā was probably used before the onset of Buddhism as a symbol of good intentions proposing friendship when approaching strangers. In
Gandharan 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. This gesture was used by the Buddha when attacked by an elephant, subduing it as shown in several
frescoes and scripts. In
Mahayana Buddhism, the deities are often portrayed as pairing the Abhaya mudrā with another mudrā using the other hand.
Bhūmisparśa mudrā The
bhūmisparśa ("earth witness") mudrā of
Gautama Buddha is one of the most common iconic images of Buddhism. Other names include "Buddha calling the earth to witness", and "earth-touching". It depicts the story from Buddhist legend of the moment when Buddha attained complete
enlightenment, with Buddha sitting in meditation with his left hand, palm upright, in his lap, and his right hand touching the earth. In the legend, Buddha was challenged by the evil one,
Mara, who argue for a witness to attest his right to achieve it. In response to Mara, Buddha touched the ground, and
Phra Mae Thorani, the earth goddess, appeared to be the witnesses for the Buddha's enlightenment. In East Asia, this mudra (also called the
Maravijaya attitude) may show Buddha's fingers not reaching as far as the ground, as is usual in Burmese or Indian depictions.
Bodhyangi mudrā The
Bodhyangi mudrā, the "mudrā of the six elements," or the "fist of wisdom," is a gesture entailing the left-hand index finger being grasped with the right hand. It is commonly seen on statues of the
Vairocana Buddha.
Dharmachakra Pravartana mudrā The Buddha preached his first sermon after his Enlightenment in Deer Park in
Sarnath. The
dharmachakra Pravartana or "turning of the wheel" mudrā represents that moment. In general, only Gautama Buddha is shown making this mudrā except
Maitreya as the dispenser of the Law. Dharmachakra mudrā is two hands close together in front of the chest in
vitarka with the right palm forward and the left palm upwards, sometimes facing the chest. There are several variants such as in the
Ajanta Caves frescoes, where the two hands are separated and the fingers do not touch. In the
Indo-Greek style of
Gandhara, the clenched fist of the right hand seemingly overlies the fingers joined to the thumb on the left hand. In pictorials of
Hōryū-ji in Japan the right hand is superimposed on the left. Certain figures of
Amitābha are seen using this mudra before the 9th century in Japan.
Dhyāna mudrā The
dhyāna mudrā ("meditation mudra") is the gesture of meditation, of the concentration of the Good Law and the
sangha. The two hands are placed on the lap, with the right hand resting on the left and the fingers fully extended. The four fingers rest on each other and the thumbs face diagonally upward towards each other, with the palms facing upwards. Together, the hands and fingers form the shape of a triangle, which is symbolic of the spiritual fire or the
Three Jewels. This mudrā is used in representations of
Gautama Buddha and
Amitābha. The dhyāna mudrā is sometimes used in representations of as the "Medicine Buddha", with a medicine bowl placed on the hands. It originated in India, most likely in
Gandhāra and then in China during the
Northern Wei dynasty. It is widely used in Southeast Asia in
Theravada Buddhism; where the thumbs are placed against the palms. Dhyāna mudrā is also known as "
samādhi mudrā" or "yoga mudrā", . The
mida no jōin (弥陀定印) is the Japanese name of a variation of the dhyāna mudrā, where the index fingers are brought together with the thumbs. This was predominantly used in Japan in an effort to distinguish Amitābha (hence "mida" from Amida) from the Vairocana Buddha, and was rarely used elsewhere.
Varada mudrā The
Varadamudrā ("generosity gesture") signifies offering, welcome, charity, giving, compassion and sincerity. It is nearly always shown with the left hand by a revered figure devoted to human salvation from greed, anger and delusion. It can be made with the arm bent and the palm turned slightly upward, or, in when the arm faces downwards, the palm presented with the fingers upright or slightly bent. The Varada mudrā is rarely seen without another mudrā used by the right hand, typically the abhaya mudrā. It is often confused with the Vitarka mudrā, which it closely resembles. In China and Japan during the
Northern Wei and
Asuka periods, respectively, the fingers were initially stiff and then gradually loosened over time, eventually leading to the
Tang dynasty standard where the fingers are naturally curved. In
India, Varada mudra is used by both seated and standing figures, of Buddha, boddhisattvas and other figures, and in Hindu art is especially associated with
Vishnu. It was used in images of
Avalokiteśvara from
Gupta art (4th and 5th centuries) onwards. The Varada mudrā is widely used in statues of
Southeast Asia.
Vajra mudrā The
Vajra mudrā ("thunderbolt gesture") is the gesture of knowledge.
Vitarka mudrā The
Vitarka mudrā ("mudra of discussion") is the gesture of discussion and transmission of Buddhist teaching. It is formed by joining the tips of the thumb and the index together, and keeping the other fingers straight, similar to the Abhaya and Varada mudrās but with the thumbs touching the index fingers. This mudrā has a many variants in
Mahayana Buddhism. In
Tibetan Buddhism, it is a ritual gesture of
Tārās and
bodhisattvas, with some variations by the deities in
Yab-Yum. The Vitarka mudrā is also known as
Vyākhyāna mudrā ("mudra of explanation"). This is also called as chin-mudra.
Jñāna mudrā The
Jñāna mudrā ("mudra of wisdom") is formed by touching the tips of the thumb and the index together to form a circle, with the hand held palm inward towards towards the heart. The mudrā represents
spiritual enlightenment in
Indian-origin religions. Sometimes
sadhus chose to be buried alive in this
samadhi position. A 2700-year-old skeleton arranged in this position was found at
Balathal in Rajasthan, suggesting that practices resembling yoga may have existed at that time.
Karaṇa mudrā The
karaṇa mudrā is the mudrā which expels demons and removes obstacles such as sickness or negative thoughts. It is made by raising the index and the little finger while folding the other fingers. It is nearly the same as the Western "
sign of the horns", however, in the Karana mudrā the thumb does not hold down the middle and ring fingers. This mudrā is also known as
tarjanī mudrā. Gallery File:「연가 칠년」이 새겨진 금동불입상 02 (cropped).jpg|
Korea's National Treasure 119. The right hand shows
abhayamudra while the left is in the
varadamudra. File:Buddha sitting-MGR Lyon-IMG 9878 (cropped).jpg|The Buddha sitting in bhūmisparśa mudrā. Birmany. White marble with traces of polychromy.
Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière File:철원_도피안사_철조비로자나불좌상.jpg|Bodhyangi Mudrā File:Buddha in Sarnath Museum (Dhammajak Mutra).jpg|A statue of the Buddha from
Sarnath,
Uttar Pradesh, India, 4th century CE. The Buddha is depicted teaching, while making the Dharmacakra Pravartana mudrā. File:Amitabha_of_Phat_Tich_pagoda_(reproduction),_Bac_Ninh_province,_1057_AD_DSC04844.JPG|Reproduction of the
Amitābha statue of
Phật Tích Temple,
Hanoi, demonstrating the
dhyāna mudrā File:VajraMudra.JPG|Vajra Mudrā File:VitarkaMudra.JPG|Vitarka mudrā,
Tarim Basin, 9th century File:Pressapochista14 Karana Mudra.jpg|
Joseon figure displays the karana mudrā. ==Indian classical dance==