Buddhist Mudra

Buddha: “What should I do with my hands?”

Look at a statue of Buddha, and it will be clear that the artist who made the likeness gave careful thought to the deity’s hands. The hands of Buddha are created in shapes and positions that have spiritual significance, known as ‘mudra’.

The origins of mudra take us back before the founding of Buddhism, around the fourth or fifth century BC. They are mingled with Vedic philosophy and practices of yoga and dance. Each mudra has a meaning and, some say, a function.

If you are scratching your head at this point, bear in mind that Buddha is not God, nor is it a god, nor even a single person. It is more of a state of mind. Budh is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘awaken’; Buddha is the past participle, referring to a person who has spiritually awakened.

Different sects of Buddhism debate how many people have achieved this awakening, but the central figure of most sects is the founder of Buddhism–often called the Historical Buddha. After the Historical Buddha’s death, some followers divided his personality into five aspects, each of which is portrayed in Buddhist art through different physical characteristics.

Gebaku 外縛, Mudra of Binding – Represents one’s vow to become enlightened, and the heart and compassion of Buddha

Naibaku 内縛, Inner binding Mudra – Represents the vow of the many Buddha to help all sentient beings

Mida no jō-in 弥陀の定印 阿弥陀の定印, Mudra of the Dharma Realm – Converts desire, lust and passion into discriminating awareness

Tenbōrin-in 転法輪印, Turning the Wheel of Law Mudra – Converts ignorance and bewilderment into the wisdom of primordial awareness

This system of five manifestations was particularly important to esoteric sects of Buddhism, which were imported to Japan during the Heian Period. When Japan’s capital was moved from Nara to Kyoto, the imperial court lent support to these sects. Esoteric Buddhism maintains a large following in Japan today, where the five manifestations are given the name Godai nyorai.

One example is Fukuu Jouju, the Buddha of fearlessness, who has the ability to turn jealousy into wisdom. According to legend, the historical Buddha had a cousin who envied him deeply, and tried to kill the Buddha several times. On one occasion, he sent a drunken elephant charging towards the Buddha. The Buddha raised his right hand above his right thigh with the palm facing outward and the fingers and thumb pointing upwards. This–as an expression of Buddha’s compassion and wisdom–cooled the elephant’s emotions. The beast knelt before the Buddha.

The gesture is called semui in, the ‘fear not’ mudra. It is often seen in representations of either the historical Buddha or of Fukuu Jouju. In Japan, if the middle finger is held a bit forward of the others, it represents Shingon, one of the esoteric sects.

Another common mudra in Japanese Buddhist art is yogan in, the ‘welcome’ mudra, which is the ‘fear not’ mudra upside down. The right hand is held above the right thigh, palm out and fingers and thumb extended downward. This represents the granting of wishes to those who embrace Buddha. It is often combined with the ‘fear not’ mudra, and can be seen on many standing images of the Historical Buddha, representing a call to heaven to witness the Buddha’s enlightenment.

Legend has it that the Historical Buddha used the tenbourin in, the ‘teaching’ mudra, when giving his first sermon after attaining the goal of awakening. This mudra is associated with Dainichi Nyorai, who converts ignorance and confusion into the wisdom of awareness–the most important among the Godai nyorai. (For esoteric Buddhists, Dainichi Nyorai surpasses even the Historical Buddha.) The tenbourin in is formed by holding the right hand in front of the chest with the palm facing outward and joining the tips of the thumb and index finger. The left hand is held under the right in the same form, but with the palm facing upward and the tips of the joined thumb and finger touching those of the right hand.

Dainichi is often seen with a mudra of somewhat racier connotations: the chiken in mudra of ‘supreme enlightenment’. This is formed by making an upward pointing gesture with the index finger of the left hand and enclosing it by wrapping the fingers and thumb of the right hand around it. It is said to symbolize the unity of the five physical elements (earth, air, fire, water, and space) with spiritual consciousness, though another interpretation is it represents the male and female sex organs.

The gouma in, or ‘Earth touching’ mudra, is associated with Ashuku Nyorai, who converts anger and aggression into mirror-like wisdom. It is formed with the right hand held palm downward, usually over the right knee and extending the fingers to touch the earth. The left hand is held palm upward in the lap. It is said this is a gesture the Historical Buddha–used to call earth to witness his victory over evil.

The zenjou in ‘meditation’ mudra is a gesture to convert lust, passion and desire into discriminating awareness. Its original is seen in seated figures made outside Japan. It is a triangle formed by holding the hands palm upward in the lap, right hand over the left and joining the tips of the thumbs. In Japan, the midajou in is much more commonly used, which is associated with the Amida Nyorai. It is similar to zenjou in, except that the tips of the index fingers are raised to touch the tips of the thumbs, forming two circles. One circle represents the world of illusion, the other, enlightenment.

Text: Alan Wiren
Illustration: Phil Couzens