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Home / IAS Preparation / Mudras Of Lord Buddha

Buddha Mudra - List of Different Mudras of Lord Buddha & Their Significance!

Last Updated on May 22, 2023
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Buddha Mudra refers to symbolic movements (Mudras) that are used in Buddhist ceremonies and meditation to evoke theoretical and practical concepts. Buddha Mudras have a significant importance in the cultural heritage of India. However it is not only practised in India but it is known throughout the world. There are overall relevant 10 Mudras of Lord buddha.

Buddha Mudra is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the Art & Culture subject in the General Studies Paper-1 syllabus. In this article, we shall study the list of Mudras of Lord Buddha and their significance for UPSC.

The UPSC aspirants can also take the help of Testbook’s UPSC Free Coaching to boost their UPSC Exam preparation! You can also study other major topics related to UPSC IAS Exams with Testbook!

Download Art & culture UPSC Notes with the linked article!

Buddha Mudra – List of Different Mudras of Lord Buddha & Their Significance: Download PDF here!

About Lord Buddha

The table below shows some of the important facts about Lord Buddha.

Important Facts about Lord Buddha at Glance
Birth Year B.C. 560
Birth Place Lumbini, Kapilavastu
Death Year 483 BCE (Mahaparinibban)
Death Place Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh
Father Name Suddhodana, King of the Sakhyas
Mother Name Maya
Name of Lord Buddha Siddhartha Gautama
Wife Name Yasodhara
First Sermon Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana, Benares
Enlightenment Under Pipal Tree, Bodh Gaya, Bihar

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Mudras of Lord Buddha

Mudras are hand motions and finger positions that are used as nonverbal forms of self-expression. They are finger patterns used to conjure up images of divine energies or the deities themselves in the mind. They are symbolic signs that replace spoken words while preserving their effectiveness. A mudra’s construction is dependent on specific finger movements. They represent a highly stylized type of gesture or body language.

Here we will discuss the different Gautam Buddha Mudras and Mudra symbols in detail.

Dharmachakra Mudra Buddha

  • The Sanskrit term “Dharmachakra” refers to the wheel of Dharma. The Dharmachakra mudra thus symbolizes the turning of the wheel of Dharma.
  • Gautam Buddha, the historical Buddha, is depicted using the Dharmachakra mudra.
  • The Dharmachakra mudra is created by touching the tips of the thumb and index finger mudra on both hands to form a circle. The Wheel of Dharma is symbolized by this specific circle.
  • The Dharmachakra mudra is often referred to as the gesture for Teaching the Dharma Wheel.
  • The Buddha did the Dharmachakra mudra at his first sermon in Sarnath after attaining enlightenment, and this gesture represents one of the most significant occasions in his life.

Image: Dharmachakra Mudra

Also check out the article on Buddhist Council with this link!

Bhumisparsha Mudra Buddha

  • The “Bhumisparsha mudra” means “earth touching.”
  • The “earth-witness” Buddha is the name given to Buddha statues with this mudra, and these iconographic representations are among the most well-known Buddhas you can find anywhere in the world.
  • The historical Shakyamuni Buddha, or the Buddha in the Bhumisparsha mudra UPSC, is depicted sitting with his right hand as a pendant over his right knee and stretching out toward the ground while touching a lotus throne in these statues of the Buddha.
  • The left hand, with the palm up, is observed in his lap throughout this moment.
  • The Buddha believes that the ground is the eyewitness to his enlightenment in this gesture, which symbolizes the moment of his awakening.

Image: Bhumisparsha Mudra

Varada Mudra Buddha

  • The Varada mudra is symbolized through extending all the five fingers which denote generosity, hospitality, charity, compassion, and sincerity.
  • The Varada mudra is almost always depicted as being done with the left hand by a revered person who is committed to bringing about human deliverance from greed, rage, and delusion.
  • The Varada mudra can be performed with the arm twisted and the palm raised slightly, or with the arm lowered and the fingers bent slightly or upright in the palm.
  • Varada mudra is rarely seen without the right hand performing another mudra, usually the Abhaya mudra. It frequently gets mixed up with the Vitarka mudra because they are similar.

Image: Varada Mudra

Uttarabodhi Mudra Buddha

  • The gesture of Uttarabodhi Mudra Buddha signifies the attainment of the highest level of enlightenment.
  • The hand that is held at the heart, the index fingers that are touching and pointing up, and the remaining fingers that are intertwined are used to do it.
  • This mudra also denotes connecting oneself with divine universal energy.

Dhyan Mudra Buddha

  • Dhyana mudra is also known as Samadhi mudra or Yoga mudra because long before the Buddha, yogis used the Dhyana mudra throughout their concentration, healing, and meditation practices.
  • The Dhyana mudra is a hand position used during meditation to focus on the Good Law. The hands and fingers are arranged in the shape of a triangle, which represents the spiritual fire or the Triratna (the three jewels).
  • The hands and fingers 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).
  • Both the Amitabha Buddha and Sakyamuni Buddha are depicted using the Dhyana mudra.
  • In some depictions of Bhaisajyaguru as the Medicine Buddha, the Dhyana mudra may be applied while holding a medicine bowl in the hands. Most likely in the Gandhara region of India, it first appeared in China.
  • Dhyana Mudra is widely practiced in Southeast Asia in Theravada Buddhism, in which the thumbs are pressed against the palms.

Image: Dhyan Mudra

Anjali Mudra Buddha

  • Anjali mudra is also known as Namaskara mudra. It is an expression of welcoming, adoration, and prayer. Anjali in Sanksrit has different meanings.
  • These meanings could be for an offering, a sign of respect, or a greeting. It also means to honor or celebrate.
  • The Anjali Mudra is sometimes seen as the mudra of an offering or a sign of devotion. With the palms together, it is also a prayerful gesture.
  • Both hands are shown in the Anjali Mudra at the heart chakra, with the thumbs lightly resting against the chest.

Abhaya Mudra Buddha

  • In the Sanskrit language Abhaya means without fear.
  • The Abhaya mudra, stands for safety, tranquility, generosity, and the eradication of fear. Prior to the advent of Buddhism, the mudra was undoubtedly employed to approach strangers with good intentions and to offer friendship.
  • In Theravada Buddhism, it is typically made while standing with the left hand hanging down and the right hand raised to shoulder height with the arm bent, palm facing outward with the fingers straight and connected.
  • The deities of the northern schools of Mahayana Buddhism frequently combined it with another mudra made with the opposite hand.

Image: Abhaya Mudra

Karana Mudra Buddha

  • Karana mudra is a sacred Buddhist Mudra that focuses on removing barriers and fear. It relates to a protective motion meant to ward off evil and other harmful influences.
  • It promotes positive feelings like happiness and contentment while helping to eliminate all negative emotions like worry, fear, depression, etc. Therefore, the “gesture for warding off evil” is another name for the Karana mudra.
  • In this mudra, the right hand of the Buddha is extended either horizontally or vertically, with the palm pointing either forward or to the left. In order to make an oval shape, the middle finger is gradually curled downward till it meets the tip of the thumb.
  • While the index finger mudra and little fingers point straight up, the ring finger has a slight downward bend as well.
  • The thumb and middle finger, which serve as representations of the fire and ether elements in the body, respectively, are stimulated by this mudra.

Vajra Mudra Buddha

  • Buddhism uses the Vajra Mudra as a hand gesture to represent the harmony of all Buddhist teachings.
  • Vajra mudra is dedicated to the Vairochana Buddha, also known as the celestial Buddha who enlightens one’s perception of the outside world.
  • The five elements of air, water, fire, earth, and metal are represented in Vajra Mudra as a blazing thunderbolt. When doing it, a right fist is used, and the left-hand forefinger is inserted by enclosing it in the right fist with the right forefinger’s tip touching (or wrapped around) the tip of the left forefinger.

Vitarka Mudra Buddha

  • Vitarka Mudra symbolizes the Buddha’s dialogue and dissemination of his teachings.
  • It is also considered to be a hand gesture that summons the energy of sermons and conversations on spiritual principles, which may also include debates over conflicting perspectives.
  • These conversations could also resemble the verbal communication of a certain teaching.
  • The Abhaya Mudra and the Varada Mudra are quite similar to each other, with the exception that the Abhaya Mudra is performed with the thumbs touching the index fingers and the Varada Mudra with the other fingers remaining straight.
  • The thumb and index finger’s circle represent the continuous flow of energy and information.

Download the article on NCERT Notes on Ashoka – Life And Dhamma here!

Significance of Mudras of Lord Buddha
  • Buddha Mudras are significant hand positions used in Buddhist sculptures and structures all over the world.
  • They provide a simple explanation of the nature and purpose of the deities represented to the believers. Thus, mudras are hand motions that represent the manifestation of the divine.
  • They are also employed by monks in ceremonial meditation and concentration, where they are thought to produce powers that call upon the divine.
  • A mudra, however, is utilised to do more than only highlight and elucidate an esoteric ritual’s meaning.
  • Buddha Mudra lends meaning to a sculpture, a dance move, or a meditation stance, enhancing its impact. In its purest form, it is a mystical art of symbolical movements that allows invisible forces to interact with the physical world.
  • It is believed that the pattern of these ritualistic hand gestures may have eventually influenced the evolution of the mudras used in Indian classical dance.

Study in detail about the List of Classical and Folk Dance Forms in India with the linked article!

Conclusion

Buddhism is regarded as oldest religion in the world. The life of Lord Buddha is connected to the Buddhism doctrine. Buddha Mudra is also well-known. It is a symbol of the hand gestures used for yoga, rituals, meditation and peace in general.

Also check out the article on Jainism for UPSC preparation!

Previous Year UPSC Questions on Buddha Mudra

1.Lord Buddha’s image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called ‘Bhumisparsha Mudra’. It symbolizes (UPSC 2012)

  1. Buddha’s calling of the Earth to watch over Mara and to prevent Mara from disturbing his meditation
  2. Buddha’s calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara
  3. Buddha’s reminder to his followers that they all arise from the Earth and finally dissolve into the Earth, and thus this life is transitory
  4. Both the statements (a) and (b) are correct in this contex

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Buddha Mudra FAQs

Mudra refers to a position of hand that is often depicted in Buddhist art and employed in meditation to create a specific mental state.

There are 10 known Mudras of Lord Buddha. The 10 Mudras are: . Dharmachakra Mudra, Karana Mudra, Varada Mudra, Abhaya Mudra, Uttarabodhi Mudra, Anjali Mudra, Bhumisparsa Mudra, Dhyan Mudra, Uttarabodhi Mudra Buddha and Vajra Mudra Buddha.

The Dhyan Mudra is a hand gesture which is performed placing the right hand on top of the left hand, palms face up and thumbs lightly touching. In Dhyan Mudra the hands and fingers are arranged in the triangle shape.

The Lord Buddha's Uttarabodhi Mudra denotes achieving ultimate enlightenment by establishing a connection with almighty universal energy. It is performed with both hands, placed at the heart with the index fingers touching and pointing upward and the remaining fingers intertwined.

The Dharmachakra mudra is the gesture of Buddha. It is depicted in first sermon of Lord Buddha. Dharmachakra mudra denotes the turning of the wheel of Dharma.
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