Buddhist Iconography Identification Guide

3. Hand gestures (Sanskr. mudrā; Tib. phyag rgya)

Drawn by Vladimir Shustrov

As in the other tables, it was not our aim here to show all the gestures employed in the iconography of Northern Buddhism, first of all because minor differences are often neglected or, on the contrary, introduced by artists as elements of their own individual style. They are thus irrelevant for the identification of images. In making an identification, one should bear in mind that not all hand gestures are necessarily mudrās. They may be regarded as arbitrary if not specifically mentioned in the texts of sadhanas. The five main mudrās employed in the early Buddhist art of India are associated in Northern Buddhism with the iconography of the Five Tathagatas. Thus the earth-witness gesture is peculiar to Akṣobhya, the boon-granting gesture to Ratnasambhāva, the meditation gesture to Amitābha, the fearlessness gesture to Amoghasiddhi, and the teaching gesture to Vairocana.

In the profound and complex symbolism of the mudrās, the left hand is associated with Wisdom, the right hand with Method, and each finger with one of the five Tathāgatas. The hidden meaning of the mudrās differs significantly in various tantric systems and can hardly be analysed in a brief survey such as this. To simplify the morphological classification of gestures, we have introduced a two-figure numeration. Thus gesture 1.0 is the “principal” position of a hand, while gestures 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 share a certain affinity with the principal gesture, but are not always similar in meaning or name. We recommend that rare and unidentified gestures not included in the present table be correlated with a similar principal gesture and assigned the first available subordinate number.

1.0   1.1   1.2		1.0, 1.1, 1.2. The “meditation gesture” (Sanskr. dhyānamudrā, samādhimudrā, samāhitamudrā; Tib. bsam gtan gyi phyag rgya, ting nge ‘dzin gyi phyag rgya, mnyam par bzhag pa’i phyag rgya) has the same name irrespective of whether it is performed by one or both hands. In variety 1.2 the touching tips of the thumbs form a triangle, symbolizing the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Spiritual Community.
1.3		1.3. This gesture may be a variety of the “meditation gesture”.
1.4		1.4. Gesture symbolic of the Buddha’s alms bowl (Sanskr. buddhapātra) – cf. Table V, No. 1.
2		2.0. “Earth-touching” or “earth-witness” gesture (Sanskr. bhūmisparśamudrā; Tib. sa gnon), one of the most common mudrās in Buddhist iconography.
3.0		3.0. The “boon-granting gesture” (Sanskr. varadamudrā, dānamudrā; Tib. mchog sbyin phyag rgya) is also very common. It is usually made by the right hand, symbolic of Method, i.e., the first five Paramita perfections. A number of deities who perform this gesture, such as White Tara and Thousand-Armed Avalokiteśvara, have an eye in the palm of the right hand. Robert Beer writes that this is the “wisdom eye”, adding, as it were, the sixth Paramita to those symbolized by the five fingers.
4.0		4.0. “Protection-granting gesture” (Sanskr. śaraṇa, abhaya/-pradāna/; Tib. skyabs sbyin). In some cases, judging from textual and visual sources, this gesture is interpreted as a variety of 2.0. However, in the Tibeto-Mongolian tradition it is regarded as symbolic only of granting protection or refuge, a fact first noticed by Waddel and now supported by contemporary Buddhist scholars.
4.1		4.1. “Moving-hand gesture” (Sanskr. lolahasta). Characteristic only of standing figures, which distinguishes it from No. 4.2. Liebert writes that this gesture represents the movement of a hand while walking.
4.2		4.2. “Gesture of royal ease” or “sleeping-hand gesture” (Sanskr. nidrātahasta). In this gesture, the hand is placed flat on the ground or on a seat, often behind the back of the seated figure, and occasionally serves as a support for the figure. When the hand is placed on the knee, this gesture is called ūrusaṃsthitamudrā in Sanskrit and mthil pus mo'i steng du bzhag pa in Tibetan.
5.0		5.0. “Teaching gesture” (vyākhyānamudrā, vitarka, upadeśa, dharmadeśanamudrā; chos 'chad). According to some scholars the circle formed by the thumb and index finger in this gesture may be formed by the thumb and another finger, and the resulting gesture is sometimes called the “triangle position”. But to the best of our knowledge, the position in which the thumb touches the fourth finger (see No. 5.2) is never used as an independent mudrā; these fingers join only to hold a lotus or another attribute. At the same time, the position in which the thumb touches the middle finger, and the fourth finger is bent (see No. 5.1 and explanation), does resemble a triangle, but this appellation does not refer to other finger positions. Robert Beer, nonetheless, interprets this gesture as the mudrā of fearlessness or the “protection-granting” gesture (Tib. skyab sbyin gyi phyag rgya), but he does not cite any sources as a basis for his opinion.
5.1		5.1. “Three Jewels gesture” (Sanskr. triratnamudrā trikonamudrā; Tib. ba dan rtse gsum). The fingers making this gesture may hold the stem of a flower or remain empty, but this does not change the name of the gesture.
5.2		5.2. This gesture (Sanskr. khaṭakamudrā; Tib. mu sti dang 'dom na khu tshur 'dom med na ltag dbyung) is not, as far as we know, used independently; the thumb and fourth finger usually hold a lotus stem. The drawing is included in the table because the lotus stem is often barely discernible in icons, while bronze sculptures may lack this attribute as a result of damage. Hence gesture 5.2 has an important iconographic significance, indicating an absent or unnoticed attribute, most often the lotus flower.
5.3		5.3. “Gesture of wisdom” (Sanskr. jñānamudrā; Tib. ye shes kyi phyag rgya). Differs from No. 5.0 only in the position of the forearm.
5.4		5.4. “Gesture of reflection” (Sanskr. cinmudrā; Tib. bsam ра'i phyag rgya). The hand making this gesture is in position 3.0.
5.5a 5.5b		5.5. “Turning the Wheel of the Dharma” or “teaching” gesture (Sanskr. dharmacakrapravartanamudrā, vyākhyāna, bodhyaṅgī, dharmadeśanamudrā; Tib. chos 'chad). This is a complex gesture, usually combining gestures 5.0 and 5.3. The table includes only two varieties of this mudrā, while in reality there are many more. Dharmacakramudrā is one of the most common gestures.
5.6		5.6. Appellation undetermined. This gesture, peculiar to the Mahāsiddha Jalandhari, would seem to be a variety of No. 5.5.
6.0		6.0. “Threatening gesture” (Sanskr. (śānta?) tarjanīmudrā; Tib. zhi ba'i sdigs mdzub), very much like the gesture of shaking one’s finger at a child. Lavrov, however, calls this gesture a variety of the “wisdom gesture” (No. 5.3), considering the threatening gesture to be more energetic, with the index finger absolutely straight.
6.1 6.2		6.1, 6.2. “Attacking gesture” (Sanskr. tarjanīmudrā; Tib. sdigs mdzub). In this gesture the extended fingers point upwards or at the “enemy”. One should remember that in Buddhism the word enemy refers to a clouded state of mind induced by the “five poisons” – ignorance, desire, hatred, etc. Misunderstanding concerning this point often results in a misinterpretation of the function that wrathful deities serve in Buddhist iconography. Fingers making the attacking gesture often hold a noose (see Table V, 142A). Researchers unanimously call this gesture karaṇa-mudrā (Sanskr. karaṇamudrā), obviously following the tradition of Indian dance, but in Buddhist Sanskrit and Tibetan texts such a position of the fingers symbolizes a wrathful threat and is known as tarjanīmudrā or sdigs mdzub, respectively. It is in this sense that gesture 6.1/6.2 is treated by contemporary Tibetan Buddhists, who understand it as a more aggressive variety of gesture 6.0. In some cases, it is difficult to distinguish 6.2 from 5.1. This task is made easier if we bear in mind the symbolic meaning of the gestures: gesture 5.1 symbolizes the Buddhist Teaching of the Three Jewels and is characteristic only of peaceful deities, whereas the attacking gesture is made exclusively by wrathful deities (see Table I, Nos. 5A, 5B).
7.0		7.0. The “refuge-granting gesture” (Sanskr. abhayamudrā; Tib. skyabs sbyin phyag rgya), judging from its name, is identified in the Tibetan iconographic tradition with 4.0. This gesture is one of the most common in Buddhist iconography.
8.0		8.0. “Buddhist monk’s gesture” or gesture of profound veneration of the Buddha (Sanskr. buddhaśramaṇamudrā, buddhapraṇāmamudrā; Tib. sangs rgyas rab tu 'dud pa'i phyag rgya).
8.2		8.2. This gesture (Sanskr. tripaṭākamudrā, pravartitahastamudrā; Tib. phyag 'tshal ba'i tshul gyi phyag rgya) is made, for instance, by Bhrikuti. Buddhist teachers are sometimes shown with the right hand raised in a very special way, as if preparing to clap their hands, i.e., to make the ritual debate gesture.
9.0 9.1		9.0, 9.1. “Veneration gesture” (Sanskr. añjalimudrā, namaskāramudrā; Tib. thal sbyar bа'i phyag rgya, lag pa kha sbyar ba'i phyag rgya). Shows veneration of a deity or respected person.
9.0A 9.0B		9.0A and 9.0B are varieties of the veneration gesture. The first is known as vajra-añjali (Sanskr. vajrāñjalimudrā; Tib. rdo rje’i thal sbyar) – and the second as samputa-añjali (Sanskr. sampuṭāñjalimudrā; Tib. kha sbyor ba’i thal sbyar).
9.2		9.2. This gesture is performed by Vairocana (see 3, 61), who is usually depicted making gesture 9.3. According to Loden Sherab Dagyab, the present image is a mistake of the artist.
9.3 9.4		9.3 and 9.4 are two varieties of the “ultimate enlightenment gesture” (Sanskr. uttarabodhimudrā; Tib. byang chub mchog gi phyag rgya).
9.5		9.5. Another variety of Vairocana’s gesture, known as the “attainment of enlightenment” (Sanskr. bodhyaṅgāmudrā; Tib. byang chub thob pa'i phyag rgya).
9.6		9.6. “Sprinkling gesture” (Sanskr. kṣepaṇamudrā; Tib. chu btabs pa'i phyag rgya, btabs pa'i phyag rgya). When sprinkling, the fingers are lowered into a vessel filled with the “nectar of immortality” (Sanskr. amṛta; Tib. bdud rtsi).
10.0		10.0. “HŪṂ gesture” (Sanskr. hūṃkāramudrā, vajrahūṃkāramudrā; Tib. hum byed pa'i (las kyi) phyag rgya, rdo rje hum byed pa'i (las kyi) phyag rgya). As a rule, when making this gesture, the right hand holds a vajra and the left hand holds a ritual bell (see Table V, 38, No. 161).
10.1		10.1. A gesture especially characteristic of Bhūṭaḍāmara Vajrapāṇi and Trailokyavijaya and named after these yidams (Sanskr. bhūṭaḍāmaramudrā, trailokyavijayamudrā; Tib. byung bo 'dul byed kyi phyag rgya, khams gsum mam rgyal gyi phyag rgya).
10.2		10.2. Appellation undetermined. The gesture is performed by the four wrathful yidams depicted in an edition of the Mongolian Kanjur. Loden Sherab Dagyab is inclined to regard these images as a mistake of the artist.