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Interpretation of Hand Signsin Buddhist Art

Ahmer K. Ghori, BA, Kevin C. Chung, MD

From the University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Section of Plastic Surgery,Department of Surgery, The University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI.

Hand signs (called mudras in Sanskrit) play an important role in Buddhist art. They representspecific events from the life of Sidharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. These eventssymbolize moral principles important to the discipline. There are six important hand signs: (1)dhyana mudra, (2) varada mudra, (3) abhaya mudra, (4) vitarka mudra, (5) dharmachakramudra, and (6) bhumispara mudra. The use of these hand signs was popularized by Buddhistuniversities in India around the 4th or 5th century AD. This paper will examine the symbolismbehind the six main hand signs and reveal their message, which will be valuable for modernsociety. (J Hand Surg 2007;32A:918–922. Copyright © 2007 by the American Society forSurgery of the Hand.)Key words: Buddha, Buddhist art, hand, mudra, signs.

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he popular proverb “you don’t value what youhave until it is gone” is especially applicableto the human use of hands in nonverbal com-

unication. We use our hands to express a widepectrum of emotions, yet we are not always con-cious of it. A mother may calm her crying child byimply patting his or her back or reprimand a mis-hievous one by raising her finger. A lost tourist mayake a questioning gesture as helpful locals calm

im with a simple touch. People may start relation-hips with a simple handshake or end them with aoodbye wave. The use of hands in nonverbal com-unication is not specific to the modern age. Hand

estures in Buddhist art symbolize stories that impartore moral principles of the discipline. This paperill examine hand postures in Buddhist art to reveal

heir meaning for the betterment of human kind.Sidharta Gautama founded Buddhism in the 6th

entury BC.1 He had a privileged birth as a prince ofhe Sakya tribe in 556 BC in Lumbini (modern Ne-al).1 When Gautama was an infant, a priest is said toave noticed “32 auspicious signs” that predicted heould either become a powerful king or an ascetic.1

o deter Gautama from becoming an ascetic, hisather prevented him from witnessing any humanuffering and surrounded him with pleasures. How-ver, at the age of 29, Gautama ventured beyond theonfines of his palace and witnessed an old man, a

ick man, and a dead man.2 This exposure to suffer-

18 The Journal of Hand Surgery

ng motivated him to abandon his luxurious lifestyleo search for the meaning of life. He gave up allorldly pleasures and meditated under a tree in Gaya

modern Benares, India) until he attained bodhi (aanskrit term that means “enlightenment”).1 After

his incident, Gautama is addressed as the Buddha“enlightened one”) in Buddhist philosophy.

The Buddha shared his enlightenment with people,nd his teachings form the core of Buddhist philos-phy. Early Buddhist artists believed that because theuddha had passed on, he should not be represented

n earthly forms.3 Therefore, symbols such as charkawheel), footprint, halo, umbrella, lotus, and treeere used to depict the Buddha.3 However, Bud-hism evolved to be less monastic and attracted newollowers. This mass appeal created a need for im-ges of the founder, and artists started to representhe Buddha in human forms.3 Statues of the Buddhaecame important, and his hand signs became theedium of conveying important moral lessons.

and Signs in Buddhist Artands have symbolic meaning in Buddhism. Gener-

lly, each finger of the hand is associated with aatural element as follows4:

Thumb: waterIndex finger: spaceMiddle finger: earthRing finger: fire

Little finger: air

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Ghori and Chung / Hand Signs in Buddhist Art 919

Contact between fingers signifies union of differ-nt elements. This union reflects the Buddhist beliefhat all matter is composed of varying proportions ofhe five basic elements. The right hand is symbolicor male quality, which in Buddhism is the ability too physical work.4 The left hand is symbolic for theemale quality of wisdom.4 Contact between rightnd left hands represents a union of the “active malespect” with the “contemplative female aspect.”4

The Buddha’s hand gestures are called mudras,hich means “seal, mark or sign” in Sanskrit.4 Mu-ras are used to represent specific events from theuddha’s life that illustrate key principles of Bud-hism.5 Their systematic use did not emerge in Bud-hist art until the 4th or 5th century AD.5 Initially,here was a single “general purpose” mudra.5 In thisesture, the right hand is at shoulder level and thealm faces out with fingers slightly bent. This wassed to symbolize all events in the Buddha’s life:reaching sermons, blessing people, and so forth.5

ith artistic evolution, new mudras were incorpo-ated. Eventually, six important mudras were attrib-ted to the Buddha.5 These are:

. Dhyana mudra

. Varada mudra

. Abhaya mudra

. Vitarka mudra

. Dharmachakra mudra

igure 1. (A) Dhyana mudra. (B) Buddha statue in dhyanaudra. (C) Buddha statue in dhyana mudra, Phra Pathomhedi style.

. Bhumispara mudra M

hyana Mudran this pose, the Buddha sits with hands in his lap.is palms face up with fingers extended and touching

ach other (Fig. 1A).5 The Buddha is said to have satn this position while meditating for enlightenment.e swore that “even if my flesh and blood should beried up, and there should only be left one vein andne nerve, unless I receive supreme knowledge, Iill not leave this couch.”5 This mudra empoweredim to overcome worldly temptations and he wasble to attain bodhi. Therefore, Dhyana mudra rep-esents disciplining the mind through meditationFig. 1B, C).4 The right hand always rests on top ofhe left hand.4 This means that male skillful qualitiesright hand) are supported by the female quality ofisdom (left hand).4

arada Mudran this pose, the palm is held out and fingers looselyang down (Fig. 2A).5 The right hand is usually used

igure 2. (A) Varada mudra. (B) Buddha statue in varadaudra, Gupta style, found at Sarnath, India. (C) Buddha

tatue in varada mudra, found in Nakhon Pathom, National

useum Bangkok.

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920 The Journal of Hand Surgery / Vol. 32A No. 6 July/August 2007

or this gesture.5 The Buddha initially resorted toxtreme self-denial in his quest for enlightenment.1

ater he gave this up for a middle path. Upon re-ouncing self-denial, the Buddha accepted gifts inhe form of “rice pudding”5 for food and “eightundles of newly cut grass”5 for a seat. He is said toave used this hand position to accept these gifts.herefore, varada mudra represents generosity (Fig.B, C).4 The five fingers of the right hand representenerosity, morality, patience, energy, and concen-ration.4 The center of the palm represents wisdom.4

bhaya Mudran this pose, the palm is held outward and fingers arextended up (Fig. 3A).5 It is usually made with theight hand.5 This mudra represents various eventshen the Buddha averted calamities.5 For example,e is said to have used this gesture to prevent hiselatives from fighting over water rights, to stop aood, or to stop a charging animal. The abhayaudra represents absence of fear and protection (Fig.

B, C).4 In many statues, the hand is elevated to the

igure 3. (A) Abhaya mudra. (B) Tenth to 12th century Songynasty Buddha in abhaya mudra. (C) Buddha in abhaya

iudra.

hest level, and this is supposed to mean that bless-ngs and protection come directly from the Buddha’seart.

itarka Mudran this pose, the thumb touches the index fingerorming a circle and the other fingers are extended upFig. 4A).5 This mudra is attributed to occasionshere the Buddha taught correct ways in life5; for

xample, the first time the Buddha explained the fouroble truths and the miracle at Sravasti where heevealed his divine form to skeptics. Therefore, theitarka mudra represents giving instruction (Fig. 4B,).4 Initially, it was depicted using the right hand,ut since the 8th century AD, it has also been shownith the left hand.

harmachakra Mudran this pose, the index finger and thumb form a circle

igure 4. (A) Vitarka mudra.(B) Phra Pathom Chedi Buddhan vitarka mudra. (C) Seventh to 11th century Dvaravati styleuddha in vitarka mudra.

n both hands (Fig. 5A).5 Then the left hand is placed

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Ghori and Chung / Hand Signs in Buddhist Art 921

n the palm of the right hand. The right palm facesut, whereas the left palm faces in. In some statues,he hands are raised to chest level. This gestureepresents the important discourses from the Bud-ha’s life.5 For example, the Buddha’s discourses inarnath, Ragagriha, and Sravasti. The circles formedy the index finger and thumb represent knowledge.4

he use of circles to symbolize knowledge impliesnce one attains knowledge, he or she is obligated tohare it with others. The orientation of the palmsymbolizes two different ways Buddhist philosophyay be transmitted: (1) The outward-facing right

alm represents imparting Buddhist teachings on oth-rs; (2) the inward facing left palm symbolizes self-ealization of Buddhist principles.4 The placement ofhe left hand on top of the right hand symbolizes thenterdependence of wisdom (left hand) and physicalbility (right hand) (Fig. 5B).4

humispara Mudran this pose, the right hand hangs down and thengers touch the ground (Fig. 6A).5 The left hand

igure 5. (A) Dharmachakra mudra. In this mudra, the indexnger and thumb form a circle in both hands. Then the rightand, with its circle, is placed on the left hand. Therefore, theircle formed by the left hand may be partially covered. (B)uddha in dharmachakra mudra.

sually rests in the lap.5 This mudra symbolizes the B

ccasion when the Buddha was tempted by a demonamed Mara while he was meditating for enlighten-ent.5 She offered him “riches, power, sensual plea-

ures” to break his concentration.5 The Buddhaought these temptations and used this hand sign tonvoke Sthavara, the goddess of Earth, to bear wit-ess to his will power.5 Therefore, this gesture sym-olizes the power of concentration over worldlyemptations (Fig. 6B, C).4

iscussionhe use of hand signs, or mudras, became important

n Buddhist art around the 4th or 5th century AD.5

hey represent specific events from the Buddha’s lifehat teach important principles. Their origin can beraced to a general-purpose mudra that evolved intoix main mudras. The use of these mudras was pop-larized by Indian Buddhist universities, and Na-anda was an important one of these universities.uddhism began to spread out of India and this

nfluenced Buddhist art.4 Chinese pilgrims visited

igure 6. (A) Bhumispara mudra. (B) Fifteenth century Suko-hai Buddha in bhumispara mudra. (C) Bhumispara mudra

uddha at Wat Mahathat, Sukothai Historical Park.

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922 The Journal of Hand Surgery / Vol. 32A No. 6 July/August 2007

ndian Buddhist centers as early as the 4th centuryD.4 Thailand and Cambodia were exposed to Bud-hism by Indian missionaries in the 6th century AD.4

uddhism was introduced to Tibet by trade contactsith Nepal and China in the the 7th century AD.4

apan started accepting Buddhism around AD 552.4

hese countries generally adopted the six main mu-ras and introduced new mudras to reflect theirnique artistic and social traditions. For example,hailand introduced the concept of a mudra for everyay of the week.5 Despite new additions, the six mainudras predominate in statues throughout the Bud-

hist world.Hand gestures are equally important in Bud-

hism as they are to us today. For example, just asmother may calm her baby with her hands, the

bhaya mudra calms millions of Buddhists seekingodhi (enlightenment) and nirvana (peace). These of hands to comfort each other, express emo-ions, symbolically relate stories or moral princi-les is a timeless phenomenon. The principles im-arted promote peace and fraternity amongumans, and we can learn from them to halt theenseless violence and cycles of human tragedy

hat pervade our world.

eceived for publication February 21, 2007; accepted in revised formarch 7, 2007.No benefits in any form have been received or will be received fromcommercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this

rticle.Corresponding author: Kevin C. Chung, MD, Section of Plastic Sur-

ery, University of Michigan Health System, 2130 Taubman Center,500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-0340; e-mail:ecchung@umich.eduCopyright © 2007 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand0363-5023/07/32A06-0026$32.00/0doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2007.03.006

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