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Mudra
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A mudra (Sanskrit: ??????, lit. "seal") is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers. Mudra (Sanskrit) is "spiritual gesture" and energetic "seal of authenticity" employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions and Taoism.
>mudra (Devanagari: ??????, holds the semantic field: "seal"). The Japanese term is "in".
108 mudras are used in regular Tantric rituals.
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Encyclopedia
A mudra (Sanskrit: ??????, lit. "seal") is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers. Mudra (Sanskrit) is "spiritual gesture" and energetic "seal of authenticity" employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions and Taoism.
Nomenclature and etymology
A mudra (Devanagari: ??????, holds the semantic field: "seal"). The Japanese term is "in".
108 mudras are used in regular Tantric rituals. Mudras are also used in Indian Classical Dance. There are over 200 mudras in bharatanatyam and over 250 in mohiniattam.
Iconography
Mudra iconography of Hindu and Buddhist art of the Indian subcontinent, and described in the scriptures, such as Natyasastra that lists 28 ("separated", meaning "one-hand") and 24 ("joined", meaning "two-hand") mudras. Mudra positions are usually formed by both the hand and the fingers. Along with asanas ("seated postures"), they are employed statically in the meditation and dynamically in practice of Hinduism. Each mudra has a specific effect on the practitioner. Common hand gestures are to be seen in both Hindu and Buddhist iconography. In some regions, for example Thailand and Laos, these are different from each other but related iconographic conventions are used.
Vajrayana iconography
The 'symbolic bone ornaments' (Skt: ; Tib: rus pa'i rgyanl phyag rgya) are also known as "mudra" or 'seals'. The Hevajra Tantra identifies the Symbolic Bone Ornaments with the Five Wisdoms and Jamgon Kongtrul in his commentary to the Hevajra Tantra explains this further.
Common Buddhist mudras
Abhaya Mudra
The Abhaya mudra ("mudra of no-fear") represents protection, peace, benevolence, and dispelling of fear. In the Theravada it is usually made with the right hand raised to shoulder height, the arm bent and the palm facing outward with the fingers upright and joined and the left hand hanging down while standing. In Thailand and Laos this mudra is associated with the walking Buddha often shown having both hands making a double Abhaya mudra that is uniform. The mudra was probably used before the onset of Buddhism as a symbol of good intentions proposing friendship when approaching strangers. In Gandhara Art it is seen when showing the action of preaching and also seen in China during the Wei and Sui eras of the 4th and 7th centuries. The gesture was used by the Buddha when attacked by an elephant, subduing it as shown in several frescoes and scripts. In Mahayana the northern schools' deities often used it with another mudra paired with the other hand. In Japan when the Abhaya mudra is used with the middle finger slightly projected forward it is a symbol of the Shingon Sect. (Japanese: Semui-in; Chinese: Shiwuwei Yin)
Dharmachakra Mudra
The Dharmacakra mudra represents a central moment in the life of Buddha when he preached his first sermon after his Enlightenment, in Deer Park in Sarnath. Gautama Buddha is generally only shown making this mudra, save Maitreya as the dispenser of the Law. This Mudra position represents the turning of the wheel of the Dharma. Dharmacakra mudra is formed when two hands close together in front of the chest in Vitarka having the right palm forward and the left palm upward, sometimes facing the chest.
There are several variants such as in the frescoes of Ajanta, India 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 overlie the fingers joined to the thumb on the left hand. In pictorials of Horyu-ji in Japan the right hand is superimposed on the left. Certain figures of Amitabha, Japan are seen using this mudra before the 9th century. (Japanese: Tenborin-in, Chikichi-jo, Hoshin-seppo-in; Chinese: Juanfalun Yin)
Dhyana Mudra
The Dhyana mudra ("meditation mudra") is the gesture of meditation, of the concentration of the Good Law and the . The two hands are placed on the lap, right hand on left with fingers fully stretched and the palms facing upwards, forming a triangle, symbolic of the spiritual fire or the Triratna, the three jewels.
This mudra is used in representations of the Sakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha. Sometimes the Dhyana mudra is used in certain representations of as the Medicine Buddha, with a medicine bowl placed on the hands. It originated in India most likely in the Gandhara and in China during the Wei period. This mudra was used long before the Buddha as yogis have used it during their concentration, healing, and meditation exercises.
It is heavily used in Southeast Asia in Theravada Buddhism; however, the thumbs are placed against the palms. (Dhyana mudra is also known as Samadhi mudra or Yoga mudra; Japanese: Jo-in, Jokai Jo-in; Chinese: Ding Yin.)
Varada Mudra
The Varada mudra ("favourable mudra") signifies offering, welcome, charity, giving, compassion and sincerity. It is nearly always used with the left hand for those whom devote oneself to human salvation. It can be made with the arm crooked the palm offered slightly turned up or in the case of the arm facing down the palm presented with the fingers upright or slightly bent. The Varada mudra is rarely seen without using another mudra used by the right hand, typically with the Abhaya mudra. It is often confused with the Vitarka mudra, which it closely resembles. In China and Japan during the Wei and Asuka periods respectively the fingers are stiff and then gradually begin to loosen as it developed through time, eventually leading to the Tang Dynasty were the fingers are naturally curved. In India the mudra is used in images of Avalokitesvara from the Gupta Period of the 4th and 5th centuries. The Varada mudra is extensively used in the statues of Southeast Asia. (Japanese: Yogan-in, Segan-in, Seyo-in; Chinese: Shiynan Yin.)
Vajra Mudra
The Vajra mudra ("thunder mudra") is the gesture of knowledge. It is made making a fist with the right hand, index extending upward, and the left hand also making a fist and enclosing the index. A good example of the application of the Vajra mudra is the seventh technique (out of nine) of the Nine Syllable Seals, using the mudra with mantras in a ritual application. Here is a video of a Sanskrit prayer to set the mind in a sacred state, followed by a quick version of the kuji-in ritual, using the Japanese kanji pronunciation (Sanskrit mantras are usually offered to the serious seeker).
Vitarka Mudra
The Vitarka mudra ("mudra of discussion") is the gesture of discussion and transmission of Buddhist teaching. It is done by joining the tips of the thumb and the index together, and keeping the other fingers straight very much like Abhaya and Varada mudras but with the thumbs touching the index fingers. This mudra has a great number of variants in Mahayana Buddhism in East Asia. In Tibet it is the mystic gesture of Taras and Bodhisattvas with some differences by the deities in Yab-yum. (Vitarka mudra is also known as , Vyakhyana mudra ("mudra of explanation"); Japanese: Seppo-in, An-i-in; Chinese: Anwei Yin.)
Jnana Mudra
The Jñana mudra ("mudra of knowledge") is done by touching the tips of the thumb and the index together, forming a circle, and the hand is held with the palm inward toward the heart.
Karana Mudra
The Karana mudra is the mudra which expels demons and removes obstacles such as sickness or negative thoughts. It is made by raising the index and the little finger, and folding the other fingers. It is the same as the rude gesture known as corna in many western countries. (This mudra is also known as Tarjani mudra; Japanese: Funnu-in, Fudo-in)
Martial arts and mudra
Mudras are arm, hand and body positions used in the traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. The historic Buddha knew the use of mudras and is often depicted using these ritual gestures. Various Kung Fu forms contain positions identical to these mudras.
Muromoto (2003) in discussing his experience of mudra in relation to his martial arts training makes reference to Mikkyo, Tendai and Shingon:
One of the more curious things that I encountered in my martial arts training was the use of mudra in combative arts. Mudra (Japanese: in), for those who aren't familiar with them, are these weird hand gestures that are derived from esoteric Buddhism (mikkyo), particularly the Tendai and Shingon sects. These gestures are supposed to generate spiritual focus and power which then are manifested in some way externally.
Muromoto (2003) states a lineage of mudra in martial arts and evokes Koryu, Ryu, Kanto, Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, Risuke Otake and Donn F. Draeger:
In any case, I had known of the use of mudra in koryu ("old" martial arts) since the time I was privy to a discussion with the training master of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, Otake Risuke, and the late Donn F. Draeger. Otake sensei described some of the mudra used in his school, which is one of the oldest martial ryu still in existence in Kanto (Eastern) Japan.
In relation to charting a historical tributary to mudra within Japanese fighting culture, Muromoto (2003) incorporates Shinto, Samurai, Tokagawa government, Neo-Confucianism, Zen Buddhism, Kamakura period, Edo, Takuan and Hakuin:
The use of mudra and other aspects of mikkyo are found in many instances in many koryu, because mikkyo and Shinto were the religions of the samurai who founded those ryu that were created before the 1600s. Subsequent ryu developed after the imposition of the Tokugawa government were heavily influenced by Neo-Confucianism, and then later by Zen Buddhism. Although Zen was popularized among the warrior class in the Kamakura period, the 1300s, it did not greatly affect martial arts until the latter part of the Edo Period, with the writings of the Zen priests Takuan and Hakuin. And even at that, Edo Period (1600-1868) martial arts were equally influenced by Neo-Confucianism and even, in the latter part, mystical Shinto.
Muromoto (2003) textually maps the execution of the Shuto mudra:
Mikkyo uses mudra most often in combination with various rituals, chants and so on. One common mudra is that of the "knife hand," or shuto. The first two fingers are extended while the thumb and other fingers are clenched. If you look closely, you may see this movement subtlely hidden in some koryu kata, especially by old schools such as the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, or in statues of divine Buddhist beings. This represents the sword of enlightenment, which cuts away all delusions. Sometimes the tips of the extended fingers are grasped in the fist of the other hand. There is a symbolic meaning for this, derived from mikkyo.
Cross-cultural correlates
Jimmy Ramirez (2003) ventures that an informing cross-cultural correlate to Mudra as employed in martial arts is evidenced throughout the process of anchoring in Neuro-linguistic programming.
Dale Schusterman (2005) explores cross-culture phenomena cognate with Mudra.
The East Orthodox and Catholic sacraments and holy rites of Exorcism, creation of Holy Water, Consecration, Baptism, Eucharist and Benediction involve sacred gestures.
See also
Further reading
- Saunders, Ernest Dale (1985 ). Mudra: A Study of Symbolic Gestures in Japanese Buddhist Sculpture. Princeton University Press. ISBN13: 978-0-691-01866-9.
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