Guneeta Chadha

Unit-iv, B.A.III

Mudras are symbolic gestures used in art.

These symbolic hand gestures were predominantly used in Hinduism and Buddhism.

It is a ‘Spiritual gesture’. It is an iconography used in Indian

religious practices, Indian sculpture, painting and also in Indian classical Dance.

Mudra iconography of Hindu and

Buddhist art of Indian Sub-continent is

described in the ancient Indian scripture

NATYASHASTRA written by the sage

Bharata Muni.

This scripture lists some 28 mudras of

one hand called as the “ASAYUTA” and

24 mudras of both the hands called as the

“SAYUTA”.

Mudras are symbolic gestures, used symbolically in Buddha images and in practice to evoke particular ideas or buddhas in the mind during Buddhist meditation or ritual.

Like symbols held by saints in Christian art or by gods in Hindu art, Buddhist mudras indicate the identity of a Buddha or a particular scene being depicted.

Mudras are also used in ritual meditation, especially in Tibetan Buddhism, to generate forces that invoke a particular Buddha or deity.

While there are a large number of

esoteric mudras, there are ten main ones,

of which five are most commonly used in

Buddha images. Each of the Five Dhyani

Buddhas is assigned one of the five

mudras, with which they are invariably

depicted in art.

Mudra positions are generally found by

both the hands and fingers.

Mudras have a specific meaning.

Follow a link below to learn more about each of the five main mudras and see examples of Buddha images

featuring those mudras.

Abhaya Mudra (Fearlessness) The gesture of fearlessness and protection, representing spiritual power. This mudra is most often seen in standing Buddhas.

Bhumisparsha Mudra (Earth Witness) The gesture of "earth witness," which the Buddha is said to have made at the time of his Enlightenment.

Dharmachakra Mudra (Wheel Turning) The gesture of "wheel-turning" or the turning of the wheel of the dharma, representing the Buddha's teachings.

Dhyana Mudra (Meditation) The gesture of meditation.

Varada Mudra (Gift Giving) The gesture of gift-giving or bestowal.

The Abhaya mudrā ("mudrā of no-fear") represents protection, peace, benevolence, and dispelling of fear. Eg. “Buddha subduing the mad elephant “, relief sculpture, Gandhara Art.

In the Theravāda, 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 mudrā is associated with the walking Buddha, often shown having both hands making a double Abhaya mudrā that is uniform. The mudrā was probably used before the onset of Buddhism as a symbol of good intentions proposing friendship when approaching strangers. In Gandhāra art, it is seen when showing the action of preaching. It was also used 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 Mahāyāna, the northern schools' deities often paired it with another mudrā using the other hand.

This gesture calls upon the earth to witness Shakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. A seated figure's right hand reaches toward the ground, palm inward.

“EARTH-TOUCHING MUDRA” depicts Buddha as taking the earth as a witness. It symbolizes with the right hand touches the ground with fingertips near the right knee, extended or with only the pointing down with the left hand commonly resting on the lap with palm facing up.

The Dharmacakra mudrā represents a central moment in the life of Buddha when he preached his first sermon after his Enlightenment, in Deer Park in Sarnath. In general, only Gautama Buddha is shown making this mudrā, save Maitreya as the dispenser of the Law. This mudrā position represents the turning of the wheel of the Dharma. Dharmacakra mudrā 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 where the two hands are separated, and the fingers do not touch. In the Indo-Greek style of Gandhāra the clenched fist of the right hand seemingly overlie the fingers joined to the thumb on the left hand.

It is the gesture of meditation. In this mudra, the back of the right hand

rests on the palm of the other in such a way that the tip of the thumb lightly touches the other hand.

The hand rests in the lap. The right hand resting on top ,

symbolizes the state of enlightenment; the other hand, resting below, the world of appearance.

This gesture expresses overcoming the

world of appearance through

enlightenment, as well as the enlightened

state of mind for which samsara and

nirvana are one.

In a special form of this mudra, the

middle, ring, and the little fingers of both

the hands lie on top one another and the

thumbs and the index fingers of each

hand, touching each other, form a circle,

which also symbolizes the world of

appearances and the true nature of reality.

It is a gesture of teaching. The right hand points upward, the left

downwards; both palms are turned outward. The thumb and the index finger of each hand

form a circle. The right hand is at the shoulder level, the left

hand at the level of the hips. In a further form of this mudra, the index finger

and the little fingers of both the hands are fully extended, the middle and the ring fingers somewhat curved inward. The left hand points upward, the right downward.

The palms are held together at the level

of the chest.

This is the customary gesture of greeting

in India.

Used as a mudra, it expresses “suchness”

which is (Tahata)

Postures are relatively the position of the body:

They are controlled movement of the limbs, due to which the body is in control.

The posture or the asana, generally are understood with reference to the gestures.

The Indian Vedic texts have detailed information on the asanas. As per the ancient Vedic texts, Asana is a posture on which one realises a certain neutrality of the sense, consciousness is no longer troubled by the senses of the body.

PADMA ASANA- ( Lotus Posture) This posture is formed by crossing the legs

and bringing each foot on the opposite thigh.

The left foot presses over the right thigh, while the right leg is placed on the left thigh.

This pose is characteristic of the yogi. It is favorable to meditation and ascetic

concentration. In Indian Art until the end of Gupta period this was the historical attitude of the seated statue.

VIRASANA- ( Half Lotus Posture) This posture is formed by placing the right

foot on the left foot which rests on the earth instead of the thighs.

This indicates the right path. Right foot indicates the “Right” i.e. correct

path and left foot indicates a wrong path or bad path.

It is considered that Lord Buddha taught this asana to Bodh Bhiksukhas for special purposes.

Sitting in this posture also indicates and symbolizes the success of good over evil.

SUKHASANA- (Lalitasana)

It is the asana with a position of ease or

comfort.

In this posture one leg remains bent, the

other is pendent or hanging from the

seat.

LILASANA-

This posture is of royal pleasure.

In this one knee remains bent in the same

way, but the other is raised and supports

the corresponding arm.

The foot of this raised leg rests near the

thigh of the other leg, the knee of the

raised leg come at the level of the chest.

The hand of arm corresponds with the

raised leg hangs over the knee, the body

slightly backwards and the other arm

supports the body.

The Buddha may be depicted in one of four postures:

Sitting: If seated, the Buddha may be shown in one of three different positions

In the "heroic posture" (vīrāsana), with the legs folded over each other

In the "adamantine posture" (vajrāsana), with the legs crossed so that the soles of both feet are turned up

In the position of a person sitting in a chair (pralambanāsana) Standing: If standing, the Buddha may be shown either with his

feet together, or with one foot forward Walking Reclining: The reclining posture may represent the Buddha resting

or sleeping, but more usually represents the mahāparinabbāna: the Buddha's final state of enlightenment before his death

Movement is one of the most difficult

thing to convey in painting and sculpture.

If we look at the history of Indian art, the

Indian images both in painting and

sculpture are of two types:

STATIC- ( At rest)

DYNAMIC –(Moving)

These could be sitting, standing or

reclining.

SAMABHANGA ABHANGA TRIBHANGA ATIBHANGA

Samabhanga- In this attitude the left and

the right halves of the figure are shown in symmetrical patterns, whether standing or seated figure is poised without inclining to the right or left.

Abhanga-

In this attitude, half of the figure is

inclined slightly to right or left without

changing very much.

The lower half of the body is poised or in

samabhanga.

Tribhanga-

In this attitude the lower limbs upto the

hips are inclined to the left, while neck

and head lean to the right or the reserve

arrangement of the same.

Attibhanga- In this attitude, the sweeping curve to the

right or left, backward or forward. The lower limbs are also bent as stretched side ways or forward to show dynamic movement.

To achieve movement in drawing and painting, sculpture, the artist needs to harness their skills in drawing and practice in rendering of techniques.

Here are some important points to observe to capture the movement in art:

Careful observation of the subject to be drawn ( whether real or imaginary)

Carefully observe and understand the basic movement.

Work out how the balance changes during the course of the whole movement.

Set down the basic action in lines- be fluid and don’t work in a very tight and controlled way.

Thus we can say with certainty that gestures convey the meaning with the use of the posture which brings out the clarity of the form and the rhythm through the movement.

Each compliments the other and one is incomplete without the other, rather it is more appropriate if we say that GESTURE, POSTURE and MOVEMENT convey the essence of life, the emotions, the feelings in art through them.

THANK YOU