Bhūmisparśamudrā
bhūmisparśamudrā (T. sa gnon gyi phyag rgya; C. chudi yin; J. sokujiin; K. ch’okchi in 觸地印). Literally, “mudra of touching the earth”, or "earth-touching mudra". This mudrā is formed by the right hand touching the ground with extended fingers, usually across the right knee, while the left hand remains resting in the lap.[1]
This is the most common mudrā depicted in seated images of Buddha Shakyamuni.[1]
This mudra recalls the moment from the Buddha's life-story just prior to when Buddha attained enlightenment. According to the traditional story, the Buddha was sitting under the Bodhi tree on the verge of attaining enlightenment, when he was challenged by Mara, who claimed that he had no right to occupy that spot. In response to Mara, Buddha touched the ground, and the goddess of the earth (Sthāvarā) appeared to bear witness to the Buddha's practice of virtue over many lifetimes.[1][2]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. bhūmisparśamudrā.
- ↑ Vessantara, Meeting the Buddhas: A Guide to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tantric Deities, pp. 74-76, 1993, Windhorse Publications, ISBN 0904766535, 9780904766530, google books
Sources
Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University
