SESSION 6 - Mudrā / Seals

DESCRIPTION

Mudrā is the name given to a broad array of hand gestures and body postures found in Buddhist art and used in Vajrayana practice, often with accompanying mantra recitations. The term means ‘seal’ or ‘lock,’ which is traditionally understood as an energetic ‘seal’ that retains and redirects life-force energy.

Suggested Reading

Saunders, E. Dale. Mudrā: A Study of Symbolic Gestures in Japanese Buddhist Sculpture. Princeton University Press, 1985.

Rambach, Pierre. The Secret Message of Tantric Buddhism. Rizzoli International Publications, 1979.

Menen, Rajendar. The Healing Power of Mudras: The Yoga of the Hands. Pustak Mahal, 2004.

PART ONE: Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Mudrās

Descriptive = Mudrās represented in art and iconography, used to communicate information, describe events, and to differentiate personages.

Prescriptive = Hand and body gestures performed by practitioners themselves, in rituals and/or to produce specific effects.

PART TWO: Lower body Mudrās (a.k.a. āsana)

Padmāsana - ’Lotus Posture’ a.k.a. ‘Full Lotus’ = both legs crossed

Vajrāsana - ’Vajra Posture’ = Full Lotus but both legs are crossed tightly against the stomach

Vīrāsana - ’Hero Posture’ a.k.a. ‘Half Lotus’ = right foot on left thigh

PART THREE: Hand Mudrās

Introduction to correspondence theory - “So as above, so below”

FINGER CORRESPONDENCES

PRINCIPAL GESTURES

• Namaskarmudrā - ‘Prayer’ / ‘Salutation’

• Abhyamudrā - Gesture of Fearlessness

• Varamudrā - Gesture of Giving (’Fulfilling the Vow’)

• Bhūmisparśamudrā - Earth-Touching Gesture

• Dhyānamudrā - Gesture of Meditation

1. Additional ‘esoteric’ dhyāna mudrās

• Vitarkamudrā - Gesture of Reasoning

• Dharmacakramudrā - ‘Turning the Dharma Wheel’

PART THREE: Esoteric Mudrās

• Vajramudrā - The Vajra Fist - (’Union of Dualities’)

• Abhiṣeka Mudrā - Used during ritual anointment/baptism

• ‘Three Mysteries’ Mudrā - associated with Vairocana

• Ksepana Mudrā - ‘Sprinkling’ the Elixir of Immortality (amṛta)

• Vajrahūṃkāra Mudrā - Vajra ‘hūṃ’ Deed - associated with Vajrasattva The right hand holds a Vajra Bolt, the left holds a Vajra Bell

• This is the mudrā of Trailokyavijayarāja (’Victor over the Triple World’)

PART FOUR: Healing Mudras

Some examples of healing mudras from Menen, Rajendar. The Healing Power of Mudras: The Yoga of the Hands. Pustak Mahal, 2004.

• ‘Asthma’ Mudra = nails of the middle fingers pressed together.

• ‘Hearing’ Mudra (Shunya) = Middle finger touching the ball of the thumb, thumb pressing down. Done with both hands, for improved hearing.

• ‘Back’ Mudra = Thumb, middle, and little finger of right hand brought together. Thumb joint pressed on the nail of the index finger of left hand. For backache.

• ‘Allergy’ Mudra (Bhramara) = Index finger in the fold of the thumb, with tip of thumb on the side of the middle finger. Done with both hands, for allergy relief.

• ‘Mucous’ Mudra (Varuna) = Little finger of right hand is bent to touch ball of right thumb. Right thumb then presses down on little finger. Left thumb is used to lightly press right thumb down. Used for excess mucous.

• ‘Flatulence’ Mudra (Vayu) = Bend index finger of both hands to touch ball of thumb, then press down with thumb. Eliminates flatulence.

• ‘Contemplation’ Mudra (Hakini) = Tips of all fingers touch. Good for contemplation and memory.