Question

Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called 'Bhumisparsha Mudra'. It symbolises ___________.

• A. Buddha's calling of the Earth to watch over Mara and to prevent Mara from disturbing his mediation
• B. Buddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara
• C. Buddha's reminder to his followers that they all arise from the Earth and finally dissolve into the Earth and thus this life is transistory
• D. Both the statements 'a' and 'b' are correct in this context

Answer 1

The correct option is B Buddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara

Bhumisparsha Mudra gesture represents the moment of the Buddha's awakening as he claims the earth as the witness of his enlightenment.

Just before he realized enlightenment, it is believed that the demon Mara tried to frighten him with the armies of demons and monsters including his daughters who tried to tempt him to get out of meditation under the Bodhi tree. While the demon king Mara claimed the throne of enlightenment for himself, his demon army claimed to be the witness for Mara's enlightenment.

Upon challenge from Mara, Prince Siddhartha reached his hand out to reach the earth for the witness. That was the moment of Buddha's Awakening.

Hence, it is believed that the Bhumisparsha Mudra, or "the earth witness" mudra commemorates the Buddha's victory over the temptation by the demon-king Mara.