Bhumisparsha means 'touching the earth'. It is more commonly
known as the 'earth witness' mudra. This mudra, formed with all five fingers of
the right hand extended to touch the ground, symbolizes the Buddha's
enlightenment under the bodhi tree, when he summoned the earth goddess,
Sthavara, to bear witness to his attainment of enlightenment.
The right hand, placed upon the right knee in earth-pressing
mudra, and complemented by the left hand-which is held flat in the lap in the
dhyana mudra of meditation, symbolizes the union of method and wisdom, samasara
and nirvana, and also the realizations of the conventional and ultimate truths.
It is in this posture that Shakyamuni overcame the obstructions of Mara while
meditating on Truth.
The second Dhyani Buddha, Akshobhya, is depicted in this
mudra. He is believed to transform the delusion of anger into mirror-like
wisdom. It is this metamorphosis that the Bhumisparsha mudra helps in bringing
about.
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