Understanding the Buddha’s Earth Touching Mudra

Buddha Head

is translated from Sanskrit into ‘earth touching.’ A mudra is a [motion or gesture of the hands and body to express a thought or feelilng.|Mudras are gestures or motions of the hands and body used  to express a a thought or feeling without speech.]  the foundation of Buddhist meditation rituals.|Buddhist meditation rituals are based on the many different mudras.] The earth touching pose is most often seen in [statues of Buddha and is also referred to as the 'earth witness' mudra.|Buddha statues are often depicted in the earth touching mudra which is also known as 'the earth witness' position.]

The earth touching mudra [is performed by extending the five fingers of the right hand and placing them on the ground with the palm facing inward toward the body.|To perform this mudra, the hand is placed on the ground with all fingers touching. The palm faces inward.] symbolic of the moment when Buddha summoned the Earth goddess to witness the moment in which he achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.|It’s believed that Buddha assumed the earth touching position after he achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree to call the goddess Shthavra to witness the event.] Occassionally, you may see this mudra referred to as ‘Summoning the Earth Goddess to Witness.’

In the earth touching pose, the right arm rests on the right knee with the fingers extended downward. This position is one of the most common mudras seen in Buddha statues. The statue shows the Buddha with his left hand resting in his lap with the palm skyward in the meditation mudra (dhyana mudra). This is believed to symbolize the marriage of wisdom and method or Nirvana and Samasara. (Buddhist teachings tell the tale of how Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, assumed the earth touching pose to resist against the temptations and distractions of the demon Mara who sought to lure the Buddha from his spiritual life.|The teachings of the Buddhist faith speak of how the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, resisted the temptations of the demon Mara by taking the earth touching pose.] Mara existed in many incarnations in Buddhist lore, from all powerful, evil creature to impish nuisance. One story tells of how Mara summoned his daughter’s to seduce the Buddha and distract him from his spiritual journey. This has parallels to the mythology of other cultures, similar to Greek sirens.

The earth touching pose is associated with Akshobhya, one of the Five Great Buddhas. He is a representation of confidence, determination and strength relected in his depiction in the Bhumisparsha mudra (earth touching). The concept of the Five Great Buddhas was an evolution of the Buddhist theology. Initially only two existed, wisdom and compassion.

Akshobhya is the wise Buddha of the East, believed to possess a mirror-like wisdom that converts anger to wisdom. He is associated with the element water, mirror-like itself and symbolic of Akshobhya’s ability to help people see things as they truly are.

Display of an earth touching pose Buddha statue can be a prompt us to remember the Buddha’s resolve and need to channel our anger into wisdom.