Archive for the ‘Spirituality’ Category
Known by many names, the ‘earth touching’ pose of the Buddha is the Bhumisparsha mudra, translates from Sanskrit to mean ‘touching the earth.’ A mudra is a motion or gesture of the hands and body to express a thought. Mudras are an important part of Buddhist meditation rituals. 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. 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. For this reason, the pose is also known as ‘Summoning the Earth Goddess to Witness.’
Buddha statues in the earth touching mudra have the right arm resting on the right knee with the fingers of the hand extended downward. The statue shows the Buddha with his left hand resting in his lap with the palm skyward in the meditation mudra (dhyana mudra). The combination of mudras is intended to symbolize the union of wisdom and method, Nirvana and Samasra. 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. In Buddhist folklore, Mara was viewed as everything from an all powerful demon to a gremlin-like 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. Akshobhya is a manifestation of strength, confidence and determination and the use of the Bhumisparsha mudra is a reflection of that. Akshobhya and Amithaba were the two Buddhas who represented wisdom and compassion respectively. The Buddhist theology evolved to include the Five Dhyani Buddhas who each represent an aspect of the Buddhist philosophy.
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 which also has reflective properties.
The simple beauty of this mudra is a welcome reminder that temptation can be confronted by strength.
{Buddhas come in many varieties and forms, and the uninitiated can be easily confused. Many westerners believe that the Budha is a jolly, fat man, but this a misconception created by the popularity of the Chinese “laughing Buddha.” He is not the historical buddha, but a chinese monk from the 10th century.}
Displaying a statue of Buddha can be used as both a decorative accent and an aid in meditation. Buddha statues are symbols of Buddhism’s founder Siddhartha Gautama whose journey of enlightenment became the basis of the Buddhist Faith . The objective of Buddhism is to achieve a state of enlightenment and reach Nirvana where all suffering ends. Achieving a state of Nirvana ends the cycle of death and rebirth. The Buddhist religion stresses mental discipline and the ability to follow the eight fold path as the key to achieving Nirvana.
Buddha statues come in a variety of poses and styles from the elegant style of the Buddha statues from Nepal and Tibet to the whimsical laughing Buddha also known as the happy Buddha. Earth touching, meditation, dispelling fear, ‘turning the Wheel of Dharma’ are just a few of the popular Buddha statue positions. Often the Buddha is seen sitting on a lotus flower to represent the divine birth and purity. One Buddhist quote suggests
In the Lotus Buddha statue the position of the hands or mudra position the fingers of the righ hand resting on the left hand. While the hands rest easily in the lap, the legs are folded in a crossed position. The left foot should be placed on the right with the bottom of the foot facing up and the right foot is placed on the left leg in the the same position. This position is commonly used for relaxation and meditation and is known the lotus position.
It’s quite common to the see a Buddha statue sitting atop a lotus flower in the meditation pose. Do you have a Buddha statue in your home? Examine the hands and posture of the Buddha. If the hands are folded in the lap and the feet are crossed with the balls of the feet pointed toward the sky, this is the lotus pose.