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Dharma Focus
Mandala Mudra
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What does a
mandala mudra
represent?
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The mudra is a symbolic offering of the entire universe, with all the good things contained within. It is the highest ritual
expression of devotion in Buddhist tradition, and is offered to the enlightened Buddhas and teachers for the benefit of all
sentient beings.
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In this rather complex mudra, the ring
fingers of both hands are erected back-to-
back; both middle fingers are crossed
horizontally across the palms with the index
fingers curved backwards to press upon
their tips; both little fingers are crossed
horizontally across the palms with the
thumbs extended to press upon their tips.
This mudra depicts the tiered and tapering
structure of Mt. Meru and its surrounding
universe.
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What do each
pairs of fingers
represents?
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The two upward extended third fingers represent Mt. Meru; the crossed second and fourth fingers represent the four
continents surrounding Mt. Meru; and the thumbs and curved index fingers represent the great salt ocean surrounding
Mt. Meru.
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During the ritual of the mandala offering the practitioner's rosary is often coiled
within the palms and around the raised ring fingers to represent the seven
ranges of golden mountains and lakes that surround Mt. Meru.
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Offering of the mandala mudra is often done concurrently with recitation of the mandala offering prayer and the mental
visualisation of Mt. Meru and its surroundings.
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Our hands which have formed the mudra should
be raised before our chest or above. Visualise
Mt. Meru (the erected ring fingers) rises at the
Centre of our universe, with its four directional
faces (east: white; south: blue; west: red; north:
golden). Sun (northeast) and moon (southwest)
on the two sides of Mt. Meru, and surrounding it
are seven rings of golden mountains separated
by freshwater lakes, beyond which is the vast
circular expanse of the great salt ocean, the
edge is rimmed by a perimeter of iron-
mountains (edge of the universe).
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