Dhyana Mudra

Dhyana Mudra (禅定印 / 禪定印), called the Meditation Mudra, it is the hand position the Buddha assumed when meditating under the Bodhi tree before attaining enlightenment or spiritual perfection and thus is considered the symbol of the attainment of spiritual perfection. Both hands are in his lap, right atop the left, palms upward and thumbs touching, a gesture denoting perfect physical and spiritual balance. The Chinese call this position the Hundred Billion Human Manifestations (Ch’ien Pai Yi Hua-shen) that was based upon Indian models carried to China through central Asia. Often the thumbs touch at the tips forming a triangle which symbolizes the Triratna or the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma (the Buddhas teachings) and the Sangha (the religious community of monks). It is the most represented pose in Mahayana Buddhism during the Ming through Qing dynasties. As the most revered bodhisattva, Guanyin is often shown in dhyana mudra.