What is a Mudra and what do they mean? In Buddhist iconography the figures are illustrated or depicted with various hand gestures.  The symbolic hand gestures are called mudras.  What is the significance of a Buddhist mudra? What are the various meanings for different popular mudras?



Courtesy of Jordan



Courtesy of Asia Society
According to Dr. Robert Thurman:


  The mudra “is a sacred gesture symbolically expressing inner wisdom,
  or, in tantra, a female consort for yogic practices that harness
  sexual energies to the path.  Some of the main gestures we see in
  Tibetan images are abhaya, the gesture of fearlessness, the right
  hand held in from with open palm raised up: dana, the gesture of
  giving, the right hand held open and downward;
  dharmacakrapravartana, the teaching gesture, each hand held with thumb and index fingers touching and the other three fingers upraised,
  the two hands touching each other in front of the heart center;
  dhyāna, contemplation gesture, either one or both hands held flat in the lap; trisharana,  the Triple Refuge gesture, similar to the
  teaching gesture, with the emphasis on the three upraised fingers,
  representing the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; tarjanī, threatening
  gesture, with either hand held forward in a fist, the index and little
  fingers raised up; varada, boon-granting gesture, just like the
  giving gesture; and vitarka,  analytic or fine discernment gesture,
  like a one-handed teaching gesture, one hand held up with thumb and
  index finger forming a circle, the other three fingers raised up.” 1


Abhaya Mudra:



Courtesy of Acerca de Ernest Cappa

Dana Mudra:



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The righthand is in the dana mudra gesture.

Dharmacakrapravartana Mudra:



Courtesy of Acerca de Ernest Cappa

Dhyāna Mudra:



Courtesy of eric_m #dhyanamudra - Instagram

Tarjanī Mudra:



Courtesy of erinhosfield #tarjanimudra - Instagram

Varada Mudra:



Courtesy of buddhabe #vitarka

Right hand in varada mudra.

Vitarka Mudra:



Courtesy of buddhabe #vitarka


Mandala: The Architecture of Enlightenment by Leidy and Thurman pg 168