2/8/23, 2:09 PM Abhayamudra - Wikipedia

Abhayamudra
The Abhayamudrā "gesture of fearlessness"[2] is a mudrā (gesture) that is the gesture
of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in
Buddhism and other Indian religions. The right hand is held upright, and the palm is
facing outwards.[3] This is one of the earliest mudrās found depicted on a number of
Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh images.

The abhayamudrā ( 施無畏印 ) represents protection, peace, benevolence and the

dispelling of fear. The Hindu god Nataraja is depicted with the second right hand
making the Abhaya Mudra, bestowing protection from both evil and ignorance to those
who follow the righteousness of dharma. In Theravada Buddhism, it is usually made
with the right hand raised to shoulder height, the arm bent and the palm facing outward
with the fingers upright and joined and the left hand hanging down while standing. In
Thailand and Laos, this mudra is associated with the Walking Buddha, often shown
having both hands making a double abhayamudrā that is uniform. Abhayamudra
gesture
The abhayamudrā was probably used before the onset of Buddhism as a symbol of
good intentions proposing friendship when approaching strangers. In the
art of Gandhara, it is present when showing the action of preaching. It
was also used in China during the Northern Wei and Sui eras of the 4th
and 7th centuries.

The gesture was used by Gautama Buddha to subdue the elephant when
attacked by a drunk elephant set off by Devadatta (some says by
Ajātasattu),[4] as shown in several frescos and scripts. In Mahayana
Buddhism, deities often paired it with another mudrā using the other
hand.

References
1. Yves Bonnefoy (1993). Asian Mythologies (https://books.googl
e.com/books?id=r4I-FsZCzJEC&pg=PA178). University of
Chicago Press. pp. 178–179. ISBN 978-0-226-06456-7.
Buddha with his right hand in
2. Buswell, Robert Jr., ed. (2013). Princeton Dictionary of
abhaya mudra.
Buddhism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 2.
ISBN 9780691157863.
3. "Abhaya Mudra" (https://web.archive.org/web/20150718014007/http://www.religionfacts.com/budd
hism/symbols/mudras/abhaya). 17 March 2015. Archived from the original (http://www.religionfact
s.com/buddhism/symbols/mudras/abhaya) on 18 July 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhayamudra 1/2
2/8/23, 2:09 PM Abhayamudra - Wikipedia

4. From Dhammapada, Buddhacharita, and Arśapraśamanasūtra

Bibliography
Dallapiccola, Anna L. (2002). Dictionary of Hindu Lore and
Legend (https://books.google.com/books?id=XYhtQgAACAA
J). Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-28402-5.

External links
Media related to Abhayamudra at Wikimedia Commons

Dewi Sri (Parvati) with her right

hand in abhaya mudra, Bali
Indonesia.[1]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abhayamudra&oldid=1126392912"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhayamudra 2/2