Description
The Vitarka Mudra, also known as the “Mudra of teaching,” is a hand gesture symbolizing the transmission of Buddhist teachings and intellectual discussion. In this mudra, the thumb and index finger touch to form a circle, representing the continuous flow of representing the continuous flow of energy and the wheel of Dharma. When Lord Buddha is depicted in the Vitarka Mudra, he is often shown seated in meditation with his right hand held up in theVitarka Mudra while his left-hand rests on his lap in the Dhyana Mudra (meditation gesture). This portrayal signifies the moment when Buddha expounds his teachings, engages in intellectual discourse or imparts wisdom to his disciples. The Vitarka Mudra is associated with the Buddha’s first sermon, known as the “Turning of the wheel of Dharma,” in which he expounded the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to his first five disciples at Deer Park in Sarnath, India. This mudra represents the active engagement of the mind in understanding and disseminating the teachings of Buddhism.
