Previous Year Question

Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called ‘Bhumisparsha Mudra’. It symbolizes:

Buddha's calling of the Earth to watch over Mara and to prevent Mara from disturbing his meditation

Buddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara

Buddha's reminder to his followers that they all arise from the Earth and finally dissolve into the Earth, and thus this life is transitory

Both the statements A and B are correct in this context

Correct Answer: B

Detailed Solution

Bhumisparsha Mudra is associated with the Buddha's victory over Mara immediately before his enlightenment. According to Buddhist tradition, while Siddhartha was meditating beneath the Bodhi tree, Mara challenged his right to attain Buddhahood. Siddhartha touched the Earth with his right hand, calling it to witness his accumulated merit and his fitness to attain enlightenment.

In this narrative, Mara and his forces attempted to distract Siddhartha from meditation and enlightenment. When Mara claimed the seat and produced witnesses in support of his claim, Siddhartha called the Earth as his witness. The Earth testified in his favour, Mara was defeated, and Siddhartha subsequently attained enlightenment.

Therefore, Option A is incorrect. The Earth was not called upon merely to watch over Mara.

Option B is correct. In the wording of the question, the gesture represents the Buddha calling the Earth to witness his purity, merit and spiritual worthiness despite Mara's temptations and challenge.

Option C is incorrect. Bhumisparsha Mudra does not represent the transitory nature of human life or the eventual dissolution of human beings into the Earth.

In the usual representation of the mudra, the left hand rests in the lap while the right hand reaches downward to touch the Earth. IGNCA describes it as the Buddha's earth-touching gesture calling the Earth to witness his good deeds.

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