Maravijaya

This gesture symbolizes Maravijaya, the Buddha’s victory over Māra and the forces of illusion, expressing the righteousness of his path and the culmination of his journey towards enlightenment. This foundational episode is central to Theravada Buddhism and fully integrated into the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.

Maravijaya and bhūmisparśa mudrā
The bhūmisparśa mudrā, or “gesture of touching the earth as witness,” represents the moment when Siddhartha Gautama, confronted by Māra’s temptations, touched the earth so that it might attest to the fulfillment of his merits and his past lives.
This gesture symbolizes Maravijaya, the Buddha’s victory over Māra and the forces of illusion, expressing the righteousness of his path and the culmination of his journey towards enlightenment. This foundational episode is central to Theravada Buddhism and fully integrated into the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
In Buddhist art, the Buddha is depicted seated in meditation, serene, with his right hand touching the ground, an emblematic image of mastery of mind and triumph over attachments.