Dharmacakramudrā

Statue of the Buddha displaying the dharmacakramudrā.

In this image of Buddha Shakyamuni, his right hand forms the dharmacakramudrā, while his left hand forms the "meditation mudra" (dhyānamudrā).

The Buddha (center) displaying the dharmacakramudrā with one hand.

dharmacakramudrā (T. chos kyi ’khor lo’i phyag rgya; C. zhuan falun yin 轉法輪印). Translated as "wheel of dharma mudra,” "mudra of teaching the dharma," etc. A symbolic gesture (mudrā) with the two hands held at the heart, representing the teaching the Dharma (literally, "turning of the wheel of Dharma").

This mudra is commonly found in images of Buddha Shakyamuni. Representations of Maitreya, Amitabha and Vairocana may also exhibit this gesture.

The Princeton Dictionary states:

The dharmacakramudrā is formed with the left palm turned inward toward the body, in front of the chest, and the right palm turned outward. The index finger and thumb of each hand form circles that lightly touch each other. In an alternate position, the thumb and index fingers of the right hand may touch one of the left fingers. Occasionally, the right hand forms this gesture alone, with the left hand situated in the dhyānamudrā.

Sources

• Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University