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Order I · Seals of Gnosis and Ascent
Bodhyagri Mudra
बोध्यग्री मुद्रा · bodhyagrī mudrā (Jp. chiken-in 智拳印) · Σφραγὶς τῆς Πυγμῆς τῆς Σοφίας
Also: Chiken-in, Wisdom Fist
09
The right fist encloses the raised index finger of the left. The Buddha holds the world of beings; wisdom grips the one who seeks.
- Meaning
- Seal of the Fist of Wisdom
- Tradition
- Japanese Esoteric Buddhism (Shingon); Dainichi Nyorai of the Diamond World
- Hands
- Both hands, interlocking
- Placement
- In front of the chest.
- Associations
- Heart level; the five elements united with consciousness (Japanese sources).
- Level
- Advanced
Formation
- Left hand: make a fist with the thumb inside, the middle, ring and little fingers closed over it.
- Raise the left index finger straight up.
- Right hand: make a fist with the thumb inside and close it around the raised left index finger.
- Inside the right fist, the tip of the right thumb meets the tip of the left index finger.
Example Meditation
Form the seal before the chest and breathe slowly into the lower abdomen. Hold the image of the raised finger enclosed by the fist: the individual held within the greater whole. The seal gathers dispersed force into one centre and steadies the will for meditations on wisdom.
Effects
PhysicalΣῶμα
- Gathered force. The tradition records no therapeutic use; both fists close on a single axis held at the heart.
EmotionalΘυμός
- Steadiness. The firm double grip holds the mind still in the face of distraction.
IntellectualΝοῦς
- Wisdom. Chiken means fist of knowledge: the seal of entering the wisdom of the Buddha.
SoulΨυχή
- Mutual response. JAANUS explains the left hand as sentient beings and the right as the buddhas; the grip is their meeting.
AscentἈνάβασις
- The single axis. The raised finger is the one aspiration; the enclosing fist is the divine wisdom that receives it. In Zevist terms, the seeker held by the God.
Finger Key
| Finger | Element | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumb | Fire | inside the fist; its tip meets the left index fingertip | tucked inside the fist |
| Index | Air | closed around the left index finger | raised straight up into the right fist; its tip meets the right thumb |
| Middle | Aether | closed around the left index finger | closed over the thumb |
| Ring | Earth | closed around the left index finger | closed over the thumb |
| Little | Water | closed around the left index finger | closed over the thumb |
Cautions and Variants
Variants. Japanese and Korean images show the right fist gripping the left index finger; some Chinese images reverse the hands.
Recommended for Every Zevist Library
Gertrud Hirschi, Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands
The standard practical manual of the hand seals, with their indications and meditations. The Temple of Zeus recommends it as a purchase for every Zevist library, personal or communal.