Originally published in the January 1995 Shambhala Sun magazine, this interview finds Yauch after the release of Ill Communication, candidly talking about about hip-hop, hardcore, helping people, and his relationship to Buddhism’s Bodhisattva Vow.

Amy Green: What was your first experience with Buddhism, the first thing that really caught you? Was it books you read?

Adam Yauch: I was reading a lot about Native American and other religions and checking out different things. Then I was in Kathmandu about two years ago, and I met some people who were Tibetan Studies majors living there. I was just hanging out with them; went to a couple of monasteries and Tibetan people’s houses and started getting into Tibetan culture a little bit. And I went and saw the Dalai Lama speak when he was in America for the Arizona teachings. I have studied a lot of different things; Buddhism is fairly new to me.

Jerry Granelli: Buddhism made sense to you?

Adam Yauch: It just seemed like Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, because that’s mainly what I’ve been exposed to, was a real solid organization of teachings to point someone in the right direction. Some real well thought out stuff. But I don’t know, like, every last detail about Buddhism. (laughter)

Jerry Granelli: Even the Buddha didn’t. Most of the teachings are somebody asking him a question. You know, not just some kind of solo performance or something.

Amy Green: Do you feel like the Dalai Lama is the main Tibetan teacher that you connect with?

Adam Yauch: I think the Dalai Lama is an amazing individual, but I think that Tibetans in general are really centered in the heart, coming from a real warm place. Real compassion. I think that all of the years that Tibet spent focused on Buddhism kind of affected the collective consciousness of Tibet and just kinda stayed in. It’s so deeply inlaid in the culture. It’s the closest thing that I’ve seen on the planet, as one culture, that really…the most advanced culture mentally, as opposed to our, uh, physical advancement.

Jerry Granelli: As somebody who has played music all of my life and been a Buddhist now for 24 years, I’m interested in the way you compose. Can you relate that to meditation or to non-aggression, which is the foundation of Buddhism.

Adam Yauch: I guess what I do is visualize the way that the music should feel or what it should represent. In meditation or whatever, just hanging out and listening, I work on visualizations of what that music represents or feels like to me and then when it comes time, it just pretty much comes out, somehow. It just comes through.

So that’s the main way that I compose. There’s no set way of starting with music and then working on lyrics, or starting with lyrics and then working with music. It is kind of random when it comes together and just playin’ around to see what works. But the main part of it is that visualization. Just knowing what the music feels like. Not necessarily what it sounds like.

Jerry Granelli: As a musician I find that I’m constantly dealing with my mind, the same kind of stuff that meditation brings up. I was wondering if meditation has affected your own relationship to music? Have they worked together in any way?

Adam Yauch: Not Buddhism exclusively, because, as I said, I’ve studied different things. But I think that as you start understanding the nature of reality in a different way, it affects everything that you do. Music is one of the main things I do-it totally affects that. But it probably also affects the way I walk down the street or what I’m thinking about while I’m doing my laundry. It just kind of affects your whole perception and thinking process…or non-thinking process…. (laughter) or watching yourself think, or something like that.

Amy Green: Do you practice any formal meditation practice?

Adam Yauch:Yeah. I spend a little time in the morning and at night, just bringing stuff into perspective from the day or setting up what’s going to happen the next day. And doing visualizations. Things like that.

Amy Green: Practices that you have received from teachers?

Adam Yauch: My main teacher is not Buddhist. The guy who mostly taught me pretty much picked up whatever he has just through meditation. He lived by himself off in a log cabin somewhere for years and gained a lot of understanding about the nature of reality. He’s been my main teacher. So he’s not coming from any specific religious background; he’s just coming from his own understanding.

To me Buddhism was kind of like an afterthought. I still think it’s amazing, but I learned most of what I’ve been learning, kind of getting me going in a direction, from this friend of mine-his name is Quentin. And then I started reading some Buddhist books and just kind of went, “Oh yeah, this makes sense.” It’s slightly different wording and different context, but it’s real similar to the stuff I’ve been working with.

So even the bodhisattva vow is something that I had taken to my self, a bunch of years before I had read about it in Buddhism. And then when I started learning about it in Buddhism, I thought, [says in thick New York accent, like a ’30’s gangster] “Yeah…that makes sense. Look, they got that all figured out there.”

Jerry Granelli: “Someone wrote it down!”

Adam Yauch: Buddhism just seems like a very logical, organized approach.

Jerry Granelli: I hear spirituality in your music. There’s a caring in the music. It’s not just about “fuck you.” How was your environment in your life growing up? That had to have had an affect.

Adam Yauch: Actually, I was really…I’m an only child. [Jerry: “Yah”… gestures thumbs up] You are, too? I just lucked into a really amazing set of parents. They are really cool and supportive. All the way through. You know, a lot of people you meet wind up with a lot of things that they have to deal with in their life because of stuff their parents have thrown at them. I somehow managed to side-step that one, for the most part.

Jerry Granelli: We were talking earlier about Burroughs. Who were your poets? What did you listen to or read?

Adam Yauch: Lyrically, I was influenced by stuff like Bad Brains and Minor Threat, which were “hardcore” bands that really set a tone for being able to play really loud, powerful music and have the lyrics be really positive. There is this sheer power, but without negativity.

Before that, I had always thought of positive lyrics having to be in this nice little happy music, and hard loud powerful music being about really negative stuff. To this day, the Bad Brains were probably the “hardest” that have ever played music. They took like, whatever, Coltrane, and combined that with punk and the precision of classical or jazz players. It’s the most powerful music ever, and the most positive lyrics, really about unity and stuff.

Jerry Granelli: Yeah, there is a seriously spiritual message in their thing. I’ve always found that.

Adam Yauch: Yeah. So that totally affected my music. ‘Cause when I was 15-16 years old, I was going to see those bands every night, like Bad Brains and Minor Threat. That’s what mainly affected my way of thinking about music. Then I forgot about it for a bunch of years. I went and got drunk and made some stupid music. (laughter) But… nothin’ wrong with that! No regrets there. It’s not anything “bad.” It was “stupid,” but it was fun bein’ “stupid.” Nothin’ wrong with bein’ “stupid.” (laughs)

Amy Green: On the latest album, you stand alone with more solo raps than ever before and say things that are very personal. There is a quality of talking about your own path and the idea of a “path” in general. Saying things that are important to you. Did you make a clear decision to step forward on your own?

Adam Yauch: I’ve just been building up my confidence in doing that over the last few albums. On Paul’s Boutique, there’s a song where I am starting to say what I’m feeling spiritually. It’s called “A Year and a Day,” but the lyrics to that song aren’t on the lyric sheet and I’m using a real distorted mic, so it’s not really clear. And I got a lot of positive feedback from people. I was kind of taking a big risk for myself doing that, just in terms of my own confidence, but I got a lot of positivity on that. Then there were a lot of positive lyrics on “Check Your Head.” That kind of thing goes back and forth: when I hear that people are into it, it makes me feel more confident. So, that’s kind of the route it’s been going.

Amy Green: It’s interesting the way you appear to be opening up in that way, while at the same time, this tremendous tidal wave of commercial success is happening and you are riding on that. You must have all kinds of crazy, different energy, a lot of aggression coming at you. I read that you’re going around “incognito” a lot.

Adam Yauch: That’s just tryin’ to have a good time, you know? Everybody loves a good disguise now an’ then! (laughter)

Amy Green: That’s just for fun?

Adam Yauch: Yep. (Laughs) Actually, you can learn a huge amount about yourself and other people by being in disguise. It’s actually an amazing thing. We were just doing it as a goof, but you put on some outfit and it totally affects the way people perceive you. In turn, by the way that people perceive you and act differently toward you, it makes you act differently towards them. Throw on a cowboy hat and some cowboy boots or some other look and it makes you really understand yourself and the way people act a lot better. We would put on some stupid disguises and go out to a night club and just talk to people and goof around, and you learn so much—how much people have set ideas about you or how much you have set ideas about yourself.

Amy Green: You don’t feel like you have to protect yourself or hold back from being out the world? Defend yourself?

Adam Yauch: Sometimes I’m not able to really communicate with a lot of people openly, because it takes so much. Especially when you’re doing a gig or something, you have a huge amount of attention focused on you. Everybody is there and they are all excited about it. You go on stage and put out all your energy doing a performance, and then come back and there are fifty or sixty people that just need five minutes of your time. And sometimes, you just gotta’ totally shut down, because you don’t have that kind of energy to put out. It is an issue that I’m dealing with in myself lately, getting over a kind of guilt factor in my mind of not being able to always give people what they want, specifically.

Amy Green: Oh, that’s okay….(laughter) It seems that bodhisattva vow and path have something to do with going beyond the idea of what you think you should do to be a good person, and into doing what is actually appropriate for you to do. That helps others.

Adam Yauch: Yeah. It’s just understanding exactly what “bodhisattva” and “path” are, I think. Because, the bottom line, I think, of the bodhisattva path is doing what most benefits the totality of the universe, of all that is. And when you put yourself out there in a way that you aren’t really functional, then that is not going to most benefit the universe. You know, it’s just trying to get a feel, in your heart, for what’s going to most benefit the interconnectedness of all that is.

Amy Green: Well said!

Adam Yauch: [Looks around, looks behind him.] Where did THAT come from? (laughs)

Adam Yauch: Check His Head: Keep that! Keep that!

Adam Yauch: I do think that’s an important issue. It’s something that I think about. I think that’s what a lot of “wrathful deities” are about; that sometimes, if there’s a little kid going to stick his hand in the oven and he is going to get burned, you gotta’ scream at him or smack him, or something. But, you’re not doing it out of anger. You’re doing it out of love. That’s the thing to keep track of: the motivation behind what you are putting out. If my motivation is clear, what I’m saying is, “I can’t talk to you right now. I don’t have time to do that.” My motivation isn’t to be rude to that person. That’s the key.

I do think that is a misconception of what the bodhisattva vow is. Because a lot of people just mess themselves up by feeling like they have to “do” stuff for other people, all of the time, even when that’s not working for them personally. They have to include themselves in that overall picture of benefitting everyone. They have to include themselves as “beings”, and know that by being in their strongest place, that that is how they can most benefit the universe, most of the time. Being a bodhisattva is about strengthening yourself, so you can go on. Benefit where the benefit is needed. Come from a strong place in yourself and you really help people.

Amy Green: Have you met many people who identified themselves to you as Buddhists, or people who have tuned into that thinking particularly?

Adam Yauch: Especially since we’ve been writing a lot of more positive lyrics and the music is going in a real positive direction, I wind up meeting a lot of really incredible people. Sometimes I’ll meet kids who’ll say, “Yeah! My mom is a Buddhist. I was raised as a Buddhist. I was raised in this Tibetan community,” or whatever. Some people just say that they like the lyrics, or that the lyrics strike them well. That feels good. That’s like the biggest compliment in the world; that just makes me feel like cryin’. Sometimes, when people come up to me and tell me that the lyrics, somehow, helped them or made them feel good, it’s just like, “Damn…” [looks down, pauses, obviously moved] What was the question again? (laughs)

Amy Green: Do you see a lot of suffering? There’s numbed, white people style suffering, probably around you. Rap came out of a more physical, violent suffering. The ghetto. Very immediate kind of suffering…

Adam Yauch: Not originally, though. Early on, hip-hop music was really positive, most of it. Early on, most of the lyrics were about unity and bringing different cultures together. Then around ’86, it became a real powerful vehicle. Chuck D of Public Enemy just brought it into a whole different ballpark when he started using it as a vehicle to let people know about the oppression of blacks. He was using it for a combined thing: a voice directly to black youth culture in America and bringing unity and power into that, which was totally needed.

It just switched around—right then—because it was so powerful what Chuck D was doing with it. I think it’s really important that that happened. So many people are unaware of the oppression that still goes on to this day of blacks, all of the time. He brought some whole new perspectives on that for a lot of people. Myself included. Affected my thinking a lot.

Jerry Granelli: Your generation of musicians, same as J. Anthony’s, making whatever kind of music you want to call it, is fighting the same battle, in some way.

Adam Yauch: It’s kinda cool when you KNOW, when you get a feel for right where that boundary is, to push, then you just, (whistles) “PHEW…” That’s definitely fun.

Jerry Granelli: How did you guys make the progression from a hardcore style into more rap?

Adam Yauch: I think both those forms of music have the same kind of feeling behind them, but they’re coming from different cultures. Hardcore or punk is coming from white, western culture, or whatever. Hip hop is coming from African descent, black American music.

So a lot of hip-hop groups just started coming downtown, and were playing at the clubs, and we were all listening to a lot of hip-hop. We would be hangin’ out at the punk clubs and they’d be playing hip-hop records, too. So we just kinda started gettin’ into rhyming, because we were really into it. Then we hooked up with Russell Simmons, somehow, who is a manager of a lot of hip-hop groups. We started going and playing to more black audiences, going up and gettin’ on at The Fever, The Encore and places like that.

So we crossed-over like that. At first when we started rhyming, we were still rhyming in the downtown, hardcore-type scene. Then we started doing gigs with hip-hop groups, like opening up for Kurtis Blow, and we just disappeared from the hardcore scene for a while. Then later it just kind of came back together and started becoming more like one thing. The hardcore and the rap started coming together.

Jerry Granelli: And then you made another shift back into playing more instrumental.

Adam Yauch: When we were working on Paul’s Boutique, the second album, we started listening to a lot of funk and jazz stuff, looking for samples. We were trying to find records to sample and just listening to that kind of playing gets you back into the “playing” frame of mind. So right around when we finished Paul’s Boutique, we started jamming and playing again. I guess that around ’89. We started trying to play funk, and kinda’ wound up with somethin’ else. But that’s what we were trying to do. (laughs)

Amy Green: Has the energy changed? What is the difference in what it takes out of you to be playing in front of 200 people or…I don’t know how big it gets…THOUSANDS.

Adam Yauch: Yeah. You get more amped off it, with the huge crowds. But sometimes you’re in a little room and everybody is going wild. The energy is ALL in there. I just jumped on and played a song at CBGB’s the other night, with this friend of mine’s band. The Cro-Mags were playing and they asked me to get up and play. We did a cover of a Bad Brains song, and everyone was just going wild at “CB’s.” And I was remembering that feeling; it is just this LITTLE room and everybody is bouncing off the walls. So it is different now, I guess it’s different. (laughs)

Amy Green: How big is it getting now?

Adam Yauch: Well, we just did the Lollapolooza Tour. That’s real big, but that’s a bunch of bands drawing the people in. That’s not just us. I think the biggest it got would be close to 47,000 people. And that’s an AMAZING feeling. That’s like, “WHHHHHAAAAA….” just seeing them going ALL that way back. But that’s not just us pulling in (laughing) that kind of number. (laughter) That’s 15 bands.

The Life of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava
Also known as Guru Rinpoche is not only a fully enlightened Buddha, but he has also manifested as one of the greatest sages of the Vajrayana Buddhism. He was born miraculously to serve infinite sentient beings through the power of his wisdom and compassion. He manifested in Zangdok Palri Pure Land and remains there as the body of light. Twelve years after the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha, the rays of blessing light of the Buddha of Infinite Light touched a lotus in the Milk Ocean in the Southwest direction from Bodhagaya. As a result, Guru Rinpoche was born miraculously via lotus-birth without human parents.

Indrabodhi, the King of Oddiyana, and his Ministers found the child while sailing across the ocean. They brought him to the Palace and enthroned him as the Crown Prince. The young Padmasambhava was trained and skilled in all the arts of knowledge. But before long he took leave of the royal Palace in order to serve sentient beings through the path of esoteric teachings and sacred power. Guru Rinpoche was a fully enlightened Buddha, but to emphasize the importance of following the Dharma , he himself received various transmissions from both human knowledge-holders and non-human deities, and Dakini. He gave those teachings to infinite visible and invisible beings and through his invincible power, pacified many negative forces obstructing his enlightening activities. On one of the miraculous event of his life, he transformation of a huge fire (which was intent to burn him) into the Rewalsar lake. Thus, flourishing Dharma into the Kingdom of Zahor. Padmasambhave then, with his consort Princess Mandarava, of Zahor meditated in Maratika Cave in Nepal and attained immortality.

Through the meditations on Dzogpa Chenpo, he transformed his mortal body into “the rainbow-light-body of great transference". At the beginning of the 9th century, Guru Rinpoche visited Tibet at the invitation of King Trisong Deutsen Monastery, introducing Buddhism to Tibet for the very first time. His visited Tibet along with other Himalayan regions and accomplished three major goals:

Firstly, Guru Rinpoche tamed both human and non-human beings who were obstructing the building of the Samye Monastery and the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet. On the top of Hepo Mountain near Samye Monastery, he defeated the spirit forces, bounding them to vow as the protector of Dharma and the Dharma followers. Also, in the cave of Taktsang in Bhutan, he manifested himself in the form of Dorje Drolö, a wrathful form of Guru Rinpoche, and subdued the negative spirit forces.

guru padmasambhava and eight manifestations
Next, he taught hundreds of different teachings and the wisdom of Vajrayana to many of his accomplished disciples. The unbroken lineages of those transmissions have been maintained by highly enlightened adepts for centuries and are flourishing to this day. In today's world, these lineages are widely spread to many corners of the world.

He traveled to every valley of Tibet as well as Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim and blessed them as the Sacred lands. More amazingly, transmitting those esoteric wisdoms and teachings to his disciples, he miraculously concealed them in the pure nature of their minds. Then he also concealed numerous symbolic scripts or texts and religious objects in different places such as rocks, statues, lakes, and space. Those concealed teachings are known as his famous Ter, "Hidden Treasure Teachings"

Starting from the eleventh century till today, thousands of tertons- whom he has concealed the teachings-have miraculously been discovering thousands of volumes of ter teachings and ter objects from the rocks, earth, lakes, sky, etc. These discovered teachings and objects are called "the earth ter." Then, many of those tertons discovered the concealed teachings and wisdoms from the nature of their own minds through the power of the rebirths of Guru Rinpoche's direct disciples in their memory. These discovered teachings are called "the mind Ter."

His teachings are not only practiced in Tibet, but in many places around the World. Guru Rinpoche also blessed many valleys such as Sikkim, Khenpa Lung and Pemakö as "Hidden Lands."

"In the dark ages, people blame the decadence of the time as the culprit of their sufferings, but the sufferings are actually caused by their own misdeeds. Nevertheless when the devotees are facing danger, the safe places for them to escape to are the hidden lands."

One of the most famous body imprints of Guru Rinpoche is in Kurjey in Bumthang, Bhutan.

After staying in Tibet for about fifty-five years, Guru Rinpoche announced that he was leaving for the lands of the rakshas. On Gongthang pass in Western Tibet, he bade farewell to King Mutig Tsenpo and the assembled devotees of Tibet.

As Guru Padmasambhava looked up at the sky, suddenly appeared the dakinis and celestial beings with flowers, banners, and music in the midst of colorful beams of light with a beautiful blue horse adorned with ornaments. Riding the horse, Guru Rinpoche flew away through the sky before the eyes of all. He landed in Zangdok Palri, where he instantly emanated the Lotus Light Palace as a Manifested Pure Land. He still resides in Zangdok Palri, in the form of “rainbow-light-body of great transference” with an ocean of Enlightened Ones and the rebirths of many of his numerous devotees. Hence, he remains in the nature of Ultimate-body and the qualities of Enjoyment-body and the display of Manifested-bodies of Buddhahood.

"Every morning and every evening, I will come to serve you
By riding the rays of the rising and setting sun.
On the tenths of the waxing moons, I will come in person.
O my devout followers!
Arrange feast offerings in blazing vessels of precious gems
And sing the Seven Line Prayer in devotional melodies
With the sounds of music and skull damarus.
I, Orgyen (Guru Rinpoche) - from the Chamara subcontinent,
who, like a mother, cannot bear the cry of her beloved child,
will come to grant my blessings.
This is a promise!

guru rinpoche thangka painting

Mudras are sacred hand gestures or positions that used to evoke a state of mind. The Sanskrit word “mudra” means “seal”, “mark”, or “gesture”. In Tibetan the word is ???????? or “chakgya”. Each of these sacred hand gestures has a specific meaning. Many of them symbolize major moments or events in the Buddha’s life.

In this beautiful photo by Olivier Adam, an elderly nun in Zanskar shows a novice nun how to make the Mandala Offering Mudra.

8 Mudras and their Meaning
Sacred hand gestures or mudras are often depicted in Buddhist art. In this blog we’d like to share descriptions and images of some common mudras. The list here is not exhaustive.

The Earth Witness Mudra
When Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, was meditating under the Bodhi tree, he was assailed by the demon Mara, who tried to disturb his mind. Mara represents the passions that trap and delude us. Siddhartha refused to be tempted from the path to enlightenment and he called on the earth to witness his worthiness to become enlightened, saying, “The earth shall be my witness, I will not let myself be seduced.” In the Earth Witness Mudra, (also known as the Bhumisparsa Mudra or Gesture of Witness), the historical Buddha is seated in the meditation posture and touches the earth with the fingertips of his right hand, palm facing inwards. The left hand is placed in the lap with the palm facing upwards.

In this detail from a thangka print, the historical Buddha is depicted seated in meditation and calling the earth as his witness.

The Mudra of Meditation
The Mudra of Meditation (dhyana) is made by placing both hands on the lap, right hand on the left, with the palms facing upwards, the tips of the thumbs touching, and the fingers fully stretched. This mudra helps to calm the mind for meditation and is used for deep contemplation and reflection. The mudra of meditation is a characteristic gesture of the Buddha Shakyamuni.

This ancient stone sculpture shows the Buddha with his hands in the Mudra of Meditation

The Namaskara or Anjali Mudra
This mudra, while not found in representations of the Buddha or other deities, is commonly used by nuns, monks, and lay people to symbolize devotion, prayer, and admiration. Called the Namaskara Mudra or the Anjali Mudra, it is used as a common form of greeting in most Asian countries. Anjali is a Sanskrit word which means “salutation” or “to offer” and Namaskar is Hindi for “good day”. To make this mudra, you bring your palms together in front of your heart space, fingers pointing upwards, and thumbs close to the chest, to symbolize honor, respect, and devotion.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama holds his hands together in greeting and in offering respect to others. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Mudra of Holding the Jewel or Manidhara Mudra
The Mudra of Holding the Jewel looks very similar to the Namaskara Mudra or the Anjali Mudra shown above. Also called the Manidhara Mudra, it is made by holding one’s hands together in front but with the palms and fingers slightly arched, holding the precious, wish-fulfilling jewel. This jewel or gem is also depicted in Tibetan prayer flags, carried upon the back of the Lung Ta or wind horse. This sacred hand gesture of holding the jewel is a mudra of Avalokiteshvara, a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. The Tibetan word for Avalokiteshvara is Chenrezig (??????????????). The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Chenrezig,

An elderly nun in Zanskar places her palms together in devotion, holding the wish-fulfilling jewel, a mudra associated with Avalokiteshvara (Tibetan: Chenrezig). Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

The Mandala Offering Mudra
The Mandala Offering Mudra is a complex and sacred hand gesture that acts as a symbolic offering of the entire universe for the benefit of all sentient beings. Performing the Mandala Offering Mudra helps to reduce one’s attachment and to purify the clinging mind. Although this mudra is usually made together with prayers and Buddhist chants, non-Buddhists can also perform it to receive its spiritual benefits.

A Tibetan Buddhist nun performs the Mandala Mudra with her mala (Buddhist prayer beads). Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

To make this complex mudra, sit in meditation pose with your back straight. Calm your breathing and visualize offering the mandala – the universe – to the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and all holy beings, giving with great joy and with purity of heart. Place your hands palms up and intertwine your fingers. With the tips of your thumbs, press down on the tips of the opposite little finger. Then, with the bent tips of your index fingers, press down on the tip of the opposite middle finger. Finally, take your ring fingers, unclasp them, and put them back to back, pressing the backs together and with both fingers going straight up through the center. Together the ring fingers symbolize Mt. Meru, the sacred mountain, and the four continents described in Buddhist cosmology.

A Tibetan Buddhist nun in Zanskar performs the mandala offering mudra. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Vitarka Mudra or Teaching Mudra
The Vitarka Mudra (the Mudra of Teaching or Discussion) is a common mudra representing the discussion and transmission of Buddhist teachings. It is formed by joining the tips of the thumb and index finger together to form a circle, keeping the other three fingers pointing straight up. The circle formed by the joined fingers symbolizes perfection with no beginning or end.

This mudra is usually made with one hand, most often the right one, with the hand held upward close to the chest and the palm facing outward. However, the mudra may also be made with both hands held in front of the chest, with each index finger and thumb joined in a circle. When two hands are used, the left palm faces inward and the right palm is turned outward. The Teaching Mudra represents the Buddha’s first teaching after becoming enlightened. It also symbolizes the “Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma” or Dharmachakra. There are a great number of variations of this mudra in Mahayana Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is the mystic gesture of Taras and bodhisattvas.

This sculpture shows the mudra of teaching or the Vitarka Mudra, with the tips of the thumb and index finger joined to form a circle.

mudra9
In this detail from a thangka print, White Tara is holding an utpala flower in her raised left hand. The tips of her thumb and fourth or ring finger are touching. This is a gesture of good fortune and shows that, by relying upon her, one may accomplish complete purity of mind and body.

Generosity Mudra or Varada Mudra
The Varada Mudra is the gesture of generosity, charity, and compassion. It is commonly found in representations of the Green and White Tara. This sacred hand gesture represents the granting of blessings, wishes, or even pardon. It also symbolizes the “gift of truth” – the precious gift of the dharma or Buddhist teachings. In the Varada Mudra, the palm faces out and hangs down, usually touching the right leg. This mudra is often used in conjunction with another mudra. The five fingers represent the five perfections: generosity, morality, patience, diligence, and meditation.

Detail of a thangka print depicting White Tara and showing the outward facing palm and downward hand of the Varada Mudra or Mudra of Generosity.

Mudra of Fearlessness or Abhaya Mudra
Abhaya in Sanskrit means fearlessness. The Mudra of Fearlessness or the Abhaya Mudra symbolizes the dispelling of fear. It can look to Westerners like the common hand gesture for “stop”. The mudra is made by raising the right hand to shoulder height, with the arm bent and the palm facing outward. This mudra is more commonly depicted in standing images.

This very ancient hand gesture is also a sign of peace and friendship. Placing one’s hand up and open in this way indicates that one is free of weapons and comes in peace. In Buddhism, the mudra shows the fearlessness and therefore the spiritual power of the Buddha or bodhisattva who makes it.

It is said that the historical Buddha made this sacred hand gesture immediately after gaining enlightenment. At a later time, the Buddha was about to be attacked by a mad elephant. The poor animal had been fed alcohol and tortured by one who hoped to use the elephant as a weapon against the Buddha. The elephant, enraged and in pain, charged at the Buddha and his followers. While others ran away, the Buddha stood calmly, raising his hand in the gesture of fearlessness. He felt great love and compassion for the stricken elephant. In response, the elephant stopped in its charge, became calm, and then approached the Buddha and bowed its head.

A giant Buddha statue in Hong Kong shows the seated Buddha with the mudra of fearlessness or the Abhaya Mudra

1. Considérant tous les êtres

    Comme plus précieux qu'un joyau qui exauce tous les souhaits

    Pour accomplir le but ultime

    Je ne cesserai de les chérir.

2. Chaque fois que je me trouve en compagnie,

    Je me verrai comme le plus humble de tous,

    Et tenant les autres pour suprêmes,

    Je les chérirai du plus profond de mon cœur.

3. Dans tous les actes, j'observerai mon esprit

    Et, dès que surgissent les émotions destructrices,

    Je leur ferai face et les écarterai avec fermeté

    Car elles sont néfastes pour moi-même et pour autrui.

4. Quand je rencontre des personnes négatives

    Ou accablées par le poids des méfaits et de la souffrance,

    Je les tiendrai en grande estime,

    Comme si je découvrais un trésor rare et inestimable.

5. Quand, par envie, une personne me fait du tort,

    M'attaque ou me méprise,

    Je prendrai sur moi toute défaite

    Et leur offrirai toute victoire.

6. Même quand une personne que j'ai aidée,

    Ou en laquelle j'ai placé de grands espoirs,

    Me traite de façon très injuste,

    Je la verrai comme un véritable maitre spirituel.

7. En bref, directement ou indirectement,

    J'offrirai aide et bonheur à tous les êtres, mes mères,

    Et en mon for intérieur, je prendrai sur moi

    Tous leurs maux et toutes leurs souffrances.

8. J'apprendrai à préserver toutes ces pratiques

    Des souillures des huit préoccupations mondaines.

    Puissé-je reconnaître toutes choses comme illusoires

    Et, brisant la chaîne de l'attachement, me libérer de la servitude!

par Guéshé Langri Thangpa