This classical image of Buddha Shakyamuni depicts him with legs crossed in the meditation posture, and seated upon a teaching throne. His meditation cushion is made of a three-layered structure: a lotus on the bottom, symbolizing the full blossoming of the aspiration to freedom; a moon disk, symbolizing the mind of bodhichitta, that is characterized by universal love and compassion; and a sun disk, symbolizing the illuminating wisdom that has dispelled the darkness of ignorance.
The positioning of his two hands depicts the victory of enlightenment over the four maras, or obstructions. Here his right hand is in the earth-touching gesture to represent victory over the devaputra mara, or evil spirits. His left is in the gesture of meditative equilibrium, to represent victory over the remaining three maras: kleshamara, or delusions; yamamara, or personal mortality, and shandhamara, the conditioned psychophysical complex.
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