» zephyros said @ Sun Oct 15, 2006 @ 4:09am

The Dharmachakra Mudra represents a central moment in the life of Buddha when he preached his first sermon after his Enlightenment, in Deer Park in Sarnath. Gautama Buddha is generally only shown making this Mudra, save Maitreya as the dispenser of the Law. This Mudra position represents the turning of the wheel of the Dharma. Dharmacakra Mudra is formed when two hands close together in front of the chest in Vitarka having the right palm forward and the left palm upward, sometimes facing the chest. There are several variants such as in the frescoes of Ajanta, India the two hands are separated, and the fingers do not touch. In the Indo-Greek style of Gandhara the clenched fist of the right hand seemingly overlie the fingers joined to the thumb on the left hand.