mudra

In Hindu religious dance, any of a number of ritualized body gestures, especially of the hand and fingers. In Buddhist art, the symbolic hand gestures of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are known as mudras, and often refer to specific moments in the life of the historical Buddha.

For example, the right hand raised, palm outwards, fingers together, meaning ‘do not fear’, is supposed to have been used by the Buddha to stop a raging elephant. The gesture of welcome is similar but the thumb and index finger form a circle. The ‘earth-witness’ mudra of a finger touching the ground refers to an anecdote of the Buddha, when assailed by the forces of evil, asking the earth to be witness to his spiritual growth.