The mudra of principal enlightenment (Sanskrit: Bodhyangi Mudra) is a distinguishing gesture of Vairocana Buddha, particularly in his form as Mahavaircana, the ‘Great Resplendent One’, as the white Lord of many of the early yogatantra mandalas.  The enlightenment gesture is a combined hand mudra formed with both hands positioned in front of the heart, with the raised forefinger of the clenched or ‘vajra-fist’ left hand encircled by the closed ‘vajra-fist’ of the right hand.  An alternative form of Vairocana’s bodhyangi mudra is made by enclosing the raised thumb of the left fist in the four clenched fingers of the right fist.  Here the thumb symbolizes Vairocana at the center of the mandala, and the four embracing fingers of the right hand represent the four directional Buddhas that surround him.  If the positions of the hands in bodhyangi mudra are reversed, the raised right index finger symbolizes the penetration of the make vajra into the female ‘lotus-fist’ of the left hand.

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