Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called 'Bhumisparsha Mudra'. It symbolizes
- ABuddha's calling of the Earth to watch over Māra and to prevent Māra from disturbing his meditation
- BBuddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of MāraCorrect
- CBuddha's reminder to his followers that they all arise from the Earth and finally dissolve into the Earth, and thus this life is transitory
- DBoth the statements (a) and (b) are correct in this context
Explanation
The Bhumisparsha Mudra, or the earth touching gesture, represents the moment of Buddha's enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. According to Buddhist tradition, the demon Mara attempted to tempt and disturb Siddhartha Gautama to prevent him from reaching enlightenment. When Mara challenged his right to be there, Buddha touched the ground with his right hand, calling upon the Earth Goddess to witness his many lifetimes of virtue, purity, and merit. The Earth roared in confirmation, witnessing his worthiness and causing Mara to flee. Therefore, statement B is the most accurate description of this symbolic gesture.
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