A Gateway to Wisdom, Emptiness, and Spiritual Transformation in Vajrayana Buddhism

Mudras and other postures in Tibetan Buddhism carry significant spiritual meanings. One of them is the mudra of Virupa, an eminent figure of Vajrayana Buddhism. The mudra associated with Virupa is more than just a hand position; it embodies Virupa's wisdom and the enlightened state of being that comes from understanding emptiness in Buddhism. The mudra also relates directly to Virupa's teachings on transforming oneself by letting go of attachment to worldly possessions and ideas, thereby developing a direct means of receiving wisdom. Therefore, the mudra serves as an invitation from Virupa to practitioners to open their hearts and minds to the Buddha's teachings and to transcend their intellectual beliefs into the realm of spiritual knowledge. 

The mudra represents wisdom being shared with the practitioner, as evidenced by the open hand gesture, and this sharing reflects how everything is connected. When one recognizes that wisdom comes from understanding emptiness, one can see that it is not a void; rather, it is the result of understanding the endlessly changing conditions. Consequently, practitioners use the mudra to remind themselves to look beyond appearances, focus on what truly exists at the core of reality, and recognize their inextricable connection to all other living beings. Both the mudra and the visual illustration serve to provide practitioners with an example and a way to internalize their spiritual transformation into their everyday lives and practices.

Who Was Virupa?

The 11th-century Indian Buddhist yogi Virupa is well-known as a significant figure in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.  His narrative shows much spiritual change; although he started his career as a scholar, he gained tremendous wisdom as he fought and as he went through his inner being. Virupa taught in ways that were very direct and unusual for his time, and he often encouraged his students to look beyond their everyday experiences to really comprehend how things actually are.  

In addition to being among the first to establish Vajrayana Buddhism, Virupa's teachings continue to be a significant influence on many practitioners of this path.  His mudra shows the concepts of emptiness, compassion, and wisdom that are central to Vajrayana Buddhism philosophy.

Read More from Our Mahasiddha Virupa: From Ordinary Mortal to Extraordinary Tantric Master

The Tale of Sun Stopping Mudra

Virupa was expelled from the great monastery of Nalanda for following an unorthodox form of tantras - involving drinking alcohol, eating meat, and spending time with female spiritual partners, known as dakinis, whom Yogi Virupa regarded as being just as valuable as his male companions. While wandering through India, Virupa stopped at a tavern for a drink; he and the tavern keeper had an agreement that he would pay for his drinks after sunset. He had no money but drank heavily as dusk was approaching on the day he was to pay the tavern keeper. As the sun was starting to set, he called upon his meditative gifts to prevent the end of the day by pointing his right index finger to the sky, thereby holding the sun in mid-air. Due to this act of yogic stopping of time, the sun remained in the sky for approximately 72 hours, and because of this, the weather in the region was disrupted; the entire community suffered due to loss of crops, dying lakes and rivers slowly disappearing; as a result of this act of yogic meditation, the yogic life of the region was severely disrupted.

The local king, frightened by the chaos, went to the tavern to request an explanation from him about the unusual occurrences and asked for the return of the sun. Virupa agreed to allow the sun to return but required that the king repay any debts owed, as well as make a promise to replace all animal sacrifices in the community with vegetarian alternatives. Terrified by Virupa's authority, the king immediately agreed to pay the debt and fulfilled all of his requirements. After the king fulfilled all conditions, he lowered his arm, snapped his fingers, and the sun began its journey back to earth, setting a few hours later.

The Importance of Mudras in Buddhism

The positions of the hands in Buddhist statues and artworks are called mudras, and these mudras represent the statue's spiritual truths and inner feelings. These marks articulate the relationship among the body, speech, and mind. Moreover, they display the events in the life of Buddha and the ideas of compassion and wisdom. For example, the Dharmachakra mudra symbolizes the Buddha's first teaching. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Virupa's mudra represents knowledge and emptiness, and it is depicted with an open palm, symbolizing the transmission of knowledge and the absence of self-existence. The stance prompts human beings to abandon preconceived notions and adopt the interdependence of every being. As a result, this mudra leads to deeper spiritual insights and the experience of non-duality. Virupa's mudra serves both symbolic and transformative purposes in meditation practice.

Virupa’s Mudra: Symbolism of Wisdom and Emptiness

In the Symbol of Wisdom and Emptiness, Virupa performs a mudra that represents the direct transfer of knowledge and powers. He does so with an open-hand gesture that teaches practitioners to relinquish their attachment to the physical world so they may discover more profound truths about themselves and the universe. The mudra of Virupa represents two main points: 

1. Wisdom (Prajna)

Wisdom (prajna) is the primary teaching of Vajrayana Buddhism, and it is considered the most essential property for achieving liberation. The open-handed gesture of the Virupa Mudra bestows wisdom on the practitioner. The word "prajna" (wisdom) signifies having the power to realize ultimate reality. The Open Hand mudra of Virupa demonstrates the way in which he contemplates the teachings that surpass a common perception of the world, which makes the practitioner see what truly exists in the world.

2. Emptiness (Sunyata)

Sunyata, or emptiness, is an essential teaching found in Vajrayana Buddhism.  The term means that everything lacks intrinsic existence and that clinging to rigidly fixed ideas creates suffering. The open-handed gesture of Virupa (i.e., the mudra of openness) is an expression of sunyata in that it is an open gesture and not clinging to form and fixed notions. It reminds us that true wisdom means knowing that everything is one and that there is no duality.

Virupa’s Mudra in Tibetan Buddhist Iconography

(Photo from Rubin Museum)

Tibetan Buddhist art depicts the mudra of Virupa as a significant expression of his teachings, symbolizing how wisdom can be applied in meditation. This depiction conveys profound spiritual truths and highlights Virupa's role in enhancing one's grasp of his teachings. Often, Virupa's mudra is accompanied by symbolic items like the vajra and a skull cup. The skull cup represents the transition from not knowing to knowing, and the vajra symbolizes that truth never changes. The mudra and these symbols work together to support the Buddhist idea that wisdom can help people change.

Virupa's mudra also embodies the offering of spiritual understanding through an open-handed gesture, inviting exploration of more profound Buddhist philosophies, such as emptiness and interdependence. The Tibetan Buddhist doctrine is that the doctrine, which is transmitted through the mudras, does not necessarily need any verbal explanation, but it works directly into the mind and heart of the practitioner. In this way, the significance of Virupa mudras is that they enable communication without the use of words, which provides a more profound understanding than intellectual understanding. This movement calls upon practitioners to leave dualistic perceptions of reality as a way of inviting them to a new level of spiritual awareness.

How Virupa’s Mudra Enhances Meditation and Practice

• Connection with Spiritual Path: It enhances the connection with the spiritual path of an individual by practicing the Virupa Mudra, which makes one more aware of the spirit and much wiser and enlightened.
• Comprehending the Emptiness: It is possible to directly experience the notion of emptiness with the given mudra to offer a personal experience of non-attachment and interconnectedness.
• Visualizing Receiving Wisdom: Practicing this mudra enables practitioners to visualize the reception of Virupa's wisdom (spiritual knowledge transmitted by a teacher) within their life experience.
• Going beyond Ordinary Perception: The mudra can also be used to directly experience the concept of emptiness, thereby completing the understanding of non-attachment and interconnection.
• Releasing the Ego: Mudra practice may lead to a break in the chain of thinking and feeling and a deeper spiritual consciousness.
• Path to Ultimate Reality: When you work with this mudra regularly, you will make yourself more familiar with the Ultimate Reality experience beyond the dualistic thinking.

The Power of Non-Verbal Transmission in Virupa’s Mudra: A Deeper Connection to Wisdom and Emptiness

The most important point of Virupa is that it shows the importance of nonverbal communication in the development of spirituality. Virupa's mudra offers a nonverbal medium for direct teaching transmission from the teacher to the student, despite the verbal expression of most Buddhist teachings. The nonverbal forms of passing teachings help students to absorb the spiritual wisdom and knowledge within them without any obstruction of the intellectual elements and ideas. In addition, by meditation and the mudra Virupa, the students are not only learning about wisdom and emptiness. They are learning to connect with wisdom and emptiness more deeply, creating a stronger bond with their spiritual path that transcends their ability to see or hear them. This is why the mudra of Virupa becomes more topical and necessary in the modern world. Overthinking is a common result for many people, making them lose sight of and experience their deeper, embodied forms of knowledge.

The Relevance of Virupa’s Mudra Today

The modern world is full of distractions and hectic schedules, and it can be challenging to relate to Buddhism on a personal level. The mudra of Virupa serves as a reminder that one can access wisdom and spiritual insight, regardless of the external environment. The open-handed gesture represents that spiritual knowledge is available to anyone who chooses to accept it.

The mudra of Virupa also helps the practitioners to transcend their ego and their preconceptions and reminds them of the teachings of emptiness and interdependence. In the present-day world, where success in material wealth is often greatly appreciated, practitioners can reflect on the temporality of all things and how everything is connected to one another. Releasing attachments will help practitioners to learn how to treat life with a thoughtful and compassionate attitude.

The mudra of Virupa represents the wisdom of transformation to those who want to work on their spirituality, be it Tibetan Buddhism or any other practice. It points out that as soon as a person understands that there is nothing particularly inherent to any phenomenon, the illusion of the separation vanishes. Practitioners infuse the teachings of Virupa's mudra into their minds, making liberation from ignorance a reality rather than merely a goal. Thus, Virupa's mudra continues to serve as both an effective symbol and practical teaching for encouraging a more profound understanding of the self and one's relationship with others.

Conclusion

One of the most essential aspects of Vajrayana Buddhism is the Mudra of Virupa, whose open palm symbolizes the path of wisdom and enlightenment. Practicing this mudra inspires the practitioner to transcend the worldly attachments and concepts they have built around themselves, and, in doing so, provides them with access to much deeper levels of spiritual insight and understanding of Emptiness. Visually, this mudra depicts his teaching, and it serves as a means for practitioners to eliminate dualism in thought by experiencing their non-dual nature. In a world more about consumption and speed than ever before, Virupa's mudra serves as a reminder that anyone can receive wisdom with an open mind. By letting go of ego and material desires, the practitioner can re-establish their connection to the Oneness of all living things. The Virupa Mudra empowers students seeking transformation by fostering direct and experiential freedom. This mudra can be practiced and meditated on regularly, leading to spiritual growth and a better understanding of the interconnectedness of all living things.

Explore Our Collection of Virupa from Termatree.