Bodhisattva with Hands in Gesture of Teaching (Vitarkamudra)

This 9th-century bronze shows a bodhisattva performing the vitarkamudra, the teaching or discussion gesture. The right hand is raised with thumb and index finger touching to form a circle while other fingers remain extended. This gesture symbolizes the transmission of the Buddha's teachings and the moment a bodhisattva explains the dharma. A bodhisattva is an enlightened being who postpones final nirvana to help others achieve liberation.

The princely appearance, with jewelry and crown, distinguishes bodhisattvas from the simpler robed Buddha. The vitarkamudra is especially associated with Avalokiteshvara (compassion) and other teaching bodhisattvas. Small bronze figures like this served as three-dimensional teaching tools, preserving iconographic meaning through hand gestures, body positions, and attributes. The piece is at the Art Institute of Chicago.