According to tradition, the Buddha first used this gesture after ... people sit in a calm environment and raise their hand in the Abhay mudra, they feel a sense of achievement and empowerment ...

Buddha's hands are usually depicted in one of six attitudes, or 'Mudras'. Here is a guide to decoding these gestures, which are illustrated in the images above (clockwise from top left): ...

Today, these hand signs are used in meditation by monks, especially during ceremonies. Most statues of Buddha can also be seen performing a mudra of some sort through either hand, representing ...