Mahamudra

Mahamudra (Sanskrit: great seal) is a method of direct introduction to the nature of Mind (or Buddha Nature) and the practice of stabilizing the accompanying transcendental realization.

It is practiced by the Kagyu, Gelug and Sakya schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and possibly also by derivative Vajrayana orders in China, Russia and Japan. (The Nyingma and Bon traditions and their derivatives practice a corollary but distinct method of direct introduction called Dzogchen or Ati Yoga.

The contemporary philosopher Oscar Ichazo has introduced a third method of direct introduction which he calls the Velocity Method.)

The term Mahamudra is often explained as referring to the uncontestable validity of the experience. For example, if a document bears the Great Seal of the Emperor, then there is no question as to the authenticity of that document. Similarly, it is said that during the genuine experience of Mahamudra, one has no question that one is directly glimpsing the nature of Mind (Buddha Nature or Tathagatagarbha) and that recalling and stabilizing this experience leads to profound certainty and eventual Enlightenment.

See also: mudra