In Buddhism and Hinduism , a symbolic gesture of the hands and fingers used in ceremonies, dance, sculpture, and painting.
Hundreds of mudras are used in ceremony and dance, often in combination with movements of the wrists, elbows, and shoulders. In ceremonies, especially in Buddhism, a mudra acts as a kind of seal, affirming a mystical or magical vow or utterance, such as a prayer to ward off evil. A mudra often accompanies the utterance of a mantra .