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Abhaya

Abhaya is a Sanskrit term meaning fearlessness or without fear. It derives from the prefix a- meaning without, attached to bhaya, meaning fear. In religious and cultural contexts, abhaya functions both as a concept and as a reference to a specific gesture known as the abhaya mudra, the fear-not gesture.

Abhaya mudra is a distinctive hand gesture found in Hindu and Buddhist iconography. It is performed with

Historically, the mudra appears in Indian art from the early centuries CE and spread to East Asia

In contemporary usage, abhaya is also a common given name in India and Nepal, used for both

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the
right
hand
raised
to
shoulder
height,
the
palm
facing
outward,
and
the
fingers
extended.
The
gesture
conveys
protection,
peace,
and
fearlessness,
and
it
is
intended
to
reassure
devotees
and
dispel
fears.
In
Buddhist
art,
it
is
commonly
depicted
on
statues
of
the
Buddha
and
Bodhisattvas;
in
Hindu
art,
it
appears
on
various
deities
as
a
sign
of
protection
and
benevolence.
through
the
transmission
of
Buddhism.
It
remains
a
standard
motif
in
Hindu
temple
imagery
as
well
as
in
Buddhist
sculpture
across
South,
Southeast,
and
Central
Asia,
where
it
is
often
integrated
with
other
mudras
to
communicate
doctrinal
meanings.
genders
in
some
communities,
and
it
remains
a
symbolically
favorable
name
meaning
fearless.
The
term
continues
to
appear
in
discussions
of
iconography,
sacred
art,
and
devotional
practice.