A Question About the ZaZan Buddha Hand Position Mudra for Meditation

[DreamBliss]

Just watched Larry Terkel's video on Mudras for meditation. He says that for males, right hand over left, and for females, left hand over right.

 

I am certain I read in one of John Daido Loori's books (I think that is where I learned it) that it is non-dominant hand over dominant. If that is the case, then it would be left over right for me.

 

What is the correct, official, as-Buddha did it position of the hands here? Are you tapping into your feminine side as a male if you place your left hand over your right? Or masculine side as a female if you are placing your right hand over left?

 

Just want to get this right. I trust John Daido Loori, but Larry Terkel guy seems to know what he is talking about too, so I am confused.

 

Thanks for helping me clear this up!

Edited August 19, 2015 by DreamBliss

[Michael Sternbach]

I was taught to do Zazen with the left hand resting on top of the right.

 

I have never heard that this should be the other way around for a woman.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Michael Sternbach

[Kubba]

When this mudra came to me naturally, the meaning was - the more dominant (better to say, one that is connected to the heart better way) carries about the other hand. When I started to meditate and I did not know which hand where I was putting my right over left, and at that time my left was dominant, then after some time my right hand started to be "dominant" and once durring the meditation the right hand just tooked the left in this position very naturally

[Aetherous]

What is the correct, official, as-Buddha did it position of the hands here?

 

It might be as Dogen described it in his Fukanzazengi: "your left palm (facing upwards) on your right palm, thumb tips touching."