Meditation
(Samādhi Mudra)
The Buddha image is in the posture of sitting in meditation (samādhi):
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The two hands are placed face-up, one stacked upon the other, on the lap.
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The right hand covers the left hand.
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The right shin on top of the left shin.
Origin of this Mudrā
After the Bodhisattva achieved victory over Māra, he proceeded to practice meditation further. When the mind was settled, pure, clear, and free from minor defilements (upakilesa):
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In the first watch of the night (pathama yāma), he attained the Knowledge of the Divine Eye (cutupapātañāṇa), which is the ability to perceive the cycle of birth and death of all sentient beings, that all beings are born and die, and experience happiness and suffering according to the karma they have made.
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And in the last watch of the night (pacchima yāma), he attained the Knowledge of the Extinction of Defilements (āsavakkhayañāṇa). He caused all mental defilements (āsava kilesa) to utterly cease, until he achieved Anuttara-sammā-sambodhiñāṇa and became enlightened as the Sammā-sambuddha.
This occurred at the time of dawn, corresponding to the full moon of the sixth month (or the 15th day of the waxing moon of the 6th month, Visākha Pūjā Day). The location of the Sammā-sambuddha's enlightenment is currently in the area of Bodh Gaya, India.