Sitting cross-legged in Buddhist seated meditation

[thomaslaw]

Dear Dhamma friends,

Sitting cross-legged in Buddhist seated meditation is also one of the asanas in the Hindu yoga postures. It seems most of the sitting cross-legged in Buddhist seated meditation traditions come with the hands either on the knees or right/left hand on top of left/right hand with 'thumps touching' on top of thighs. But I think no clear indication about the thumps touching in early Buddhist texts (e.g. SN 54.1). Is the thumps touching part of the early Buddhism for seated meditation? Any different postures between Buddhist seated meditation and the Hindu yoga asana regarding the sitting cross-legged?

Kind Regards,
Thomas

[SarathW]

Agree.
Sutta does not talk about the hands' position.
The only way you can get some indication about the hand position is by looking at the old Buddha's statutes.

[frank k]

what is the hindu posture?
in the EBT, nothing specific is said, other than as you already pointed out SN 54.1 anapana standard formula preface section. (cross legs, straighten body). Even closing the eyes is not mentioned, let alone what the arms and hands are doing.

a few other passages mention gathering some grass to form a seat to sit on.