What Every Domain Expansion Hand Sign Means In Jujutsu Kaisen

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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer Marcus Pruitt, B.S. Marcus Pruitt is a staff writer at wikiHow. Marcus graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2023. He was all over Chicago’s creative scene, writing about emerging artists, musicians and designers for small publications before transitioning to freelance writing. As a freelance writer, Pruitt has focused on topics such as mental health, social justice and media representation. His documentary, Portrait of Jelani: Grief, Art, and Memory, won the Audience Award at the 2023 Foxtail Film Festival. Throughout his career, Pruitt wrote with the purpose of helping others, which led him to wikiHow. Here, he enjoys writing articles that make it easier to navigate the big ideas in readers’ lives. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of all facts cited and confirming the authority of its sources. Find out more…

The world of Jujutsu Kaisen is full of spiritual references and inspirations. An example is domain extension hand signs, as each one invokes different Buddhist and Hindu deities or practices. It’s hard to recognize what domain extension hand signs mean, especially if you’re not aware of Buddhist and Hindu mythology. In this article we will dive into all the domain extensions in Jujutsu Kaisen and explain what they mean. Be warned, spoilers follow.

1. 

   Ryomen Sukuna’s Malevolent Shrine uses the Enmaten hand seal. Enmaten, also known as Yama, is the god of death in Hindu mythology, much like Sukuna is considered the king of curses. Sukuna’s malevolent shrine is an open domain that cleaves everything in its path, so it makes sense that he summons Enmaten given the similarities in power.[1]

   • How to perform: Bring the index and pinky fingers together on each hand, straighten the middle and third fingers and press them together.
   • Both Sukuna and Enmaten are former humans who became deities in death.

2. The hand sign that Satoru Gojo uses for Unlimited Void represents Taishakuten-In. Gojo has one of the strongest domain extensions in the Jujutsu world, so it makes sense that the hand signal used to activate it calls out the Taishakuten. Taishakuten-In, also known as Śakra and Indra, is a Hindu god who is incorporated into Buddhism as one of its greatest patrons.[2]

   • How to perform: Bring your thumb, little finger, and third finger together, hold your index finger straight up, then curl your middle finger around your index finger.
   • Taishakuten defends both deities and humans from evil, much like Gojo uses his overwhelming power to protect jujutsu wizards and humans from curses.

3. Jogo’s Coffin of the Iron Mountain ironically summons Daikokuten. To activate his Coffin of the Iron Mountain domain expansion, Jogo uses a hand sign that refers to Daikokuten, the deity of luck, health, agriculture, and war. While Daikokuten represents wealth and happiness, Jogo represents destruction and wrath, making for an ironic invocation.[3]

   • How to perform: Put your hands together and cross your index and third fingers. Then pinch the tips of the middle fingers and align the little fingers with the crossed third fingers.
   • Daikokuten is a fusion of two other deities, Shiva the Destroyer of Hinduism and Ōkuninushi-no-Kami, the Japanese god of medicine, protective magic and the underworld.

4. Megumi Fushiguro summons Yakushi Nyorai-In when he activates his Chimera Shadow Garden. Megumi is a special case, as his domain extension is an extension of his Ten Shadow technique. The Ten Shadow Technique allows Megumi to summon 10 shikigami of her choice, the most powerful being Mahoraga. Mahoraga is also the name of one of the 12 celestial generals who serve Yakushi Nyorai-In (also known as Bhaișajyaguru), creating a direct link between Megumi and the deity.[4]

   • How to perform: Bring your hands together and cross your index and middle fingers together while pressing the tips of your thumbs together.
   • In Chinese Buddhism, Yakushi Nyorai is a guardian used to overcome physical, mental and spiritual ailments.

5. The upper sign for Mahito’s self-embodiment of perfection is represented by Nyorai. Nyorai, originally known as Tathāgatha in the Pali canon of Theravada Buddhist tradition, represents the ascension of Gautama Buddha beyond the human condition, specifically the endless cycle of rebirth and death. This is similar to how Mahito considers himself a perfect human being in his own eyes.

   • How to perform: Cross your fingers, but leave a space between your palms. Press the little fingers together.
   • Mahito’s domain extension allows him to change the soul of anyone caught within it, spelling certain death for most of his enemies.

6. The lower hand sign for Mahito’s self-embodiment of perfection refers to Kujaku-Myoo. Kujaku-Myoo is called Mahamayuri in Mahayana Buddhism and was originally a peacock that targeted people. They were nearly killed by the Buddha after eating him, just as Mahito was nearly killed after touching Sukuna’s soul. Buddha redeemed the deity after they promised to give up their habit of eating people. Mahamayuri now helps Buddha in different forms, just as Mahito helps Kenjaku with his body morphing abilities.[5]

   • How to perform: Bend your index fingers and thumbs together, then press the other fingers together.
   • Mahamayuri is a poison eater and can eat all the toxic chemicals in one’s body, symbolizing health and detoxification.

7. Yuta Okkotsu’s Authentic Mutual Love hand sign is associated with Dākini, the flesh-eating demon. In early Buddhist and Hindu texts, the Dākini were a race of demons who ate human flesh. Dākini is considered the female embodiment of enlightened energy, much like Yuta’s love, Rika, became the haunted embodiment of their love after her death. Okkotsu’s domain extension summons an infinite number of katanas, each containing a random cursed technique guaranteed to hit the target.[6]

   • How to perform: Clench the left fist, straighten the right arm and bend the thumb along the edge of the palm.
   • Katanas are destroyed after one use.
   • The cursed techniques inside the katana can only be activated by Yuta.

8. Dagon’s Horizon of the Captivating Skandha is based on Budai’s Infinite Treasure Bag. While the hand sign is unrelated, Dagon’s domain expansion is based on Budai’s (also known as the Laughing Buddha) infinite treasure bag. Like Budai, Dagon summons an endless horde of shikigami fish that he launches at his opponent when he activates his domain.[7]

   • How to perform: Clasp your hands together, curl your fingers together and align your thumbs with the sides of your hands.
   • Since his fingers were severed in battle, Dagon had to draw a cursed seal to complete his technique.

9. Yuji Itadori’s unnamed domain extension hand sign represents Jizo Bosatsu-In. Jizo Bosatsu-In (also known as Kshitigarbha) is a Buddhist guardian deity of children and travelers, so it makes sense that Yuji invokes him. From the beginning of the Jujutsu Kaisen story, Yuji vowed to help people with his power and protect those he cares about, just like Jizo Bosatsu-In’s protective nature.[8]

   • How to perform: Bend your fingers into each other and straighten your index fingers.

10. Kenjaku uses an anti-forked palm for his Womb Profusion domain extension. The anti-forked palm that Kenjaku uses for his Womb Profusion technique is one of the 18 palm movements used for meditation in esoteric Buddhism. This alludes to the fact that he knows many types of sorcery, which makes sense considering he’s been alive for thousands of years. Its domain extension summons a giant pillar full of cursed spirits that destroy their target on sight.[9]

    • How to perform: Turn your hands away from each other, join your fingers and align your thumbs with the sides of your hands.
    • Kenjaku’s use of the hand sign against the pitchfork represents his arrogance, as it is the only hand sign seen that does not directly refer to a deity. This makes sense because Kenjaku considers himself a deity.
    • Kenjaku’s domain extension is limitless, which is extremely rare.

11. Naoye Zenin’s Moon Palace Time Cell summons Gigeiten, patron of the arts. Gigeiten is a minor female deity in Buddhism and patron of the arts, making Naoya’s invocation ironic given his sexist attitude towards women. It makes sense though as his domain turns his enemies into gory works of art limiting their movement to 24 frames of animation.[10]

    • How to perform: Put your palms together, bring your fingers together and straighten your thumbs and index fingers towards your opponent.
    • Anyone who tries to move beyond 24 frames gets slashed along the body.
    • Naoya’s technique is considered more powerful than Naobit Zenin, which only freezes the enemy in one frame of animation.

12. The hand signs for Kinji Hakari’s Idle Death Gamble point to Benzaiten. Hakari’s Idle Death Gamble uses hand signs that invoke the goddess Benzaiten. Given his gambling habit, this makes sense as Benzaiten is the goddess of love and happiness. Its domain extension calls for a huge pachinko slot machine. Hakari must hit the jackpot to get four minutes of unlimited cursed energy.[11]

    • How to perform: Bend the right thumb and index finger in a circle, straighten the other fingers on the right hand and place them above the straightened left hand with the palm facing up and the thumb bent inward.
    • A pachinko machine is a gambling device that combines pinball and slot machines.[12]

13. Ryu Ishigori’s Unknown Domain Expansion uses a hand sign that also invokes Mahamayuri. The Mahamayuri are often portrayed as benevolent, but their former habit of robbing people is similar to Ishigori’s insatiable thirst for battle. Kenjaku summoned Ishigori to the present, where he could indulge in combat during The Culling Games. His domain extension was never revealed, as Yuta Okkotsu and Takako Uro tried to call their domain extensions at the same time to nullify Ishigori’s.[13]

    • How to perform: Turn your palms away from you, straighten your fingers and bring them together.

14. An unknown expansion of the Takako Uro domain summons Jinju Taishō, a desert deity and guardian. Jinja Taishō (also known as General Shinsha) is a desert deity and guardian who cured diseases during the Heian era. This is similar to Ur, a jujutsu wizard from a thousand years ago who was the captain of a group of assassins associated with the Fujiwara family. Her domain expansion is unknown as it was canceled when she, Yuta Okkotsu and Ryu Ishigori tried to summon theirs at the same time.[14]

    • How to perform: With clenched fists, cross your arms over your chest.

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Source: HIS Education