In the Mahayana doctrine of the threefold bodies of the Buddha, Vairocana is the cosmic embodiment of the historical Buddha. Of the three bodies, Vairocana is regarded as the highest form, a god of light whose reflection throughout the universe is represented as endless. His wisdom is the wisdom of the Dharmadhatu. The Dharmadhatu is the realm of truth in which all things exist as they really are. Vairocana’s wisdom is also referred to as the all-pervading wisdom of the dharmadhatu, the absolute Buddha-nature.
In paintings, Vairocana is colored in white to symbolize a pure consciousness. As the supreme Buddha, his characteristic gesture is the mudra of the six elements in which the index finger of the left hand is clasped by the five fingers of the right, symbolizing the uniting of the five elements of the material world (earth, water, fire, air and ether) with the spiritual consciousness.