Summary

• Gojo's hand seal in Jujutsu Kaisen's Domain Expansion resembles the mudra of the Buddhist goddess Marici, suggesting a parallel between the two figures.
• Gojo's use of only one hand for his seal signifies that he has not yet reached his full potential and is still held back in some way.
• Gojo's death serves as a necessary turning point in his character arc, leading to his eventual return in an enlightened state where he has reached true ascension.

Many rumors exist about whether the Honored One, Satoru Gojo, will return after his death at the hands of Ryomen Sukuna in chapter #236 of Jujutsu Kaisen. An interesting theory regarding Gojo's potential return points out how Jujutsu Kaisen's Buddhist symbolism, particularly hand seals used by Jujutsu sorcerers in Domain Expansion, could point to Gojo's eventual reappearance.

Reddit hi_airi points out that Gojo's hand seal used in Domain Expansion is similar to the "Body" seal (or "mudra") of the Buddhist goddess Marici. This theory was later spread on Twitter by @Giusydev96. However, the sorcerer's seal differs from Marici's mudra because his fingers face in the opposite direction and he uses his right hand rather than his left.

The most striking difference is that Gojo only uses one hand to create his seal, while every other Domain Expansion seen in the series uses two. This Jujutsu Kaisen theory suggests this happens because Gojo has not yet attained his full potential and is still held back in some way. When he uses both hands for his seal, readers will know he has reached enlightenment.

Gojo's Buddhist Inspiration Announces His Return In Jujutsu Kaisen

The Honored One shares a few other important similarities with this Buddhist goddess. Marici is represented by aspects such as invisibility, enlightenment, and light, characteristics that are crucial to Satoru's character. Marici is also known as the queen of Heaven. As the queen, she is directly in opposition to the evil king of Hell in Buddhism, Enmaten. Marici and Enmaten parallel Satoru and Ryomen Sukuna. Sukuna even makes a hand seal for his Domain Expansion that is an exact match with Enmaten's.

The goddess Marici is also an emanation of another important figure in Buddhism, the Supreme Buddha or "Great Sun", Vairocana. He rules over five other Dhyani Buddhas and boasts skills such as Void and Sight. These two abilities closely parallel Gojo's abilities Unlimited Void and Six Eyes. Another similarity is that the Supreme Buddha and the Honored One are both heavily connected to the color white. Finally, they are accomplished teachers who impart their knowledge to others.

Gojo's Death Will Lead To His Enlightenment And Ascension

The nods to Buddhist symbolism are seen even in Gojo's first name, Satoru (悟) whose meaning is "to understand/become enlightened," which could refer to Gojo's potential return to Jujutsu Kaisen. Vairocana possesses the talents of all five Dhyani Buddhas, but the key factor in unlocking true enlightenment is the sixth element, the mind. Gojo lacks the ability to truly ascend until he can free his mind from worldly constraints. These limitations include Geto's last words that continue to haunt him long after his death and the overwhelming expectations from others that weigh on him, represented by his title of "The Strongest", which confines rather than defines his identity.

Gojo's death during his fight with Sukuna in chapter #236 was one of the most tragic moments of Jujutsu Kaisen. However, according to the theory, this event serves as a necessary turning point in his character arc. Gojo had to die in order to eventually come back in an enlightened state, finally realizing who he was truly meant to be. If Gojo returns to Jujutsu Kaisen as a result of this, using two hands to execute his Domain Expansion will be the sign that he has truly reached enlightenment and ascended to a supreme state of being akin to the gods.

Sources: hi_airi (Reddit); @Giusydev96 (X)

Jujutsu Kaisen is available from MANGA Plus and Viz Media.

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