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[[File:Pillar with Naga Muchalinda over the throne of the Buddha. Pauni (Bhandara District). Railing pillar from Jagannath Tekri. 2nd-1st century BCE.jpg|thumb|Pillar with Naga Mucalinda protecting the throne of the [[Buddha]]. Railing pillar from Jagannath Tekri, [[Pauni]] (Bhandara District). 2nd-1st century BCE. [[National Museum of India]].<ref>"The bas-relief at Pauni or Bharhut in India, which dates back to about the second century B.C., represents a vacant throne protected by a naga with many heads. It also bears an inscription of the Naga Mucalinda (Fig. 3)" {{cite book |title=SPAFA Digest: Journal Of SEAMEO Project in Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA). |date=1987 |publisher=SPAFA Co-ordinating Unit |page=4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s1FuAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref>]]
[[File:Pillar with Naga Muchalinda over the throne of the Buddha. Pauni (Bhandara District). Railing pillar from Jagannath Tekri. 2nd-1st century BCE.jpg|thumb|Pillar with Naga Mucalinda protecting the throne of the [[Buddha]]. Railing pillar from Jagannath Tekri, [[Pauni]] (Bhandara District). 2nd-1st century BCE. [[National Museum of India]].<ref>"The bas-relief at Pauni or Bharhut in India, which dates back to about the second century B.C., represents a vacant throne protected by a naga with many heads. It also bears an inscription of the Naga Mucalinda (Fig. 3)" {{cite book |title=SPAFA Digest: Journal Of SEAMEO Project in Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA). |date=1987 |publisher=SPAFA Co-ordinating Unit |page=4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s1FuAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref>]]
[[File:Naga-enthroned Buddha - Beyond Angkor - Cleveland Museum of Art (40887945882).jpg|alt=|thumb|12th century Khmer bronze Naga-enthroned Buddha from [[Banteay Chhmar]], Cambodia. [[Cleveland Museum of Art]].]]
[[File:Naga-enthroned Buddha - Beyond Angkor - Cleveland Museum of Art (40887945882).jpg|alt=|thumb|12th century Khmer bronze Naga-enthroned Buddha from [[Banteay Chhmar]], Cambodia. [[Cleveland Museum of Art]].]]
'''Mucalinda''', '''Muchalinda''' or '''Mucilinda''' is the name of a [[nāga]], a [[snake]]-like being, who protected the [[Gautama Buddha]] from the elements after his [[bodhi|enlightenment]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Thanissaro|first=Bhikkhu|title=Muccalinda Sutta: About Muccalinda|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.01.than.html}}</ref>
'''Mucalinda''', '''Muchalinda''', or '''Mucilinda''' is a [[nāga]], a [[snake]]-like being, who protected the [[Gautama Buddha]] from the elements after his [[bodhi|enlightenment]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Thanissaro|first=Bhikkhu|title=Muccalinda Sutta: About Muccalinda|url=http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.2.01.than.html}}</ref>


It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under the [[Bodhi Tree]], the heavens darkened for seven days, and a prodigious rain descended. However, the mighty King of Serpents, Mucalinda, came from beneath the earth and protected with his hood the one who is the source of all protection. When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned in joy to his palace.
It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under the [[Bodhi Tree]], the heavens darkened for seven days, and a prodigious rain descended. However, the mighty King of Serpents, Mucalinda, came from beneath the earth and protected with his hood the One who is the source of all protection. When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned in joy to his palace.


==Description==
==Development==
Mucalinda first appears in the ''Mucalinda Sutta'', where it is described that the naga king protected Buddha from the elements by encircling Buddha's body seven times with his coils and standing with his hood spread over. Generally we find statues and carvings of Muchalinda with seven heads, as discovered at the Ta Prohm-temple in Cambodia, in September 2024.<ref>https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article292815444.html</ref> After Buddha finished meditating and the sky cleared, Mucalinda adopted the form of a youth and bowed before him.<ref name=JoRa>Jason Johns, Jyotsna Rani Nag, ''Muchalinda Buddha:- An Interdisciplinary approach to Reinterpret the Depiction of the Buddha with Muchalinda Naga'', Journal of Archaeological Studies in India, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2021, pp. 140-157</ref>


The first existent artwork depicting Mucalinda comes from a 2nd-century BC [[stupa]] in [[Pauni]], [[Maharashtra]], where the naga is portrayed as having five heads and guarding Buddha's empty seat. Contemporaneous artwork from [[Sanchi]] has him portrayed in zoo-anthropomorphic form and attended by a retinue of nagini.<ref name=JoRa/>
Mucalinda is described as the multidimensional Serpent, who interconnects and coils and winds and wraps the whole Multiverse, and have multiple heads in number which can be divided by number seven - thus as seven-headed, or seventy-headed, or seven hundred-headed, or seven thousand-headed, or seventy thousand-headed, or even seven hundred thousand-headed, or even as many as seven million-headed Serpent; the most occasionally blue colo(u)red.


==Artistic representations==
==Artistic representations==
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The subject of Buddha meditating under the protection of Mucalinda is very common in [[Lao Buddhist sculpture|Lao Buddhist art]]. A particularly striking gigantic modern rendition is present in [[Bunleua Sulilat]]'s sculpture park [[Sala Keoku]].
The subject of Buddha meditating under the protection of Mucalinda is very common in [[Lao Buddhist sculpture|Lao Buddhist art]]. A particularly striking gigantic modern rendition is present in [[Bunleua Sulilat]]'s sculpture park [[Sala Keoku]].


Art depicting Buddha with Mucalinda's hood over him might have been influenced by [[Jainism|Jain]] art of [[Parshvanatha]], himself depicted as a man with a cobra-like hood.<ref name=JoRa/>
The webcomic [[Sinfest]] featured a version of this in a [[sunday strip]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ishida|first=Tatsuya|title=Buddha Muchalinda|url=http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2010-04-11|work=Sinfest|accessdate=29 April 2012|date=2010-04-11}}</ref>


==Literary references==
==See also==
*[[Vasuki]]
The legend of Mucalinda (Muchalinda) is prominently featured in [[Aldous Huxley]]'s novel ''[[Island (Huxley novel)|Island]]'' where it functions as a metaphor of communion between humans and nature, in opposition to the hostile/cautious view of [[snake]]s in the [[Western culture]].
==Iconography==
In [[Buddhism in Tibet|Tibetan Buddhism]], it was believed that the bodhisattva was the name of philosopher [[Nagarjuna]] as Portraition.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Commons category|Mucalinda}}<gallery>
{{Commons category|Mucalinda}}
⚫
{{Buddhism topics}}
File:Muchilinda Buddha from Cambodia, Angkor kingdom, Bayon style, 12th century, sandstone, HAA.JPG|Mucalinda sheltering [[Gautama Buddha]] ([[Naga Prok attitude]]); 12th century Khmer Sandstone with traces of pigment and gold, Honolulu Academy of Arts
File:Mucalinda protecting Buddha.jpg|A statue of Mucalinda protecting the Buddha in Mucalinda Lake, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India
File:SalaKeoKou 2.jpg|Sculpture in Nong Khai, Northeastern Thailand
File:BouddhaSimuong.jpg|Mucalinda Sheltering Buddha - BouddhaSimuong
File:ChinessTemple2-9.761527,100.007254 (24).JPG|Chinese Temple
File:090 Mucalinda protects Buddha (detail) (9192151900).jpg|Mucalinda protecting Buddha in painting
⚫
</gallery>{{Buddhism topics}}


[[Category:Buddhist legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Buddhist legendary creatures]]

Latest revision as of 01:58, 5 December 2024

Pillar with Naga Mucalinda protecting the throne of the Buddha. Railing pillar from Jagannath Tekri, Pauni (Bhandara District). 2nd-1st century BCE. National Museum of India.[1]
12th century Khmer bronze Naga-enthroned Buddha from Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia. Cleveland Museum of Art.

Mucalinda, Muchalinda, or Mucilinda is a nāga, a snake-like being, who protected the Gautama Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment.[2]

It is said that six weeks after Gautama Buddha began meditating under the Bodhi Tree, the heavens darkened for seven days, and a prodigious rain descended. However, the mighty King of Serpents, Mucalinda, came from beneath the earth and protected with his hood the One who is the source of all protection. When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned in joy to his palace.

Development

[edit]

Mucalinda first appears in the Mucalinda Sutta, where it is described that the naga king protected Buddha from the elements by encircling Buddha's body seven times with his coils and standing with his hood spread over. Generally we find statues and carvings of Muchalinda with seven heads, as discovered at the Ta Prohm-temple in Cambodia, in September 2024.[3] After Buddha finished meditating and the sky cleared, Mucalinda adopted the form of a youth and bowed before him.[4]

The first existent artwork depicting Mucalinda comes from a 2nd-century BC stupa in Pauni, Maharashtra, where the naga is portrayed as having five heads and guarding Buddha's empty seat. Contemporaneous artwork from Sanchi has him portrayed in zoo-anthropomorphic form and attended by a retinue of nagini.[4]

Artistic representations

[edit]
See also: Naga Prok attitude

The subject of Buddha meditating under the protection of Mucalinda is very common in Lao Buddhist art. A particularly striking gigantic modern rendition is present in Bunleua Sulilat's sculpture park Sala Keoku.

Art depicting Buddha with Mucalinda's hood over him might have been influenced by Jain art of Parshvanatha, himself depicted as a man with a cobra-like hood.[4]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The bas-relief at Pauni or Bharhut in India, which dates back to about the second century B.C., represents a vacant throne protected by a naga with many heads. It also bears an inscription of the Naga Mucalinda (Fig. 3)" SPAFA Digest: Journal Of SEAMEO Project in Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA). SPAFA Co-ordinating Unit. 1987. p. 4.
  2. ^ Thanissaro, Bhikkhu. "Muccalinda Sutta: About Muccalinda".
  3. ^ https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article292815444.html
  4. ^ a b c Jason Johns, Jyotsna Rani Nag, Muchalinda Buddha:- An Interdisciplinary approach to Reinterpret the Depiction of the Buddha with Muchalinda Naga, Journal of Archaeological Studies in India, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2021, pp. 140-157
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