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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> An ancient Hebrew root for "serpent" in the [[Hebrew Bible|Tanakh]] is "נָחָשׁ" (Pronunciation: naw-khawsh', Transliteration: nāḥāš, H5175).<ref>https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5175/kjv/wlc/0-1/</ref>
'''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>


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.

==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. 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-antropomorphic form and attended by a retinue of nagini.<ref name=JoRa/>


==Artistic representations==
==Artistic representations==
Line 15: Line 20:
==Literary references==
==Literary references==
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]].
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]].

==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

Revision as of 18:14, 12 November 2022

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 the name of 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

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. After Buddha finished meditating and the sky cleared, Mucalinda adopted the form of a youth and bowed before him.[3]

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-antropomorphic form and attended by a retinue of nagini.[3]

Artistic representations

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.

The webcomic Sinfest featured a version of this in a sunday strip in 2010.[4]

Literary references

The legend of Mucalinda (Muchalinda) is prominently featured in Aldous Huxley's novel Island where it functions as a metaphor of communion between humans and nature, in opposition to the hostile/cautious view of snakes in the Western culture.

References

  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. ^ a b 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
  4. ^ Ishida, Tatsuya (11 April 2010). "Buddha Muchalinda". Sinfest. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mucalinda.
  • Mucalinda sheltering Gautama Buddha (Naga Prok attitude); 12th century Khmer Sandstone with traces of pigment and gold, Honolulu Academy of Arts
    Mucalinda sheltering Gautama Buddha (Naga Prok attitude); 12th century Khmer Sandstone with traces of pigment and gold, Honolulu Academy of Arts
  • A statue of Mucalinda protecting the Buddha in Mucalinda Lake, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India
    A statue of Mucalinda protecting the Buddha in Mucalinda Lake, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India
  • Sculpture in Nong Khai, Northeastern Thailand
    Sculpture in Nong Khai, Northeastern Thailand
  • Mucalinda Sheltering Buddha - BouddhaSimuong
    Mucalinda Sheltering Buddha - BouddhaSimuong
  • Chinese Temple
    Chinese Temple
  • Mucalinda protecting Buddha in painting
    Mucalinda protecting Buddha in painting


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