The Lord Buddha Protected by the Naga in the Attitude of Subduing

by M.C. Subhadradis Diskul

was under a tree called Mucalinda in A French scholar, Professor or Mucilinda in , a storm Jean Boisselier, recently discussed the occurred. The Naga () Muca- Chinese Tripitaka (Buddhist holy linda, who lived in a nearby pond, manuscripts.) Among the texts dis- then came up to protect the Buddha cussed were those published by from the storm by lifting him up on another French scholar, Professor its coiled body and spread its hood E. Chavannes, entitled the Five Abronze Buddha image, over the head of the Master. There- Hundred Stories and the Apologues protected by the Naga in the attitude fore, the iconography of the Lord (fables with moral intentions). They of subduing Mara, is displayed in the Buddha, protected by the Naga, are typical of . Bangkok National Museum, Thailand. should be in the attitude of medita- In these books, it is mentioned that Seated on the coils of the Naga, 1.65 tion, with his right hand upon his left the Naga could remember from the m. high, it was found at Wieng and both palms turned upwards (Fig. aureole jutting out from the body of (Wieng Temple), Chaiya, in the 2). the Buddha. It is also mentioned that province of Suratthani, southern But, the same type of Buddha the past Buddhas and the present one Thailand (Fig. 1). This beautiful image discovered at Wat Wieng, (Sri Sakyamuni) attained real en- bronze image belongs to the Srivi- Chaiya, Suratthani, is in the attitude lightenment only after the week of jayan style. On its base an inscription of subduing Mara. This bronze "bad weather", which is the ultimate informs it was cast either at about the image's right hand in on the right proof. end of the 12th or 13th century A.D. knee with palm facing downwards. From this explanation, one can According to Bud- This image can be separated into perceive the meaning of the Buddha's dhism, after his enlightenment under three parts: the hood of the Naga, several weeks of meditation. This the Bodhi tree at in India, the seated Buddha in the attitude of action was necessary for him, to pass the Lord Buddha went to meditate at subduing Mara, and the three coils of from the enlightenment to the prea- many sites in the vicinity. During his the snake. Some scholars suggest that ching of the (the Law of seventh week of meditation, while he the Naga and the Buddha may not Buddhism). His last week of medita- have been cast at the same time. And tion was most difficult because it was that is the reason why the Buddha the highest and necessary proof. Above: Fig. 1. The Lord Buddha under image is in the attitude of subduing The Lord Buddha, upon reaching the Naga, subduing Mara. Bronze. Ht. Mara, not in the attitude of medita- his ultimate goal should be represented 1.65 m. Found at Wat Wieng, Chaiya, tion. However, because they fit in as protected by the Naga. His attitude Suratthani. Srivijayan style. End of the together so well, it is rather hard to may be representing the Maravijaya 12th or 13th century A.D. Bangkok believe that they were not cast at the (subduing Mara), which means the National Museum. same time. attainment of ultimate illumination, 3

or his attitude may be meditating. supposed to be disturbed. And the event had happened three times One should not forget that during the Naga knew this. Therefore when the before. It remembered that each time Srivijayan Period, in Southern Naga sensed the storm it made this happened it protected the Lord Thailand, the majority of the people by protecting the Buddha during his Buddha, who was represented in these followed Mahayana Buddhism. meditation. It slithered and coiled in events as: the Buddha Kakusandha, Therefore the bronze Buddha image seven layers under the Master and Konagama and Kassapa. These discovered at Wat Wieng, Chaiya, can spread its hood over his head. Buddha are subsequently the twenty- represent the attitude of subduing At the end of the seventh week second, twenty-third and twenty- Mara. Furthermore, quite a few small the weather calmed down. The Naga fourth past Buddhas. bronze Buddha images, also protected Mucalinda transformed itself into a Professor Boisselier continued by the Naga in the attitude of human being and listened to the to explain that this natural event subduing Mara, Lopburi style, have sermon of the Lord Buddha. Certain could have happened in India or also been discovered in Thailand. specify that the Naga other tropical countries. And this has These small images were cast in the was the first animal to hear the given rise to the iconography. same piece with the Naga and cannot preaching of the Buddha. Certain The place where the Naga lives be separated. During the Lopburi texts, however, mention that the Naga is the same as those inhabited by Period (13th-14th centuries A.D.) came into the scene because of its serpents or snakes. Serpents normally many people professed Mahayana longevity which is the usual custom come up above the water during Buddhism. Therefore, the same type of the great Naga. floods. In monsoon countries, it is of Buddha image, found at Wat Because of the Lord Buddha's believed that all living creatures come Wieng should not at all be a surprise. meditation, an aureole emitted around to live together when there is a special his body. This bright light spread event. Meditation without any move- Professor Boisselier also dis- everywhere. It woke up the Naga ment induces credibility among cussed the origin of the iconography Mucalinda. The Naga realised this animals. A fisherman can be a of this Buddha image protected by the Naga. This type of Buddha images, he said, exist in the art of Southeast Asia, especially in Cambodia and Lopburi in Thailand. In the Indian classical art, however, during the fourth to the eighth centuries A.D. (Gupta and the post-Gupta periods), Indian artists were not much interested with the iconography of the Buddha protected by the Naga. According to the Life Story of the Lord Buddha, when the Lord Buddha was meditating during the last and seventh week, after his illumination, heavy rain fell. The rain was out of season. This kind of rain is usually called the rain before the season or the rain for the mangoes. Apart from that rain, the weather became cold and a strong wind blew under the trees. Small insects, such as Fig. 3. A bas-relief representing a mosquitoes which could disturb the Fig. 2. The Lord Buddha under the vacant throne protected by the Naga meditation of the Lord Buddha, Naga. Stone. Ht. 1.13 m. Found at Mucalinda. Stone. From Bharhut, swarmed. Wat Mahathat, Ayudhya. Lopburi India. Ancient Indian Art style. Second The Lord Buddha, having just style. 11th century A.D. Bangkok century B.C. National Museum, New attained enlightenment, was not National Museum. Delhi. 4

forget that the python in South America does the duty of the cat. The snake's friendliness is also known in India. In fact, many jatakas (tales of the past lives of the Buddha) relate such characteristics, especially in jataka no.253, the Munikantha Jataka. It tells about a young hermit who found out that the love of a friend snake towards him was pre- cious. This jataka is also represented in the Andhra or Amaravati art of Southeastern India. From here one can notice that the tale about the Lord Buddha and the Naga which is full of miracles, can also occur in real life. Referring to sculptures, Pro- fessor Boisselier mentioned that the bas-relief representing the Lord Buddha, protected by the Naga appeared before the creation of the Buddha image in human form. 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). He therefore adheres to the theory that says, "A text creates a sculpture, not a sculpture that creates a text". Here the writer would like to contest the eminent professor. Because the above theory should not be totally generalised. There were times when sculptures existed before a text was written to document them such as the text entitled Sadhanamala. Fig. 4. The Lord Buddha in the attitude of preaching, protected by a double In India, the iconography of the serpent hood. Stone. Indian Amaravati style. Third to fourth century A.D. Buddha protected by the Naga was Museum, London. popular in southeastern India's Andhra or Amaravati art. This art was prevalent between the third to witness for this action. Meditation features are quite well known and the fourth centuries A.D. But there is also generates warmth which can be believed in South and Southeast Asia. a peculiarity in their representation: perceived by most of animals, es- Some snakes try to be friends Naga is double, and the hoods do not pecially reptiles like snakes. Then the with human beings; this is quite only belong to the Naga Mucalinda. power of friendliness. All of these difficult to explain. One should not The mentioned sculpture is now pre- 5

served in the British Museum, London inscription at Wat Sithor (Sithor seated Buddha protected by the Naga (Fig. 4). Temple) in Cambodia mentions that in the attitude of argumentation. This a Khmer official who wanted to revive relates to the Andhra or Amaravati We have to refer to the Sanskrit Buddhism during the Angkorian style in Southeastern India and dates Mahavastu text. It belongs to the period ordered to seek the text "in back to the fourth and fifth centuries Mahasanghika sect in Mahayana a foreign land". This foreign land has A.D. at the latest (Fig. 6). Buddhism which says "the Naga had a long tradition in the production Vinipata joins the Naga Mucalinda in of the Buddha protected by the Naga. From what has been mentioned, performing merit". Another text, the According to the professor, this one can say that the bronze Buddha Lalitavistara, which relates the life foreign land is the present-day image protected by the Naga in the story of the Buddha in Mahayana Thailand. attitude of subduing Mara is not a Buddhism, mentions that there is not wrong representation. The artist's only the Naga Mucalinda during the Many Buddha images protected work is in accordance with the con- scene but "a group of Naga". by the Naga in Dvaravati style have cept of Mahayana Buddhism, when been discovered at U-tong in Suphan- the Lord Buddha attained his ulti- It is rather surprising to know buri Province, Western Thailand. One mate illumination in the last and that this phrase also appears in the was also found at Ban Fai, Amphoe seventh week after his enlightenment. Thai Pathom Sompot text (Pathama Lamplaimat, Buriram Province, As for the iconography of the Khmer Sambodhi which relates the life story Northeast Thailand. A Buddhist Buddha version, which was very of the Buddha in the Thai language). votive tablet found in the town of popular in Cambodia from the 10th This phrase is also represented in a Krabi on the western coast of Southern to 13th centuries A.D., the represen- Bangkok period mural painting in the Thailand reveals a very ancient tation was probably derived from the of Wat Ratchasittha- tradition, the iconography of the Dvaravati art in Thailand. ram, Thonburi. In the painting, the Lord Buddha is seated and meditating on the snake coils. He is under the hood of the Naga Mucalinda. But two other snakes figure, one on each side of the coils (Fig. 5).

The iconography of the Lord Buddha protected by the Naga was popular in ancient Cambodia. It was probably so because it was believed that their first monarch was born from an Indian brahmin and a Naga princess. The king of the Naga was a maternal grandfather. He built a town for his grandson to rule and was therefore worshipped as the protector of the Khmer Kingdom (ancient Cambodia) as well as the kingdom's numerous shrines.

The Khmer version of Buddha Fig. 5. Mural painting representing Fig. 6. Votive tablet representing the image protected by the Naga appeared the Buddha in the attitude of Buddha in the attitude of preaching, about the middle of the tenth century meditation, protected by the Naga under the Naga Mucalinda. The tablet A.D. (the reign of Rajendravarman Mucalinda and two other serpents. shows the influence of the Indian II). Professor Boisselier thinks that Bangkok style. Wat Ratchasittharam, Amaravati style. Clay. Found at Krabi, it's place of origin may be probably Thonburi, 19th-early 20th century Southern Thailand. Fourth to Fifth part of present-day Thailand. An A.D. century A.D.