Mucalinda
Mucalinda is a nagaraja and protector of the Buddha. He gave shelter to the Buddha from a storm by covering the Buddha's head with his seven snake heads. Then he took the form of a young Brahmin and rendered the Buddha homage.
↻ synthesized from 3 sources
When
- First attested
- 200 BCE
- Attested period
- -200 – 2024
- Historical notes
- First appears in the Mucalinda Sutta; earliest artwork from 2nd-century BC stupa in Pauni, Maharashtra; contemporary depictions at Sanchi and Ta Prohm temple.
Relationships
- serves
- Buddha
Mentioned by
Sources
Source passages
“Among the notable nāgas of Buddhist tradition is Mucalinda, nagaraja and protector of the Buddha. In the Vinaya Sutra (I, 3), shortly after his enlightenment, the Buddha is meditating in a forest when a great storm arises, but graciously, King Mucalinda gives shelter to the Buddha from the storm by covering the Buddha's head with his seven snake heads.”
#10199 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“The subject of the 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.”
#34984 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5
“Among the notable nāgas of Buddhist tradition is Mucalinda, nagaraja and protector of the Buddha...King Mucalinda gives shelter to the Buddha from the storm by covering the Buddha's head with his seven snake heads.”
#35228 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5