THE SERPENT KING

The Buddha had spent seven days meditating under a powderpuff tree, when all of a sudden, a storm rolled in, bringing seven days of heavy rain that was unusual for the time of year. 

Mucalinda, the serpent king, had the form of a cobra snake. He came out of his lair, but he did not harm the Buddha. Instead, he decided to protect the Buddha from the storm. He coiled his body around the Buddha seven times, and opened his hood over the Buddha’s head to protect him from the rain. 

At the end of seven days, when the storm was over, Mucalinda checked that the sky was clear, and then unwound himself from the Buddha. 

He transformed from a serpent into a young man, standing in front of the Buddha holding his palms together in a respectful gesture known as “Anjali mudra” in honour of his lord. 

The Buddha was surprised, and remarked that “Kindness towards others brings happiness, particularly for those who do not harm living beings!”