Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Khandhaka >> Mahavagga >> First Khandaka >> 1.3
Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg
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MAHAVAGGA
FIRST KHANDHAKA(THE FORMATION OF THE ORDER OF BHIKKHUS)
Chapter-3 : Buddha Protected by a Serpent under the Muchalinda tree.
1. Then the Lord Buddha, at the end of those seven days, arose from that state of meditation, and went from the foot of the Ajapala banyan tree to the Muchalinda tree. And when he had reached it, he sat cross-legged at the foot of the Muchalinda tree uninterruptedly during seven days, enjoying the bliss of emancipation(Vimukti/Nirvana state/trance).
2. At that time a great cloud appeared out of season, rainy weather which lasted seven days, cold weather, storms, and darkness. And the Naga (or Serpent) king Muchalinda came out from his abode, and seven times encircled the body of the Lord Buddha with his windings, and kept extending his large hood over the Lord Buddha's head, thinking to himself: 'May no coldness (touch) the Lord Buddha! May no heat (touch) the Lord Buddha! May no vexation by gadflies and gnats, by storms and sunheat and reptiles (touch) the Lord Buddha!'
3. And at the end of those seven days, when the Naga king Muchalinda saw the open, cloudless sky, he loosened his windings from the body of the Lord Buddha, made his own appearance disappear, created the appearance of a youth, and stationed himself in front of the Lord Buddha, raising his clasped hands, and paying reverence to the Lord Buddha.
4. And the Lord Buddha, perceiving that, on this occasion, pronounced this solemn utterance: 'Happy is the solitude of him who is full of joy, who has learnt the Truth, who sees (the Truth). Happy is freedom from malice in this world, (self-)restraint towards all beings that have life. Happy is freedom from lust in this world, getting beyond all desires; the putting away of that pride which comes from the thought "I am!" This truly is the highest happiness!'
Here ends the account of what passed under the Muchalinda tree.
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