The Serpent King sheltered the Buddha from the elements
The statue depicts a famous Buddhist story: The Serpent King Muchalinda sheltered Shakyamuni Buddha from the elements.
After 49 days of meditation under the Bodhi tree (in modern-day Bihar, India), Prince Siddhartha reached Buddhahood, titled Shakyamuni. After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha remained near the tree for another seven weeks. In the sixth week, while he was meditating to experience the happiness of liberation and the peace of meditation, the weather worsened: the sky darkened, and a storm arrived, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and incessant lightning.
Then, Muchalinda, the Serpent King, left his dwelling and respectfully coiled around the Buddha. His hood spread wide to serve as a canopy to protect the World-Honored One for days until the storm passed.
The Buddha is the supreme and unsurpassed being who transforms sentient beings through his boundless compassion and profound wisdom. He is the revered teacher of devas and humans, venerated by all beings, including Muchalinda.
