Naga Buddha, Sheikhpura

Naga Buddha

Dheunsa:

Dheusa is a small village approx 10 km north west from Sheikhpura town and near by an ancient lake of Mathokhar. It is a hindu village with the population of approx 1500 people. It is believed that this is an ancient village which is situated on elevated land. Here you can find 7^th century Buddhist and Hindu statues and sculpture of black stone in broken status. It is believed that these statuses were destroyed during the Muslim conquest during the 12^th century.

Among them Naga Buddha is the biggest statue of approx 5 feet. In the past there was a big temple whose columns are lying there still today. After independence the villagers collectively built a small Buddha temple with their own efforts using these columns of the temple and statues. This place is called Nagasthan by the villagers. But due to lack of maintenance and fund it again turned into ruins.

Tale about Naga Buddha.

When Buddha attained enlightenment he continued to mediate for seven weeks.

During the second week he stood and gazed at the beautiful Bodhi tree under which he was sitting when he received enlightenment.

But during the sixth week he sat by the side of nearby lake.

While he was deep in mediation, a storm came up. Heavy rain fell, and cold winds blew around him.

Seeing this, Mucalinda, a great naga (snake), came from his dwelling and coiled his body seven times around the Buddha’s body to keep him warm. Then it spread its hood over Buddha’s head to protect him from the rain. The storm lasted for seven days. And when the rain stopped, the naga uncoiled itself, took the form of a young man, and bowed to Buddha.

This style of Naga Buddha statue seated on the body of a coiled serpent and sheltered from the rain by the seven hoods of the Naga commonly featured in the Buddhist sculptures of North-eastern Thailand is one of the most significant postures.