The Buddha protected by a serpent
approx. 1825–1900
Central Thailand
Lacquered and gilded copper alloy with pigment
Transfer from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, F2000.1

After the Buddha attained enlightenment he spent the next seven weeks meditating. During the fourth week it began to rain heavily. A serpent king (naga) emerged and coiled his body seven times around the Buddha to keep him warm,
and covered the Buddha’s head with his large hoods to protect him from the rain.

The image of the naga-protected Buddha was very popular in Southeast Asia from around the 400s, though with a variety of meanings and associations. (Many earlier naga-protected Buddha images do not refer to the story of the naga sheltering the Buddha from the storm.)

In popular belief the Buddha in different positions was associated with different days of the week. The Buddha protected by a serpent was linked with people born on Saturday.