Temple of the Azure Cloud/Snake Temples

[Naomi]

I learned of this temple three years ago when I was painting an image of a Temple Viper/Wagler's Viper.

The temple is home to many of the native Temple Vipers, a highly venomous species of snake. The monks at the temple live amongst the snakes and even feed them - no one is ever bitten.

It was originally built to honor Choor Soo Kong, a deified healer. The monk who brought the statue of Choor Soo Kong from China is said to have offered refuge to the snakes.

They say that as deforestation in the area continued, more and more snakes moved in. The Snake Temple is located at Sungai Kluang near Bayan Lepas airport in the Penang Island, Malaysia.

http://www.malaysiasite.nl/snaketempleng.htm



Photographs of another snake temple, in Mandalay:

http://www.molon.de/galleries/Myanmar/Mandalay/Near/

[Kain]

Very interesting, I wasn't aware of this, thanks for sharing Naomi...

Kain

[Son of Mr. Gordo]

The word Naga (http://www.khandro.net/mysterious_naga.htm) comes from the Sanskrit, and nag is still the word for snake, especially the cobra, in most of the languages of India. When we come upon the word in Buddhist writings, it is not always clear whether the term refers to a cobra, an elephant (perhaps this usage relates to its snake-like trunk, or the pachyderm's association with forest-dwelling peoples of north-eastern India called Nagas,) or even a mysterious person of nobility. It is a term used for unseen beings associated with water and fluid energy, and also with persons having powerful animal-like qualities or conversely, an impressive animal with human qualities.

[Kain]

Thanks a lot for that Son of Mr. Gordo. Actually, this controversy of Naga is found in various places, I've met it before myself. For instance, I think the description of the Vishuddha (Throat) Chakra in the 'Sat-Chakra-Nirupana' ('Description of the 6 centres', a very important Indian Tantric text) includes a 'naga' as the meditated-upon mount of the Vishuddha bija-mantra "Ham"...which is none the less translated as an elephant rather than a serpent. A quite multi-faceted word to be sure...

Kain

[Naomi]

The word Naga (http://www.khandro.net/mysterious_naga.htm) comes from the Sanskrit, and nag is still the word for snake, especially the cobra, in most of the languages of India. When we come upon the word in Buddhist writings, it is not always clear whether the term refers to a cobra, an elephant (perhaps this usage relates to its snake-like trunk, or the pachyderm's association with forest-dwelling peoples of north-eastern India called Nagas,) or even a mysterious person of nobility. It is a term used for unseen beings associated with water and fluid energy, and also with persons having powerful animal-like qualities or conversely, an impressive animal with human qualities.

Cool I didn't know you hung out here Son of Mr. Gordo. That's a really interesting bit of occult knowledge.

I'm painting a traditional fantasy style naga right now (the serpent with the human body) but it is interesting that this also refers to animals like that, because every once in a while you encounter a wild creature that is more than what it seems. I never figured out yet if this was a permanent state of being for the animal or if it is just a shift in consciousness brought about by external influences such as vector consciousness.

(also uploaded the images due to my server being a bitch recently)