Thereupon many monastics approached the Buddha, saluted him, and sat respectfully beside him. So seated they spoke thus to the Blessed One:
"Venerable sir (
Bhante), a certain monk in Savatthi has died after being bitten by a snake."
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| Many beings also shape-shift. |
"Assuredly, meditators," the Buddha said, "that monk has not suffused with thoughts of loving-kindness (
metta) the four royal tribes of snakes. Had he done so, that monk would not have died of snakebite.
"What are the 'four royal tribes of snakes'? The royal tribe of snakes called:
- Virupakkha
- Erapatha
- Chabyaputta
- Kanhagotamaka.
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| In China dragons are regarded as good. |
"Meditators, that monk did not suffuse with thoughts of loving-kindness these four royal tribes of snakes.
"Had he done so, he would not have died of snakebite. Meditators, I enjoin all of you to suffuse with loving-kindness these four royal tribes of snakes for your safety, for your preservation, and for your protection."
So said the Blessed One. Having spoken, the "Enlightened One" (the Buddha), the "Welcome One" (
Sugata), further said the following [suggesting how this might be expressed]:
Verses
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| Reptilian stone monuments on Earth: Maya/Aztec Mesoamerica (utaot.com) |
"May I have
metta toward Virupakkhas
Toward Erapathas may I have
metta
May my metta be toward Chabyaputtas
Toward Kanha-gotamakas also metta may I have.
May I have metta toward the footless
And toward bipeds, too, my metta may I have
May I have metta toward the quadrupeds
And toward the many-footed also, metta may I have.
Let the footless do me no harm
Nor those that have two feet
Let no quadrupeds do me harm
Nor those endowed with many feet.
All living beings, all creatures,
May good fortune befall all of us
May not the least harm befall us.
Boundless (in virtue) is the Buddha,
Boundless is the Dharma,
Boundless is the [
Noble]
Sangha.
Finite are creeping creatures -- snakes, scorpions,
centipedes, spiders, lizards, and rats.
I have guarded myself,
I have made my protection.
So depart from me, such beings.
I bow to honor the Blessed One and the Seven Supreme Buddhas.*"
- The "Seven Supreme Buddhas" are: Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhu, Kakusanda, Konagama, Kassapa, Gautama.
- Reptilians, malevolent reptoid-humanoids, are often featured in conspiracy theories, fiction, and alien abduction accounts.
- List of reptilian humanoids in fiction and mythology generally