Gautam Buddha's image shows braided hair on the head, do you know about that braid?

• April 22, 2023

Gautama Buddha had his head shaved when he left home to attain enlightenment. On the Buddha's head can be seen a round tuft of braided hair.

According to Buddhist legend, what appears to be hair on Buddha's head is not actually hair, but 108 snails. One day Lord Buddha was so engrossed in his meditation that even the hot sun was not noticeable. The sun was shining directly on his shaved head. At this time a snail was passing by that place. The snail noticed that Lord Buddha was meditating even in this heat. Even though the sun was overhead, the sun was still shining on his head. The snail thought the Buddha's meditation may soon be broken in such intense sun. So without thinking anything, the snail went straight up on the Buddha's head, so as to provide some coolness.

After seeing the trunk of the first snail, the other snails also climbed on the head of the meditating Buddha. Thus they created a cool covering on the Buddha's head. A total of 108 snails' cool and moist bodies help sustain the Buddha's meditation for several hours. Then the snails dry up and die in the hot sun. When the Buddha broke his meditation at dusk, he saw snails falling from his head. He realized the snails had formed a lining on his head.

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