Snakes/Nagini (was JKR Dictionary?)

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 12174

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Teek <purdymango1 at y...> wrote:

> Question: Has the list discussed
> snakes as a symbol for immortality? I ran into a reference to snakes
> as the symbol of the Sacred King of the ancient Greek matriarchal
> society, who were given the gift of immortality after they were 
eaten
> by the reigning Priestess. Sounds a lot like the death eaters to me.

When I see "Nagini" I always think of "naga," Sanskrit for snake (no, 
I don't know Sanskrit, but I've studied Buddhism a lot and you pick 
these things up).  Nagas have a very positive connotation--they are 
wiser and more spiritually advanced than most humans.  The term is 
even used as a synonym for the Buddha sometimes, and Nagarjuna, one 
of the greatest Buddhist thinkers of all time, was named for the 
nagas who are said to have instructed him.

I don't know about the immortality bit.  In Buddhism, immortality is 
not the goal; in fact, the goal is release from the repetitions of 
birth, death, and rebirth, so in a way you could say the goal is to 
be released from immortality.  But that is the stuff of an OT 
discussion.

Amy Z