The Hen and the Cobra: The Power of Love

This story illustrates a mother hen’s instinct to protect her young against a deadly enemy, demonstrating how emotion governs action and helps us overcome fear.

On a scorching noon in a quiet countryside field, the chirping of insects blended with the wind rustling through dry grass. In a small corner of the garden, a mother hen was diligently scratching the earth for food for her newly hatched chicks. The golden-yellow babies, their feathers still damp, trotted closely behind their mother, occasionally letting out soft, immature peeps.

Suddenly, the atmosphere grew tense. From the dense thicket of grass, a long, dark shadow slithered out. It was a large cobra, its head raised high, its hood flared in a threatening display, and its tongue flickering rapidly as it hissed menacingly. Normally, any creature encountering such a sight would flee immediately, driven by the survival instinct that warns of imminent death. Even we, watching documentaries or social media clips, often shudder at the intimidating presence of this venomous reptile.

But the mother hen did not run. She stood frozen, her round eyes wide open, her feathers bristling to make herself appear larger and fiercer. Her heart pounded violently, perhaps faster than ever before, yet the rational mind of fear was overwhelmed by another intense emotion: love for her children. She saw her tiny offspring trembling behind her back. If she ran, they would die. If she stayed, she might save them.

The cobra lunged forward, attacking with lightning-fast strikes. The mother hen did not hesitate. She jumped up, pecking furiously at the snake’s head and body, while flapping her wings loudly to create noise and drive away the enemy. This behavior was completely contrary to the timid nature usually seen in chickens. Previously, even a strange sound or a passing shadow would cause her to panic and fly into a tree. But now, facing death itself, she became strangely courageous.

After a fierce struggle, the cobra seemed to realize that resisting such a small but resilient prey was futile. It retreated, disappearing into the bushes. The mother hen gasped for breath, her legs buckling beneath her, but she immediately turned to check on her chicks. She gathered them under her wings, keeping them warm and safe. The initial fear of death vanished, replaced by the peaceful happiness of seeing her family intact.

This story is not merely a natural phenomenon but also a profound lesson about human psychology. We often assume that all actions stem from reason or self-interest. However, in reality, everything we do is controlled by some form of "emotion." According to Buddhist teachings, within the chain of Dependent Origination, there is a link called "Craving conditions Clinging." This means that because there is affection or desire, it leads to action, and from those actions, karma is created.

If the mother hen had relied solely on ordinary fear instincts, she would have fled. But because she possessed maternal love—an emotion stronger than the fear of death—she chose to fight. Similarly, in life, we eat certain foods because we enjoy their taste; we speak to others because we find them likable; we care for our parents or children out of filial piety and love. Even illegal acts like theft or murder arise from two negative emotions: greed and hatred. No action occurs naturally without an underlying flow of emotion driving it.

The Meaning of the Story

All actions of sentient beings are governed by emotion (craving). Emotion is both the source of wholesome karma and the cause of unwholesome karma. The lesson here is to clearly recognize the emotions controlling us. When we understand that "action arises from emotion," we must train ourselves to direct these feelings toward noble purposes. We need to balance love and fear, passion and mindfulness, so that we are not swept away into the cycle of samsara and suffering caused by uncontrolled emotional reactions.

Compiled from the dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang