Guan Yin, and Her Dragon

One of the Lotus exquisite jadeite Guan Yin, currently housed in the Lotus VIP gallery

7 August 1959, Taiwan had her worst flooding disaster in the 20th century. Thousands of lives were lost, hundred of thousands more were forced to leave their homes. And as this mass exodus took place, it was recorded that strange and colorful clouds loom over Zhang Hua's Wu river (彰化乌溪) -- on it, was Guan Yin dressed in white, standing on the back of a majestic dragon.

The flood soon subsided.

Those of us who are more well-versed with Buddhist manifestations would know that each of the four major Bodhisattvas has a well known mystical being as the ride, or mount. Like Guan Yin and her dragon. Like Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (普贤菩萨) and her six-pairs-of-tusks white elephant. And Manjushri Bodhisattva (文殊菩萨) and her golden-maned lion.

Zooming in on the majestic sandalwood "Dharma Service on the Holy Mountain" -- the Bodhisattvas and their rides

At first look, it seems only to be the Bodhisattva and the ride. A pet, a powerful creature as a pet at most. But is it? Guan Yin could have manifest by herself without the dragon or just on a rainbow cloud to subdue the flood, but why bring along her dragon?

We know from the sutras that their mystical rides represent certain values of the Bodhisattvas. Like Manjushri's lion shows his sternness and strength, his fearlessness in spreading the dharma. And Samantabhadra's elephant, a representation of the Bodhisattva's diligence.

Another of Lotus exquisite Guan Yin -- can you spot her dragon ride?

So it is symbolism then? But that doesn't explain why Guan Yin's dragon has to be involved in alleviating the disaster. There must be a "functional" aspect to the dragon.

According to the "Saddharmapundarika Sutra" (《妙法莲华经》), there are 8 departments of guardians (天龙八部). The second department is the "dragons 龙众". Other than being powerful and high-order beings, the dragons are guardians to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, they also have specific tasks, like overlooking the seas, thunder and rain -- I am sure all of us are definitely familiar with the dragon kings of the sea 海龙王.

Guan Yin, and her dragon

We can say this: Guan Yin is the will and command, and her dragon is the way and action.

This is a yin and yang equivalence. Lao Zi 老子, the founding father of Taoism school of thoughts, left 81 chapters of wisdom -- the Dao De Scripture 道德经. Dao 道 is the laws of the universe, nameless, formless; De 德 is the path that one can follow or act upon, the deeds, in accordance to Dao.

One can be engulfed in the Dao, but cannot truly internalize and experience Dao without practicing it. One can practice the De, but if there is no belief in the Dao, the De would be a mere form, without soul.

Dao and De are the yin and yang, 2 sides to the same coin. Important, and indispensable. 

Perhaps this is the correlationship of Guan Yin and her dragon. The Dao and the De, Guan Yin and her dragon, the yin and the yang. Embodying the spirit of Guan Yin, and practicing her ways, letting her WILL manifest in our mortal lives, letting her dragon subdue our floods and bring in waves of blessings and prosperity.

The yin and yang, both important, both indispensable. 

I have many clients who own beautiful Lotus jadeite Guan Yin pendants, or Lotus jadeite carved with dragons. Some blessed few have both, both Lotus jadeite Guan Yin and dragon pendants. So what can you do to up the power of your jadeite Guan Yin? Add the yin to the yang -- have yourself a powerful Lotus jadeite dragon to execute Guan Yin's blessings. And if you have only the dragon, add the WILL and COMMAND into your actions, have yourself a Lotus jadeite Guan Yin.

A powerful Lotus Guan Yin deserves a powerful Lotus jadeite dragon

Which do you have now? Fulfill your yin-yang.

... ...

14 years after the flood, 19 June 1973, a U.S. recon jet flew past the Taiwan skies. The weather was clear. But looming clouds appeared suddenly in a distance. Dark, thunderous clouds brewing, but visibly strange shines of rainbow emanating. 

The pilot took photos of this enigmatic occurrence. In the developed photos, they found the silhouette of the guardian who manifested 14 years ago -- Guan Yin and her dragon.

-- Kan Ying Loong, Executive Director