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The dragon is a very special "creature". It has the horns of Chinese unicorn and reindeer, scales of fish, whiskers of lion, claws of Chinese phoenix and vulture (front claws are those of the vulture, back claws are those of the phoenix), body of pi-xiu (a fierce mythical panther type Chinese beast), tail of qi-lin (a fabulous Chinese animal resembling the deer), nostril hair of leopard, moustache of tentacles of squid, beard of mountain goat, teeth of tiger, and others. It can ascend to the nine heavens, descend into the five oceans, and travel unhindered across the universe. Esoteric Buddhism seems to have special connections with the "dragon". The dragon is also the symbol of correct dharma. The great holy titles of some ancestral masters of Esoteric Buddhism have included the name of dragon. It seems to be endowed with certain mystery. Some examples include Long Shu Buddha (Dragon Tree; Nagarjuna), Vajra Long Zhi (Dragon Wisdom; Nagarjnana), Vajra Sheng Long (Holy Dragon), and Vajra Long Sheng (Dragon Holiness). These titles are all very totem-like and standardized. They reveal on the outside the dragon appearance, and hold inwardly the spiritual strength for the right and just. When many of our ancestral masters hong hua (rainbow transforming) or parinirvana, or even when ordinary vajra brothers and sisters of Holy Tantra Esoteric Buddhism hong hua, it was Amitabha Buddha who sent the dragon from the heavens above to receive them and let them ride the dragon to ascend up to heaven. |
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