Materials: Tibetan incense, various natural herbs, barley flour, Sichuan safflower

Size: 6" stick, 80gm

Description:

Eight Dragon Incense (Guardians of Nature) ~ Harmonize humanity with the natural environment.

The Dragon Kings are guardians of land and sea, and are also gods of wealth. If humans treat their living environment with carelessness and roughness, the relationship between them will become unbalanced. In other words, if we neglect pollution and nature, the Dragon Kings will bring disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, droughts, and floods as warnings. Given the increasing destruction of nature today, daily Dragon Incense Offerings are performed to appease and heal the Dragons, allowing them to... The Dragon Kings joyfully repair nature's wounds, thereby protecting us and increasing our fortune and wealth. The Eight Dragons' Obstacle-Removing Incense, with its precious fragrance reminiscent of wild plants from the lakesides of the Himalayas...

To create this authentic incense, we incorporate numerous rare incense materials blessed by Tibetan masters, precious nectars, precious herbs and medicinal materials, and rare minerals. This contributes to the high quality of this incense, which we believe will bring profound and miraculous assistance.

The Eight Dragon Kings (or Eight Naga Kings, Tibetan: klu'i rgyal po chen po brgyad) hold a crucial position of guardian in Tibetan Buddhism. They are considered the leaders of the Nagas (serpent spirits), the eight classes of gods and demons in Buddhist cosmology. One of the demons, these eight dragon kings belong to the animal kingdom or are demigods. They possess powerful supernatural powers and wealth, but they are not yet enlightened, and therefore can bring blessings or disasters based on their karma. Their primary influence is in controlling the water element, weather changes, wealth, health, and disease. When they are pleased, they can bring good weather, good harvests, and protection. However, if they are offended (by polluting water sources, destroying the environment, or killing living beings), they can cause droughts, floods, skin diseases (such as leprosy), cancer, kidney problems, or family discord. In the Vajrayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, they are often mentioned as listeners to the Buddha's teachings and symbolize virtues such as wisdom, protection, and purification, embodying the universality and transformative power of Buddhist teachings.

The origins of the eight dragon kings stem from ancient Indian snake worship, possibly dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500 BCE). They were incorporated into early Buddhist mythology, such as the Naga king Muchalindda, who protected Shakyamuni Buddha from wind and rain under a bodhi tree. According to Mahayana texts such as the Lotus Sutra, According to the Sutra, the Eight Dragon Kings were the audience of the Buddha's preaching, each leading millions of followers to show their authority. After this concept was introduced to Tibet with Buddhism in the 7th century, it was integrated with the local Bon religion's belief in water spirits to form a unique interpretation of Tibetan Buddhism. The specific list of the Eight Dragon Kings in different texts varies slightly, but the most common ones include Nanda, Upananda, Sagara, Vasuki, Takshaka, Anavatapta, Manasvin, and many others. ) and Utpalaka; another version includes Vasuki, Padma, and Karkotaka. Their leader is often associated with Virupaksha, the Western Dharma Protector.

In practice, the Eight Dragon Kings are primarily summoned or appeased through rituals and offerings to maintain harmony between humans and nature. This tradition originated from Indian Buddhist Dharma Protector practices and developed into specialized Tantric rituals after its introduction to Tibet, such as the Eight Naga Mandala in Ladakh (a Tibetan Buddhist region). The Great Nagas Mandala, originating from the 12th-century text Sarvadurgatiparisodhana, depicts eight pairs of Naga kings surrounding Vajrapani, each possessing unique attributes (such as a lotus, a gem, or a tortoise). These rituals are typically performed by monks, using offerings of local materials such as barley flour, butter, milk, and flowers. The goal is to gain the favor of the Nagas and avert snake bites or environmental disasters, particularly during droughts or construction periods. Other common practices include reciting the Lu’i Pang Kong Sutra (Naga Apology Sutra), performed on designated Naga days, following a vegetarian diet the day before, and placing animal-free incense (such as Naga incense) and offerings such as milk at the water's edge. Naga pujas and smoke offerings (sang) are also performed to apologize and repair damage caused by human activities (such as land reclamation and pollution). These practices are used not only for personal health (such as treating skin diseases) but also for community purposes, such as village rain prayers, reflecting Tibetan Buddhism's emphasis on ecological balance.

Storage: Store in a cool, dry place.

Shelf Life: Indefinite if properly stored.