Tara Zenyora : and the Seven-Jeweled Lighthouse

by Samantha B. Adra

  “Amituofo, is there anything more I can help you?” asked the Scroll #108 guardian spirit.

  “How can I locate the Qibaota? Is there a map to help me pinpoint the location?”

  “There is no map to locate the Qibaota in the ocean. As I mentioned earlier, when the Seeker is ready, the Qibaota will arise spontaneously.”

  “Okay thank you. I think I know enough about Qibaota. You may return home,” replied Tara with gratitude. She bowed her head in gassho.

  The guardian spirit disappeared back into the scroll.

  After Tara was done with her library duties, she called Prince Chen to fetch her back to the Damsel Retreat using the white conch he had given her.

  CHAPTER 15

  QIBAOTA MEDITATION

  The next day, Tara was on time for her duties and finished her tasks early. As Fang Ting went out on an errand, there were no additional tasks for her. So, she decided to go to the Main Hall on the first floor of the library and listen to the Dharma teaching by Venerable Wenshu.

  The Dragon Library looked small from the outside, but it was cavernous on the inside. On the stage that was placed in front of the Main Hall, Venerable Wenshu was seated there to begin his Dharma discourse. The wall behind the stage was a mural of dragon flower superimposed with the seven-jeweled lighthouse on a white lotus.

  “The Dharma discourse for today is ‘Qi and Qibaota in the Dragon World,” said Venerable Wenshu, twirling his 108 mala beads as he started preaching. When she heard the word Qibaota, she immediately perked up and paid attention.

  With a golden crown on his head, Venerable Wenshu wore a monastic attire that resembled the head abbot of the Shaolin Monastery.

  “Although they appear to be identical, Qi is different from Qibaota. Qi is like the seed while Qibaota is the fruit. Qi is the cause while Qibaota is the result.”

  The Qibaota? Isn’t it the lighthouse Nai Nai told me before? The book spirit told me Qibaota is the only way to back home, Tara thought.

  “Qi is the energy, the spirit, or the essence of life that can neither be created nor destroyed, but it can change from one form to another. Qi is like the sky, boundless, immeasurable, and infinite. It goes beyond birth and death, impurity and purity, increase and decrease. Meditating upon such words as eternity, everlasting, and deathlessness will help you appreciate the nature of Qi better.”

  Venerable Wenshu is so wise! Yes, he is right to say Qi is the energy of life.

  “Qi is the Prajna Paramita, Qi is Emptiness, Qi is the Buddha-nature. If you would like to increase your dragon transformation power to the next level, you will need to master the anchoring of your mind upon Qi. This allows you to enter a state of limitless potential and possibilities to effectively turn your bodies into immeasurable emanated dragon bodies.”

  “Qibaota, or the Seven-jeweled Lighthouse, is the universal gateway to the realm of Nirvana. It is also a powerful portal for one to teleport to any other realm in Samsara.”

  Qibaota is indeed the portal to go back home…But I need to confirm this with Venerable later.

  “To awaken the Qibaota outside of us, we need to cultivate the Qibaota inside of us. By practicing the Qibaota meditation, you will become one with Qibaota outside of you.”

  “Practicing Qibaota Meditation has many benefits. First, it is a powerful practice of purification to heal your body, mind, and spirit. Second, you will achieve an adamantine and indestructible Vajra body that can defeat all types of demons. Third, it enables you to grasp the Buddha-nature within you so that you are empowered to accomplish all your goals and achieve all your aspirations. As such, for those of you who are Seekers of the Qibaota and wish to enter the world of Nirvana, mastering the Qibaota Meditation is indispensable.”

  If only my mind had been less monkey-like, I would have excelled in meditation…I’m very sure of that…

  “Remember, the moment you engage in Qibaota Meditation, you are in the state of Nirvana. Beginners may begin with ten minutes of meditation for each session. Once you have mastered the Qibaota Meditation through 1000 hours of practice, you can instantly activate the state of Nirvana by visualizing yourself as the diamond seven-jeweled lighthouse sitting upon the white lotus.”

  “All of you are disciples of the Qibaota. I will now guide you step-by-step through the Qibaota Meditation,” said Venerable Wenshu. Sitting cross-legged in the lotus position, Tara followed the dragon disciples in the practice of guided meditation.

  “Sit comfortably, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and relax your whole body. Before the meditation, intone the seven-syllable mantra - “A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra” three times to activate the seven chakras within you.

  “A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra, A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra, A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra.”

  Tara followed his lead.

  “Imagine your body as the diamond seven-jeweled lighthouse anchoring upon an eight-petaled white lotus. Next, imagine an eight-spoked navigational wheel in your heart and a golden sun around your crown. Now, visualize a stream of white light from the white lotus entering your root chakra straight up to the crown chakra to connect with the golden sun. Next, visualize a stream of golden sunlight entering your body from above your crown chakra straight down to your root chakra to connect with the white lotus. Repeat the alternating flows of light a few times and let them go.”

  “Remember, your body with the seven chakras is the Qibaota of the Seven-Jeweled Lighthouse. The purpose of the Qibaota Meditation is to become one with the Qibaota.”

  A meditation practice that is linked with the seven chakras? That’s fascinating! Tara thought enthusiastically. She loved the idea of integrating the yogic wisdom into the meditation.

  “The mantra ‘A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra’ corresponds to the seven chakras. You do no need to visualize the locations or colors of the seven chakras because once you intone the seven syllables of ‘A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra’, the seven chakras will be awakened within you automatically.”

  “I will briefly explain how ‘A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra’ is connected to the seven chakras:

  A corresponds to the Crown Chakra which is situated at the top of your head and it is purple in color.

  Va corresponds to the Third Eye Chakra which is situated between your eyes and it is indigo in color.

  Lo corresponds to the Throat Chakra which is situated at the throat area and it is blue in color.

  Ki corresponds to the Heart Chakra which is situated at the heart and it is green in color.

  Te corresponds to the Solar Plexus Chakra which is situated in your upper abdomen and it is yellow in color.

  Sva corresponds to the Sacral Chakra which is situated in your lower abdomen and it is orange in color.

  Ra corresponds to the Root Chakra which is situated at the base of your spine and it is red in color.”

  “After the visualizations of alternating white and golden lights, let them go and be mindful of the rising and falling of your breath. If random thoughts start creeping into your mind, be aware of their presence and gently return to your breath.”

  “Breathing in, I am healed. Breathing out, I am awakened. Breathing in, I am healed. Breathing out, I am awakened. Healed….Awakened….Healed…Awakened….Healed….Awakened….”

  Ten minutes later, Venerable Wenshu began to wrap up the guided meditation.

  “Before we end the meditation, press your palm together and take a deep breath. Intone the seven syllables of ‘A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra’ three times to infuse your whole being with loving-kindness and compassion.”

  “A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra, A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra, A Va Lo Ki Te Sva Ra.”

  “Lastly, follow me in the recitation: ‘May I share my wonderful merits of practicing Qibaota Meditation with all living beings so that we can cross over to the shore of Enlightenment together.’”

  The Qibaota Meditation is splendid! That’s the first time I’d enjoyed a meditation session.

  Once the meditation had ended, Tara raised her hand, “Venerable Wenshu, may I ask a quest
ion?”

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “Can I return to the human world through Qibaota?”

  “Yes, you can choose between Nirvana and Samsara once you have awakened the Qibaota. But is it worth the trouble to return to Samsara after all the efforts of searching for Qibaota and defeating the demons? You always have a choice.”

  Tara nodded and listened attentively. She asked again, “How to awaken the Qibaota?”

  “The Qibaota is awakened once the Seeker is ready. In other words, the Seeker becomes the embodiment of Qibaota within her to activate the Qibaota outside of her.”

  Tara respectfully pressed her palm and gave a slight bow, “Thank you for your enlightening advice.”

  After the discourse on the Qibaota Meditation, Tara’s heart was buoyant with hope thinking about the Qibaota and the possibility of going back to Singapore one day.

  CHAPTER 16

  IMPERIAL TEA HOUSE

  While in the dragon world, Tara realized that the dragons celebrated the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter that represented the four stages of life cycles – birth, aging, illness, and death. The changing of the seasons was a constant reminder of the impermanent nature of life in Samsara which motivated them to seek the ultimate destination of life in Nirvana.

  It was spring season in the dragon world. The morning sunlight was an ethereal beauty on that day; it is as if a misty veil is suspended in the sky. That year, the clouds in the sky were in roseate tones, surreal, yet sensual, flowing in a sensational swirl of joie de vivre.

  Spring Equinox was a public holiday. Tara was feeling a little bored staying inside the Damsel Retreat. She decided to go out and do something. Seeing that the ground was filled with fallen leaves, she took a rake and started sweeping. “Sweep, clean. Sweep, clean. Sweep, clean,” she whispered to herself. Her heart was singing with a light buoyancy.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw a white dragon and a blue lion flying down from the sky. It was Prince Chen and his rider-attendant, Singha. Upon landing, Prince Chen transformed back into a dragon-human. To celebrate the joy of spring, he wore a charming turquoise y-collared Hanfu with dragon embroidery. Singha looked smart in his navy-blue attire.

  “It is the Spring Equinox Festival today. I’m thinking of taking you to experience the cultural extravaganza of the dragon world on Main Street. Will you be happy to join me?” asked Prince Chen, flashing his typical impertinent grin. With an arched eyebrow and an impudent smile plastered on his face most of the time, he was a happy-go-lucky chap.

  “It sounds exciting! Yes, why not?” Tara was enthusiastic about learning something new. She was always inquisitive and eager to learn. To her, life was meaningless without continuous learning and growth.

  Prince Chen cast a spell to change Tara’s grey Hanfu into a pink one to suit the occasion.

  “Pink is the color of spring. How do you like your new design?” said Prince Chen, glancing jubilantly at the pink Hanfu decorated with intricate embroidery of a pink lotus, a butterfly and a phoenix.

  Tara was delighted by her transformed Hanfu; the pink outfit was indeed splendid. “That’s lovely, I like it. Thank you so much, Prince Chen.”

  After a short flight, the trio arrived at the Garden of True Love. Prince Chen transformed back to dragon-human form and he cast a spell on himself so that everyone, except Tara and Singha, would not recognize him while they walked along the crowded Main Street.

  Everybody in the dragon world knew that Prince Chen was the most handsome and the most eligible bachelor who had yet to have a girlfriend. Swarms of young maidens swooned over Prince Chen; they never failed to swamp him with bouquets of dragon flowers during festive occasions to express their unrequited affection toward him.

  “You look a little different,” remarked Tara, scrutinizing Prince Chen intently. She could not quite put a finger on what the difference was.

  “I look more handsome and charming? Do you like it?” Prince Chen deliberately moved his head to a slanted angle, accentuating his whimsical charm.

  “How thick-skinned you are!” chuckled Tara. “Whether I like it or not does not matter to you, does it?”

  “Well, it does matter because you are special to me,” he said, peering at her with a sense of longingness.

  “Special? I am just a human captive, there’s nothing special about me.” She did not bother to look at him. Prince Chen just laughed without saying anything more.

  Before they reached the Dragon Gate in front of the Main Street, they saw a tall and gigantic Dragon Flower Tree with pink blossoms perching not far from where they stood. Families and couples were enjoying themselves under the tree and it looked like a great picnic spot.

  “In the dragon world, spring is the season of joy and love. Many prefer to have weddings or babies during spring. Do you see the Dragon Flower Tree over there? It’s our magical tree. The tree will transform itself in response to the changing of seasons,” said Prince Chen, pointing to the Dragon Flower Tree that resembled a sakura tree.

  “The enormous tree with sakura-like pink flowers?”

  “Yes. The Dragon Flower Tree is also known as the Tree of True Love. In spring, it manifests itself as a pink sakura tree. In summer, it resembles a Bodhi tree with lush green, heart-shaped Bodhi leaves. In autumn, it transforms itself into a Rain Tree with reddish-orange, clover-shaped leaves. And in winter, it becomes a willow tree with lilac tree trunk and white, wisteria-like drooping crystals.”

  Tara took a deep breath of the air permeated with the sweet scent of the dragon flower. “I detect a sweet scent in the air. Is it from the Dragon Flower Tree?”

  “Yes, love is in the air,” Prince Chen replied with a wink. “Just spending some time underneath the tree will make your heart overflow with bliss and loving-kindness. Isn’t that amazing? Do you feel the love within you?”

  Tara closed her eyes and nodded her head in affirmation as she experienced warm, delightful fuzzy feelings of love welling up within her entire being. Staring at Tara’s lovely face, Prince Chen tried hard to restrain his urge to embrace her passionately.

  A majestic red Dragon Gate with a horizontal inscribed plaque - “Tian Long Pu Men” – which means Heavenly Dragon Universal Gate was situated at the Main Street entrance.

  Tara stopped in front of the Dragon Gate. “Heavenly Dragon Universal Gate… The gate reminds me of my mom who taught me the Chinese idiom, “Li Yu Yue Long Men,” (carp leaps over the dragon gate) when I was young. She told me I would achieve greatness to serve humanity if I set my mind upon unleashing my highest potential within,” said Tara, marveling at the beauty of its intricate architecture and reminiscing her late mom.

  Prince Chen had already crossed over the Dragon Gate. He extended his right hand to help her cross. “Let me help you cross over.” Tara accepted his assistance.

  “You are officially my wife now,” said Prince Chen cheekily.

  “You must be joking! I am not even your girlfriend, how can I be your wife? Besides, it’s impossible for a human and a dragon to be together. Your imagination must be on overdrive,” Tara laughed.

  “Who says a dragon and a human cannot be together? Our ancestors did just that. In ancient times, a dragon prince arrived in the human world and married a human lady. Many of his offspring became emperors of China. That’s why the Chinese people are collectively known as the ‘Descendants of the Dragon.’”

  Tara was skeptical of what he said. “Are you serious? I don’t seem to have read about the cross-marriage between humans and dragons in the history books though.” She was convinced that he was pulling her leg.

  Lined with ancient wooden stores selling all sorts of things ranging from snacks to souvenirs, the stoned-paved streets resembled the ancient city of Ping Yao in China. There were several cafes and restaurants packed with dragon-humans.

  Tara followed Prince Chen along the stoned-paved street, fascinated by everything she saw. When they arrived at a floral shop, Prince Chen chose a
bouquet of dragon flowers and said to Tara, “This is a bouquet of dragon flowers plucked from the Dragon Flower Tree. I know you love the sweet scent; it’s my gift to you in this wonderful Spring Equinox.”

  Tara’s memories had drifted back to the time with her late husband, Prakash, who lavished her with bouquets of roses during Valentine’s Day. Her heart was heavy with grief.

  “Tara? Are you alright?” Prince Chen asked, as he noticed her discomfort.

  Having heard his voice, she came back to her senses. “I’m sorry, Prince Chen. I just thought of something in the past.”

  “I see. Will you accept my gift?” Prince Chen presented her the dragon flower bouquet in an expression of utmost sincerity.

  “Absolutely, thank you,” said Tara, accepting his bouquet of flowers graciously. “The pink dragon flower is sweet and exquisite; it reminds me of a happy spring holiday spent with my parents at Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto many years back.”

  “You are most welcome. May I help you put a dragon flower on your hair bun?” asked Prince Chen exuberantly.

  She nodded. He plucked one stalk of the dragon flower, transformed it into a dainty golden pink dragon flower hairpin, and inserted it on her hair bun. In an instant, she felt herself becoming enveloped by a sense of deep bliss arising from a wellspring of romantic love.

  “Congratulations master!” exclaimed Singha, grinning ear to ear. “Your mother would be thrilled!”

  Tara was not aware about the dragon’s custom: once she accepted the dragon flowers from Prince Chen, she became his girlfriend automatically. A spiritual bond of love was created between them. Everyone in the dragon world could see the love bond – a sliver of pink aura connecting her heart to that of Prince Chen’s heart – except for humans.

  “There is an Imperial Dragon Tea House overlooking the ocean at the end of the Main Street. It’s a perfect spot for us to watch the Spring Equinox performance. Let’s go there to enjoy ourselves, shall we?” suggested Prince Chen. Tara nodded with a smile, confused by her overpowering feelings.