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Sagara Dragon King — Sagara Dragon King
Buddhist Devas

Sagara Dragon King

娑竭罗龙王 · 娑竭羅龍王

Sagara Dragon King

Divine Office

  • One of the Eight Great Dragon Kings, sovereign of the dragon palace in the ocean
  • Master of rainfall and beneficent moisture for the world
  • Guardian of Buddhist scriptures and treasured teachings
  • Protector of fisheries, ensuring harmonious winds and timely rains

Origin & Legend

Sagara, meaning 'Saltwater Sea' in translation, is one of the Eight Great Dragon Kings described in Buddhist sutras. He dwells in a magnificent dragon palace at the bottom of the ocean, where countless treasures are stored. His most renowned offspring is the Dragon Girl, who attained Buddhahood instantaneously at the age of eight during the Lotus Sutra assembly—demonstrating the profound spiritual potential inherent even among dragon-kind. In Buddhist scriptures, Sagara Dragon King frequently appears before the Buddha with his retinue to hear the Dharma, vowing to safeguard the true teachings; simultaneously, he governs cloud formation and rainfall to nourish all sentient beings. In Chinese folk belief, veneration of Dragon Kings flourished widely, and temple Dragon King Halls commonly enshrine the Four Dragon Kings of the Four Seas; their iconography and ritual practices were profoundly shaped by Buddhist dragon king narratives, resulting in a seamless synthesis wherein prayers for rain and bountiful harvests are directed to the Dragon Kings without distinction between indigenous and Buddhist traditions.

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