From the United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters:
The situation of the current Buddhist world can be described as total chaos. The phenomena of an ordinary person mocking a holy one, a swindler impersonating an eminent monk, and the forging certificates of holiness and virtue can be seen at various places. Some of these people write books to present their dogmas, expound commentaries and discourses, and hold dharma assemblies all the time. Even some so-called great virtuous ones who are at a senior age and with an astounding reputation in the Buddhist world also expound dharmas that convey evil dogmas. As a matter of fact, most of them are baselessly speaking nonsense. Even an eminent monk who is over 100 years old with the status of a Buddhist leader in the world is also not proficient in the sutras’ teaching and always speaks evil theories.
Some masters who are at the level of one Sumeru wheel falsely claim to be at the level of two Sumeru wheels. Some others who are at the level of two Sumeru wheels falsely declare themselves as being at the level of three Sumeru wheels. Actually these people are swindlers to begin with. Such ordinary persons even dare pose as holy and virtuous ones at the level of three sumeru wheels. They really do not know the height of the sky and the depth of the ground. Can attaining the level of three Sumeru wheels be an easy matter? Even the famous Master Shi Long Hui, who is the chairperson of the International Buddhism Sangha Association and possesses holy realization and power of cultivation, is still at the level of two Sumeru wheels as of now.
In order to prevent cultivators from being harmed, the United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters (UIWBAH) implemented a system with for the examination of holiness and virtue that allowed for the and the annual verification re-examination of holy and virtuous ones. However, now some individual masters with certificates of holiness and virtue still appeared in society who do not cultivate in accord with true Buddha-dharma and have seriously devolved into the 128 views. They have already lost the power of cultivation and have receded back to ordinary persons. They use their status of master to commit fraud among their perceived disciples and teach false Buddha-dharma. Their notable characteristic is not hanging out their certificate of holiness and virtue when taking the seat behind the dharma rostrum.
Their main reason of doing so is that they no longer have the cultivation and conduct at the time when they passed the examination and have already receded back into the state of an ordinary person. Therefore, they cannot save face any more and fear that cultivators would know that they are false holy and virtuous ones and real defrauding masters who have lost the power of cultivation. It is also possible that they are afraid of cultivators discover that their level of star wheels are not high. Another possibility is that they have forged the certificate of holiness and virtue and have to use the method of showing it to people in a quick move and then taking it back in a hurry. Their concern is that, once the certificate is hung and when they step onto the dharma rostrum, the real facts will be exposed and cultivators will see them through like a transparent object. You all should observe carefully. Any master who has a certificate of holiness and virtue, but does not hang it out when stepping onto the dharma rostrum to speak or teach dharma is definitely a person who is plagued by selfish desires and has an ordinary person’s body and views or is simply an evil master or a swindler.
Cultivators who continue to follow these kinds of masters who have a certificate but do not hang it are certain to commit deep and serious sin and karmas. UIWBAH will not receive them without exception. The reason is very simple. Cultivators all know that a master who has a certificate of holiness and virtue but does not hang it when stepping onto the dharma rostrum is a master violating the precepts. If you already know that this master has violated the precepts, but you still act with selfish desire and worldly emotion to corroborate with and support this master, you are joining his gang to cruelly harm living beings and belong to the same category. What qualification do you have for learning true Buddha-dharma?
Regardless of what status a holy and virtuous one has, if this person does not hang his or her certificate of holiness and virtue on display when stepping onto the dharma rostrum, transmitting the dharma, or accepting a Buddhist’s taking refuge, this person is certain to have serious problems at different degrees that he or she does not want to people to know. This person either has lost the qualification of a holy and virtuous one or has always been an ordinary person mocking a holy one. Another possibility is that this person is a holy and virtuous one at the lowest level of Sumeru wheels and due to self-centered views and attachment to the self is afraid of being looked down on by his or her disciples. Then, to fake a great holy and virtuous one, this person would rather not hang his or her certificate of holiness and virtue. These three kinds of people are all masters with mundane feelings, desire, and defilement or evil views. We ask cultivators to report them to UIWBAH. After verifying the fact through investigation, UIWBAH will definitely publish their names to the world!!!
Holy and virtuous ones all love and care about living beings with loving compassion. They are brightly open to the public and will hang their certificates of holiness and virtue without being asked. They hope living beings will inspect them. The sole purpose is a result of compassion for removing any impediment that may cause obstruction to living beings. Even a true holy and virtuous one’s act of not hanging the certificate of holiness and virtue belongs to the conduct of insulting Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This kind of masters must not be followed and relied on. Cultivators should immediately abandon them and search good masters elsewhere. Otherwise the opportunity of receiving true Buddha-dharma will be lost for the entire lifetime and one’s life will end miserably.
A decision has been made at UIWBAH through the discussions with great holy and virtuous ones. To protect cultivators’ interests, to prevent swindlers who are ordinary persons and evil masters from committing fraud, to prevent Buddhist disciples from being taken advantage of and being harmed by masters who have receded their power of cultivation and false holy and virtuous ones, and to prevent the many already-occurred instances of swindlers faking holy and virtuous ones through forging the certificate of holiness and virtue from reoccurring, we will issue the definitions of holy and virtuous ones’ dharma attire to indicate their segmented ranking within Buddhism. That means the monastic cassock and rinpoche robe worn by masters who are holy and virtuous ones will be pinned with the star wheel insignia indicating their rank in terms of star wheels. Such a way of dressing has the features of plain simplicity, serenity and grace, seriousness, and solemnity, and clearly indicates their status and rank. Every pin of the insignia represents one level of the rank. The number of levels provides a corresponding measurement of one’s accomplishment in the essence of Buddhist teaching and attained realization. Such a dress will be worn by holy and virtuous ones in their daily life.
If a holy and virtuous one does not wear the dress indicating his or her segmented ranking within Buddhism, such a deed is similar to a monastic person not wearing the robe of a Buddhist monk or nun and belongs to the impure conduct of violating the precepts. This person certainly does not have a good intention. The purpose is to delude cultivators in order to commit fraud easily. Such people all belong to the category of precept-violating evil masters, swindlers, and demonic persons. Cultivators who are their disciples must not follow them. Anyone following them is a person assisting the evil and will not be received by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Of course, His Holiness the Buddha definitely will not confer initiation or transmit the dharma to this type of persons who assist evil masters who commit vicious acts to deceive people and delude the world.
For the ease of recognition, the dress worn by holy and virtuous ones will have specially designed pins indicating the segmented ranking pinned at the sleeves, shoulders, and collar. That is to say, a holy and virtuous one at a certain level will wear the insignia pins corresponding to and indicating that particular level.
Why should there be such a rigorous stipulation? The purpose is to protect cultivators and protect kind people. During the current dharma-ending era, evil masters and swindlers are numerous and can be anywhere. They use all kinds of means and schemes to deceive the world and pirate fame and reputation.
Upon hearing about establishing this system of dharma attire to indicate the segmented ranking to prevent fraud, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III summoned UIWBAH’s chairman and secretary-general and praised them,
“Your headquarters are establishing the system of dharma attire to benefit the great masses. This is very necessary and is an act of removing fraud and protecting truth. There are too many evil masters and swindlers currently. It is time to do this now. Some of my disciples who are very familiar with me are actually also evil masters. I am doing all I can to teach and transform them. However, they still do not correct their evil acts when I do not see. Behind me, they still use my name to discourse evil teaching and defraud their disciples. To prevent the great masses from being defrauded and deceived and to let cultivators be able to find truly good masters, I think your UIWBAH’s idea and decision to remove evil, exterminate fraud, benefit living beings, and protect truth are very good. Doing so can protect and care the great masses and cultivators and let the world benefit kind people and accumulate goodness. Implementing the system of attire indicating the ranking of holy and virtuous ones can benefit living beings’ interests.”
As a result, UIWBAH will complete as soon as possible the arrangements to implement the dharma attire with the indication of holy and virtuous ones’ ranking. This system and the existing system of certificates of holiness and virtue can facilitate investigation and verification by cultivators. In addition, certificates of holiness and virtue, whether issued by seven masters and ten witnesses or three masters and seven witnesses, will all be subject to annual inspection to be stamped with a seal of approval. If a holy and virtuous one is reported by cultivators as seriously falling into the 128 views, not abiding to true Buddha-dharma in cultivation and conduct, or not belonging to the category of truly cultivating and benefiting the great masses, after the facts being investigated and verified as true by UIWBAH, this person will not pass the annual inspection.
All previous holy and virtuous ones who do not have the seal of approval for the current annual inspection stamped on their certificates of holiness and virtue belong to people who have receded from a holy one to an ordinary person and may have devolved into swindlers. Their sins and karmas are deep and severe. If cultivators continue to follow and mingle with them to assist the evil and deceive people, they not only will not have the opportunity to learn true Buddha-dharma and will not gain good fortune and wisdom, but also are certain to encounter endless bad retributions and will never have good fortune and bliss to enjoy!!!!
United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters
February 12, 2015