Letter Forwarded as Received:
The International Buddhism Sangha Association received a letter of repent from Jiangjia Rinpoche today. Jiangjia Rinpoche’s letter of repent brought up an issue that we should be mindful of. That is, rinpoches, dharma masters, and venerable ones in today’s world will definitely make many errors when giving discourses on the essence of Buddha-dharma. Actually the same was true in history as we can read from the Maharatnakuta Sutra (the Jewel Heap Sutra or the Great Jewel Accumulations Sutra). Sakyamuni Buddha did not permit Venerable Ananda to give discourses for the same reason. Even when Venerable Shariputra volunteered to give the discourse, the Buddha did not give him permission either. Moreover, what qualifications do today’s rinpoches and dharma kings have for them to be comparable to Venerable Ananda?
Jiangjia Rinpoche made this mistake of giving discourse on Buddha-dharma due to his urge of saving living beings. He stated that his intention was to give listeners a test (to see if they were aware of the fact that rinpoches and dharma masters are not permitted to give duscourses). His courage to repent publicly and his willingness to correct the mistake once he knew it provided a good contrast to those rinpoches who insist on giving erroneous discourses in their own turf. Comparing to them, Jiangjia Rinpoche is a rinpoche in true cultivation. Those rinpoches who irresponsibly give discourses should learn from Jiangjia Rinpoche and his willingness to correct mistakes, his good intention, and his morality. They should listen earnestly to the recorded dharma lessons expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and should read and understand the public announcements from the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
Jiangjia Rinpoche’s letter of repent is hereby forwarded to you all. Please see the attached.
International Buddhism Sangha Association
December 30, 2014
Attachment
Attachment: Hand-written Letter of Repent from Jiangjia Rinpoche
I, JIangjia, gave discourses on the essence of Buddha-dharma to students in several provinces in China. Actually I was deeply aware of the fact that even Venerable Ananda and Venerable Shariputra were vetoed by Sakyamuni Buddha when they intended to explain and give discourse on the meaning of Buddha-dharma. Of course people like me are even further away from possessing the qualification of giving discourses. My real purpose was to find out whether the audience had studied the public announcements from the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III or not. What I did was really a test for them. The result is that they did not have correct knowledge and views at all. They did not know that rinpoches like us are not authorized to give discourses. Instead, they were very interested in listening. Also, some disciples of other rinpoches came to have a close communication with me but were accused by some other people as traitors.
I have already reported to my Buddha Master the results from this test I gave to them. I am concerned that not listening to the recorded dharma lessons attentively may cause people like those listeners to devolve into evil knowledge and views. Of course, I sincerely repent to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the ten directions and living beings in the six realms. With an urge to propagate Buddha-dharma, my ignorance caused me to commit the mistake of giving discourses. From now on, I will not use language or writing to give discourses. I will only use my conduct to act in accord with the teaching, apply loving compassion to the great masses, conduct refuge ceremony and transmit dharma to disciples, and teach them to uphold the principle of loving compassion and to become good persons and good Buddhist disciples, in order to attain accomplishment.
Humble Buddhist Disciple,
Jiangjia Awang Zhaba, VII