Since we are currently in this dharma-ending era, it is just as Sakyamuni Buddha said that the power of the Mara is stronger than the power of Buddha-dharma. Many descendants of the Mara have posed as Buddhists and are very rampantly active. They even defiled some well-known figures of Buddhism who are reincarnations of dharma kings and great dharma masters to make them have the habits of an ordinary person. As a result, many people within the Buddhist world simply do not uphold the principle of loving-compassion. Rather, they created chaos with organizations that have the mission of benefiting living beings. Many people are deluded by devils and evildoers. Consequently, some Buddhists entered into prejudiced views and even evil views. They take part in matters of rights and wrongs and conflicts or talk gossip about other people. Rather than caring and helping others, they engage in mutual attacks. This kind of phenomena exists within all major Buddhist sects in the world, regardless of whether a sect belongs to the Great Vehicle, the Lesser Vehicle, or Tantrayana. Such situations are also present among the venerable ones, dharma kings, rinpoches, dharma masters, and masters of dharma-listening sessions affiliated with us, the International Buddhism Sangha Association (IBSA).
For example, it has been clearly stipulated and stated very thoroughly in the utmost supreme dharma of the Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III that Buddhists shall untie the knot of samsara and shall benefit the great masses with loving-compassion. However, many people are simply going in the opposite direction. They do not untie the knot of samsara and do not apply loving-compassion to benefit living beings. Instead, they try to win people over to form their own gangs and factions with selfish purposes. That shows they are worldlier than an ordinary person.
Currently, the most typical situations are not only happening with ordinary Buddhist disciples. More seriously, some masters with notorious status are also completely occupied by undesirable habits of ordinary people and selfishness. Examples are: some ordinary masters slander masters who are great virtuous ones with gossip behind their backs. Even some famous masters who are at the levels of venerable one, rinpoche, and dharma king are slandering some holy and virtuous masters. What is more unimaginable is that even some venerable ones, dharma kings, and great rinpoches whose identities of reincarnation had already been verified by testing their realizations and some masters who hold a certificate of holiness and virtue signed by three masters and seven witnesses also took part in doing so. They exhibited ordinary people’s bad habits of falsifying facts and committing fraud. It is completely clear from this fact that, although they are reincarnations of famous figures, they caught the bad karmas of evil demons and have deteriorated in their nature. That is why they engaged in the act of slandering holy and virtuous masters who passed the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses. This is a total verification and proof of what Sakyamuni Buddha predicted. Demons are strong and the power of Buddha-dharma is weak. Even masters at the levels of venerable one and dharma king are unable to fight off the defilement and contamination from the power of the Mara.
The International Buddhism Sangha Association could not find any plausible explanation other than questioning whether these figures who did not take or pass the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses already have completely degenerated in their power of realization and whether they have retreated to an ordinary person in their nature. Otherwise how could they engage in the fraudulent act of slandering others without applying for taking the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses themselves? Looking at their speeches and actions, they have already departed from the criteria of the four limitless states of mind. They are always occupied by worldly matters and fight for self-interests. There is no cultivation in them or a slightest trace of bodhicitta. They are unable to pass the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses. However, they even dared to make gossip about and criticize holy and virtuous ones who passed the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses.
The International Buddhism Sangha Association tested and recognized more than thirty venerable ones, dharma kings, great rinpoches, and dharma masters in terms of holy realization in the past. As of now, at least several of them have been distracted by greed and have receded from a holy person into an ordinary one. As a matter of fact, with the exception of holy and virtuous ones who are at the levels of having three Sun-Moon Wheels or higher and with the exception of those whose identities were determined by the dharmas of Vajra Selection, Selection Made in the Dark Confinement from One-Hundred Dharmas to Choose the Door toward Enlightenment, or Forecasting ahead of the Event, regardless of what dharma of selection was used in determining one’s identity of a venerable one, a dharma king, or a great dharma master, as long as this person has not taken the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses themselves to prove his or her level of realization as the ultimate conclusion, it is not definitive that this person still keeps the realization of a holy one. It is possible that this person may have already degenerated into an ordinary being long ago.
The holy and virtuous ones at the International Buddhism Sangha Association felt very bad for this situation. Therefore, the holy and virtuous ones at IBSA’s Rinpoche Recognition Group made the following summary:
“People who cultivate themselves and learn Buddhism should all learn from the Buddha’s holy and pure selflessness and care and help others with loving-compassion. As long as others can be benefited, one shall rather give up one’s own gains to protect other people’s interests. The acts of goodness and the four limitless states of mind are the basic criteria of a cultivator. One who departed from these basic criteria is not a cultivator.”
“No matter what high-class title one has and regardless of what dharma was practiced to determine one’s reincarnation, a master who does not have a certificate of holiness and virtue is not in a position to criticize a holy and virtuous one who has a certificate issued by three masters and seven witnesses behind that person’s back. Even in the opposite kind of situation of a certificate holder criticizing one whose status is lower, the criticism cannot be made behind that person’s back and must be made face to face with kindness. It is particularly important to note that one whose realization is lower shall not criticize one who is at a higher level and holds a certificate issued by three masters and seven witnesses.”
“Also, regardless of how high one’s title is, a holy and virtuous one having a certificate issued by three masters and seven witnesses is not in a position of criticizing a holy and virtuous one behind that person’s back if that person passed the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses. This is because the status of a holy and virtuous one having a certificate issued by three masters and seven witnesses was determined from finding and verifying information and evidences by the three masters and seven witnesses; while the status of a holy and virtuous one who passed the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses used his or her own realization to take and pass the exam in front of the seventeen proctoring rinpoches and dharma masters. The latter represents the yidam’s recognition and approval for an absolutely up-to-standard holy and virtuous one. Even if as the challenger you may have a higher realization than that indicated by a certificate issued by three masters and seven witnesses, you did not undergo the step of being verified and proven by taking the real exam after all. Therefore, you still do not have the right to regard yourself as being superior to a holy and virtuous one who took and passed the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses. Truthfully speaking, one who holds a certificate issued by three masters and ten witnesses simply is not in a position to criticize a holder of a certificate issued by seven masters and ten witnesses. Criticizing a holy and virtuous one with a higher status than yourself always belongs to the low-class and dirty act of insulting holy and virtuous ones. Regardless who you are, doing so can only manifest that you are an ordinary person who has not severed the attachment to the self.”
“H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III told people very clearly: there is only one way that determines what level of holiness and virtue one is at. You must ask for and read the certificate of holiness and virtue. No other manifestation of Buddha-dharma can be used as a substitute. Although H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has taught us all repeatedly, cultivators still behave with ignorance and do not read the certificate of holiness and virtue to judge whether the qualification of a master is true or false.”
“As a matter of fact, whenever a person who is not a holy and virtuous one criticizes a holy and virtuous one or a holy and virtuous one having a certificate of holiness and virtue issued by three masters and seven witnesses criticizes a holy and virtuous one who holds a certificate of holiness and virtue issued by seven masters and ten witnesses, this critique-making master is absolutely not a true cultivator. He or she may have retreated from holiness into an ordinary person, or at least has an ordinary person’s mentality induced by self-centered views and selfishness. That is the only explanation for daring to make gossip about holy and virtuous ones who are higher than yourself. Can you possibly have a more accurate vision than the seven masters and ten witnesses who proctored on the spot? Therefore, people who belong to this category must repent and correct their faults. Do not make gossip behind their backs against other holy and virtuous ones who are higher than you. If you think that you once manifested the realization of holiness and virtue and scorn holy and virtuous ones who took the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses, then you should get a certificate of holiness and virtue to let the facts speak for themselves. Or you can take the exam to earn the status of holiness and virtue recognized by seven masters and ten witnesses for your disciples to see. You should first show your qualification and then you can criticize other people face to face! You should look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself why you dare not to take the exam but criticize others instead. Doing so shows that you are shameless, violated the cultivation and practice stipulated by the Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation, and devolved into the 128 evil views and erroneous views. What ingredients are in your body after all? Are you truly a master who meets the standard?”
More seriously, some people made such inquiries to IBSA: they found that their masters who are venerable ones, dharma kings, or great rinpoches are quite like an ordinary person in their speech and conduct. They are strongly attached to worldly ways and always tell lies to deceive their disciples. However, these masters are among the very few reincarnated ones whose statuses were recognized from the dharma of selection conducted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III for that person. That fact makes us unsure of how to look at this situation. Based on their speech and conduct, they were like holy ones a few years ago. However, they are now totally a selfish person making deception a way of life.
Actually, according to the record at Hua Zang Si, more than 30 reincarnated ones with very high statuses have been recognized by the dharma of selection. Among them, there are more than 10 great figures at the levels of venerable one and dharma king. These recognitions by selection used the dharmas of getting message using a holy stick, mani stones, golden-vase lot drawing, and card-drawing by a surrounding group to determine one’s identity. The results were all very accurate at the time and were recorded by video at the scene. Then, why do such hard-to-believe acts of telling lies to deceive people occur among these people? What you should know is that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III already stated last year, “Among the reincarnated ones who were recognized by selection, several have already receded from holiness and turned back into ordinary persons.”
Today, our Group of Recognition seriously and publicly inform all of you a fact: once a reincarnated holy and virtuous one is defiled by evil habits and greed and broke and violated the precepts, this person has more serious malicious karma than that of an ordinary person! You should think about this: why only Bodhisattvas who attained the stage of avaivartika (non-receding) can be immune to losing their realization of practice.Anyone who has some preliminary knowledge about the history of Buddhism would know that “venerable one” was a respectful title used by laypersons during Sakyamuni Buddha’s era to address some disciples of the Buddha who were good in cultivation and practice and later attained the status of Arhat. A dharma king is the elected leader of a sect or a temple. Some dharma kings also have the status of venerable one in their past lives. Therefore, it is quite true that the situation of receding from holiness and becoming an ordinary person again exists among them. Moreover, among the famous figures who were recognized by the dharma of selection, two have already died tragically from malicious karmic retributions. Don’t you know about Danzeng Nuori and Uygen Khenpo? They had been recognized by dharma kings in Tibet as King Gesar and Shantaraksita Khenpo respectively. Of course their statuses in those lifetimes were really high and were higher than that of some venerable ones, dharma kings, great rinpoches, and great dharma masters of today. However, their minds were attracted to gains and desire and they departed from cultivation. They told lies to deceive their disciples all the time. Eventually, both died of malicious karmic retributions. They were certain to devolve into the hell realm without the possibility of getting out. Exactly because the possibility of receding from holiness and becoming an ordinary person again exists in these holy and virtuous ones who have not reached the stage of avaivartika yet, the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III solemnly stipulated that, when interfacing with venerable ones, dharma kings, great rinpoches, and great dharma masters, regardless of what statuses they may have, Buddhist disciples must use the 128 evil views and erroneous views to check and recognize them as masters or fellow brothers and sisters. Moreover, the certificate of holiness and virtue must be asked for and read from a master who is at the level of a holy and virtuous one. This is because anytime a holy and virtuous one who was recognized by the dharma of selection falls into the 128 evil views and erroneous views, the inevitable outcome is this person’s receding from holiness and becoming an ordinary person again. If you do not use the 128 evil views and erroneous views to check and recognize this person and do not ask for and read the certificate of holiness and virtue, you will be totally wrong! Toward a master who has fallen into the 128 evil views and erroneous views, if you continue to use your past knowledge and rely on the earlier recognition by selection as the proof to respectfully follow this master and take refuge in his or her teaching, you are certain to bear the same dark karma and fall into the three lower realms! Only if this master possesses master’s qualification at the middle level of holy realization as indicated by three Sun-Moon Wheels or has the even higher status of being an extremely holy and virtuous one, you do not have to do such checking.
The phenomena of a holy one receding from the attained status of holiness and becoming an ordinary person again are commonplace throughout the history of Buddhism from ancient time to now. For example, the first-generation Great Jewel Dharma King of the Kagyu Sect had very high power of realization. Starting from the second generation, their realizations declined. The seventh and eighth Great Jewel Dharma Kings had higher realizations. However, the dharma kings of the ninth generation and later once again did not have as high a realization as the dharma kings pf the seventh and eighth generations. What does this fact mean? Needless to say, this is an example of receding realization.
You all must clearly know that, to recognize by the dharma of selection the identity of a great holy and virtuous one or an extremely great holy and virtuous one, the most accurate and exact methods are the dharmas of Vajra Selection, Selection Made in the Dark Confinement from One-Hundred Dharmas to Choose the Door toward Enlightenment, or Forecasting ahead of the Event. These three divisions of the dharma of selection are controlled and executed by great dharma-protectors. As long as the certificate one holds is not at the level of three Sun-Moon Wheels or higher, people must use the 128 evil views and erroneous views to check and recognize this person. At the same time, the certificate of holiness and virtue must be looked at as evidence. Otherwise, kind-natured Buddhist disciples will be fooled. It is simply because of the possibility of a venerable one, dharma king, great rinpoche, or great dharma master losing the attained realization and becoming an evil master that one who passed the exam proctored by seven masters and ten witnesses must re-take the exam annually. Then let’s consider those who did not even take the exam of realization. How could they be free of the possibility of losing the attained realization? Can it be true that they are more superior to ancient virtuous ones of earlier generations?
We reported our above knowledge and opinion to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said,
“I completely agree with your views. It is true that I conducted the dharma for some people’s recognition by selection. At the time, the fact was the outcome from the selection. However, several of them have devolved into becoming ordinary people again. As to which ones of them actually retreated from holiness and became ordinary people again, you will clearly know by using the 128 evil views and erroneous views for checking and comparison. The fact of a holy one receding into an ordinary person proved the incisive reasoning and precious conclusion in Sakyamuni Buddha’s teachings. Sutras said that Bodhisattvas can be classified into Bodhisattvas who could still recede and Bodhisattvas who will never recede. This means anyone who is not a non-receding great Bodhisattva (has not attained the stage of avalvartika yet) can possibly violate the precepts and still does not correct and repent. As this person continues to harm living beings and deceive cultivators, he or she is certain to degenerate and recede from the attained holiness and turn into an evil master. Your views are correct. Holy and virtuous ones who are not at the levels of having Sun-Moon Wheel(s) yet have a very large possibility of retreating from the path. Cultivators with realization at a lower level simply will not understand the speech and conduct of one at a higher level of realization. When you use the 128 evil views and erroneous views to verify and recognize anyone and found this person is not up to the standard, you shall make suggestions to this person in person with good intention. You should never comment on the rights and wrongs of other people behind their back. Cultivators whose realization is at a lower level are not in a position to criticize holy and virtuous ones at higher levels. One who has not passed the exam is not in a position to criticize holy and virtuous ones who passed the exam.”
“Today, I must say this to you. Several of you who are here are holders of certificates of holiness and virtue. Although there are holy and virtuous ones who are at the levels of Sun-Moon Wheel(s) among you, among the batch of rinpoches you recognized, how many of them are real? Even if one’s recognition is true, this person can still change his or her nature when polluted by evil customs in the world or having one’s mind occupied by making gains. Just think that now there are so many rinpoches in the whole world. How many of them are real after all? Actually many are not up to the standard. You should take the responsibility of helping them to become kind people. Only after establishing this foundation can the goals of entering into the door of true holy practice and advancing on the path toward liberation be talked about.”
The International Buddhism Sangha Association hereby reminds you all once again. You shall be humble and cultivate yourself. If, as a rinpoche, dharma master, venerable one, or dharma king, you still baselessly talk behind their backs about the rights and wrongs of holy and virtuous ones who are higher than you, is this what your disciples are learning from you? Do you want them to learn your selfishness, attachment to the self, and judging rights and wrongs with ordinary people’s mentality? Do you want them to learn holding worldly matters tightly and getting rid of the four limitless states of mind and bodhicitta? Do you want them to learn criticizing holy and virtuous ones who are higher than them for the sake of self-interests? Where are you in your learning the two great mind essences of the Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation? You should evaluate yourself to see whether your speech and conduct represent an ordinary person or a holy and virtuous one. Do you still possess the status of a true master? You even dare to criticize holy and virtuous ones who are higher than you. People can well imagine how you would treat ordinary cultivators and your disciples! In addition, to suppress them, making false statements and deceiving them are all likely to happen!
Please forgive us. Actually we who are in the Group of Recognition are also still in cultivation. We are also learning from the teachings by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and Sakyamuni Buddha. We are humble ones who have not learned well yet. We will make our effort to serve all living beings and do things that we should do for your attaining perfect good fortune and wisdom and for you liberation and accomplishment! May we and you work hard together and have our conduct in accordance with the Buddha’s teaching, in order to get the recognition from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III that we are legitimate and up-to-standard masters and leaders.
This announcement is hereby made to all.
International Buddhism Sangha Association (Seal)
July 27, 2013