Recently, The Phoenix Weekly and some other news media that are unaware of the facts were deluded by several people with bad moral character who spread rumors. Believing these totally groundless rumors, these news media fabricated stories about and defamed the world’s highest leader of Buddhism, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, a holy, pure, and totally selfless person of noble moral character. Behind these events, there is no lack of schemes and plots motivated by personal gain.
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the only Buddhist figure who has made a public declaration to not accept offerings. Real examples of His not accepting offerings are very numerous and have been witnessed in many different settings. This fact has caused extremely deep hatred toward His Holiness the Buddha on the part of certain individuals who rely upon receiving offerings to survive. They think that His Holiness the Buddha’s setting such a precedent has the effect of cutting off their source of income. Therefore, they resorted to fabricating stories about His Holiness the Buddha, such as that He organized a gang of swindlers and that He defrauded Liu Juan and Lau Pak Hun.
However, the fact is that after conducting a long-term and thorough investigation of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, Interpol concluded that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not engage in any criminal conduct whatsoever and is a good person, not a bad person. Investigation by the Chinese government also found no criminal conduct by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. That is why the Chinese government requested that Interpol withdraw its Red Notice to arrest H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
However, what you do not know is that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is not in the least bit concerned about whether He is honored or insulted, whether He rises or falls. Lowly people of evil intent have continually smeared and defamed His Holiness the Buddha throughout these many years. However, no matter what type of attack He has been subject to, He has never shown the conclusion of Interpol’s investigation to the public proving His own complete innocence. Is there another example of such noble and selfless conduct?
Nonetheless, some news media have not attempted to understand the facts but have instead assisted the evil to slander the good. They have damaged the good interests of humanity and the peaceful development of the world. All of the so-called facts included in their defamatory articles are sheer fabrications. For now, we will mention only the following examples of this: Sakya Trizin’s denial that he wrote a recognition certificate, Tangrang Jiawa’s denial that he wrote a congratulatory letter, the absence of Buddha statues at the temple of Hua Zang Si, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III having no hair on His head, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was a temporarily hired painter of paintings who was kicked out of the Baoguang Temple, Hsi Jao Ken Teng Rinpoche and Hensheng Rinpoche promoted and packaged H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, the defrauding of Lau Pak Hun and Liu Juan, and the Master Museum in Dayi County, Sichuan, China. From these examples, people will understand how these news media fabricated their untrue stories and lied to the public.
We will first discuss the matter of Sakya Trizin’s writing a document of recognition for H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. As early as in 2008, Sakya Trizin received the book H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III that the International Buddhism Sangha Association mailed to him. He knew that the recognition certificate he wrote was published in that book and was very happy about that. At that time, he never said that he had not written the certificate. Two years later, he received some pressure. At the same time, he thought that the practice of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to not accept offerings provided an embarrassing contrast to him and would cause him to lose his sources of income, for he is a person who constantly accepts offerings and who sells tickets for giving speeches and transmitting dharma. Thus, only after two years had passed did he deny having written that recognition certificate. If he had never written it, why didn’t he say so at the time he received the book?
Again, after a two-year period of time, Sakya Trizin said that he had not written that recognition. We then proposed to him that he and we make vows of truth in an equal manner before the public to prove who is telling the truth. We wrote several letters to him, but he refused to accept them. Eventually, we sent him a certified letter through a court of law requesting that come forth and make a vow of truth with us in an equal manner. He dared not refuse to accept that letter. After reading it and learning of our proposal that we and he openly make vows of truth in an equal manner in a temple, he was so terrified that he secretly fled. Even until now, he dares not make vows of truth together with Hua Zang Si, the party that received the recognition certificate he wrote.
Thus, dharma teachers at Hua Zang Si and those who witnessed this event in person had no choice but to make vows of truth by themselves in front of the camera of Channel 38, a television station serving the San Francisco area of the United States. That event was broadcast to the public by that news station! This fact proves that Sakya Trizin is not a genuine rinpoche. He is not even as good as an ordinary person who does not lie and who truly has morals. On this matter, we have irrefutable evidence, including video and written testimonials from people who personally received from him the certificate that he wrote.
More importantly, people like Sakya Trizin who tell lies one after another are totally unqualified to recognize the status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Think about Sakyamuni Buddha. Whose recognition was ever needed to prove the Buddha’s status? Even if the International Buddhist Sangha Association accepted all of those recognitions, among those who wrote recognition documents and congratulatory letters were people of great holiness and virtue, such as Dharma King Dodrupchen IV, Lama Achuk, and Dharma King Penor. It is an understatement to say that when it comes to cultivation and practicing the Buddha-path, Sakya Trizin is not fit to hold a candle to Dharma King Dodrupchen IV, Lama Achuk, and Dharma King Penor. Even including him in the rank of those people of great holiness and virtue is an insult to great Bodhisattvas! Moreover, having lied to the public and having refused to admit what he truly did, can he still be regarded as a good person? The situation is quite different with Dharma King Jigdal Dagchen Sakya, who transmitted dharma to Sakya Trizin. He has morals, speaks the truth, and acknowledges what he wrote.
Actually, any normal thinking person would know that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III would not dare forge a certificate under the name of a famous person or forge a publication in the People’s Daily Overseas Edition. We think that no one would even dare to forge a certificate under the name of one who is not famous or forge a publication in a little known newspaper. In this age of the internet over the last ten years, anyone who did engage in such forgery would be discovered within two or three days. Such conduct violates the law and is a crime. Only a mentally deranged person would do such an ignorant thing. Isn’t this fact alone worthy of thought? In addition, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has already voluntarily and publicly made a solemn vow of truth through the news media concerning the received recognition documents and congratulatory letters.
Tangrang Jiawa of the Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai was very little known in Buddhist circles. When he saw that Zongkang Rinpoche, who is the dharma king of the Kumbum Monastery, wrote a letter congratulating H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, he wrote one on his own initiative for the purpose of raising his status. He even had a photo taken of him holding his congratulatory letter. Out of consideration for his feelings and disregarding the fact that he is only an ordinary person, the International Buddhism Sangha Association accepted the letter of congratulations that he wrote. Unexpectedly, he has now gone so far as to lie by denying that he wrote that letter. This so-called Buddhist monk is even worse than a good person who conducts himself according to basic morality. Anyone who follows such an immoral person who speaks falsely will certainly cause his or her family to have bad luck for eight generations. Take a look at the attached photograph. If he did not write that congratulatory letter, what is he holding in his hand? Can he still be considered a rinpoche? He is not even a good person!!!
Whether H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is a true Buddha is not determined by false rinpoches and lowly people who spread rumors. We suggest that everyone read the book Revealing the Truth. That book records actual events based on the observations and personal experience of a Buddhist nun during a twelve-year period of time. Moreover, she made a solemn vow of truth concerning the content of the book she wrote. After reading that book, you will know whether H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is a true Buddha or is one about whom untrue claims are made.
The Phoenix Weekly-led media stated, “At the most conspicuous place within the [Hua Zang Si] temple, neither Sakyamuni Buddha nor any other deity or Buddha within the system of Buddhism is worshipped. Instead, a religious leader currently living in this human world, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, is worshipped there.” Actually, anyone who has been to Hua Zang Si clearly knows that a very large gold-plated statue of Sakyamuni Buddha is worshipped at the center of the Sakymuni Buddha Hall of Hua Zang Si. It is higher than statues of Sakyamuni Buddha in many famous Buddhist temples in China, such as the Baoguang Temple in Xindu, Sichuan. In addition, the huge statue of Amitabha Buddha at Hua Zang Si is the most solemn and dignified-looking statue of Amitabha Buddha in the entire world. That is why in December 2005 the world-renowned magazine National Geographic published a picture of that huge, dignified-looking statue of Amitabha Buddha. Also worshipped at Hua Zang Si are statues of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Skandha Bodhisattva, Samgha-arama Bodhisattva, and an image of the Sambhogakaya Buddha form of Dorje Chang Buddha. However, what is absent from that temple is a statue of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The Phoenix Weekly and other news media told bare-faced lies that deceived the public!
These rumormongers stated that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has lost all His hair. Anyone who has paid respects to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III in person knows that not only has He not lost His hair but that He has a lot of hair on His head. Such a groundless fabrication was concocted even in the face of such a clear fact. You can imagine just how lowly and vulgar these rumormongers are!
On the other hand, those defamers are so ignorant as to say that the long hair of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III does not conform to the rules of Buddhism. Anyone making that claim is a total idiot with respect to Buddhism. Regular monastics must have their hair shaved off completely, symbolizing the severing of the roots of ignorance and affliction. In contrast, Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas must keep their hair. For instance, Sakyamuni Buddha had dark and coiled hair all over His head. Dorje Change Buddha not only has long hair, His body is also adorned with the eight treasures. No Buddha can be found who does not let His hair grow! Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and Guru Padmasambhava all have long hair that grew over their shoulders. It is hard to imagine that there exist such ignorant false rinpoches who have infiltrated Buddhism. They do not even know that Buddhas must keep their hair. They do not even know that Bodhisattvas must have long hair and adorn their bodies with the eight treasures as a means of expressing good fortune, wisdom, and the benefiting of living beings based on great compassion. Everyone can understand this by consulting Buddhist scriptures.
As for another matter, the product Fa Bi Sheng (Hair Must Grow) is a product that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III researched and developed. The Ministry of Health in China approved this product in Document No. 53 (1989). Those rumormongers are undoubtedly accusing the Ministry of Health of being deceitful! Furthermore, after H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III invented Fa Bi Sheng (Hair Must Grow), He donated it to society without receiving any compensation. As of now, He has not received one cent from this product! Have you ever seen anyone who is so unselfish and noble?
These rumormongers have also repeatedly slandered H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as once being a temporary painter of paintings at the Baoguang Temple who was kicked out of that temple due to immoral conduct. Such fabrication is truly immature and ignorant. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was sent to work there by means of a special document issued by the Sichuan provincial government. It is true that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did leave the Baoguang Temple later. However, that was due to a decision by the government to withdraw on the same day and at the same time all government workers from the Baoguang Temple and reassign work for them elsewhere. After that withdrawal of workers, the government reassigned H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to work at a cultural center. If He had not been an official government worker, why would the government have reassigned work for Him?
Those people also slanderously stated that Hsi Jao Ken Teng Rinpoche and Hensheng Rinpoche promoted and packaged H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and arranged that He be awarded a Master of Oriental Art medal, all for the purpose of organizing a gang of swindlers. What those people do not know is that before H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was awarded the Master of Oriental Art medal, Hsi Jao Ken Teng Rinpoche did not even know H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Additionally, Hengsheng Rinpoche has never known and still does not know anyone at the World Poets and Culture Congress.
Those immoral people who make things up out of thin air said that those two rinpoches promoted and packaged H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. That is a complete calumny made to deceive the public. Who has the ability to create a Buddha through “packaging”? The thirty categories of accomplishments attained by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, which are unmatched by anyone in the world, cannot be attained through “packaging.” Even if you had to create through “packaging” only a very small portion of the sculptures sculpted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III–the two sculptures called “Mystery of Lovely Colors” and “Mysteriously Foggy Boulder”–you could not do it. No one in the world besides H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III could create such sculptures.
Some people already vowed to give a US$100,000,000 reward to anyone who is able to duplicate either one of those two sculptures. The International Buddhism Sangha Association guarantees that what it says today will be carried out and that we will bear the legal responsibility for our words. To those people who committed defamation, if you can find someone who can duplicate one of those two sculptures, the reward money will be given to you in the stated amount. Unfortunately, your obtaining that sum of money is a mere daydream. That is because a Buddha’s wisdom cannot be achieved by “packaging.” Nobody can ever successfully “package” someone as being a person with the wisdom of a Buddha. Even a tiny part of the accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III represented by the two sculptures “Mystery of Lovely Colors” and “Mysteriously Foggy Boulder” cannot be duplicated. You defamers are so foolish and pitiful. A reward of US$100,000,000 is offered to you, but you do not have the ability to obtain it.
As to the case of fraud involving Liu Juan and Lau Pak Hun concocted by these rumormongers, we have irrefutable, conclusive evidence of who the defrauders and expropriators were. Anyone who has a little bit of common knowledge about painting and calligraphy knows that the value of paintings by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is extremely high. Moreover, several hundred paintings by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III were fraudulently expropriated. Those who illegally expropriated such property feared that what they illegally seized would be traced back to them. That is why they wantonly smeared H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Someday they will face karmic retribution for what they did.
The value of a painting by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III ranges from a few million U.S. dollars to several tens of million U.S. dollars. Even a public-benefit art museum is openly offering to purchase paintings by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III for a price of a few hundred thousand U.S. dollars to one million U.S. dollars per square foot. Think about it. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is a person who has attained perfect good fortune and wisdom. We have often seen H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III decline offerings of large amounts of money or valuable property. That being the case, would He defraud people out of their money? Additionally, there is a well-known saying that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III often openly utters. All those who have paid respects to and attempted to make offerings to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III know this saying. It is, “Take your offerings back. Do not sully me.” In today’s world, which eminent monks and greatly virtuous ones can you find who only help and benefit others and do not accept offerings? Do such people exist? Can you give an example of one?
It is true that Layperson Lau Pak Hun was defrauded. In Hong Kong, it was Wong Hiu Shui who defrauded Lau Pak Hun and others. At that time, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s only identification document was that issued by Hong Kong. That means He was under the jurisdiction of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which is a part of the Hong Kong government. Investigation conducted by the ICAC and a trial in a court of law proved that it was Wong Hiu Shui who committed fraud. She was sentenced to nine years imprisonment. Such fraud had nothing whatsoever to do with H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Rather, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is a good person who led the sorting out and clearing up of Wong Hiu Shui’s fraud! Could it possibly be that a report by a news medium is more accurate than the ICAC and a Hong Kong court of law?
Layperson Lau Pak Hun is an upright and good person. He still very much respects H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. In 2009, his elder brother passed away. At that time, he made an offering of US$10,000 and beseeched H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to raise his brother’s spirit to a higher realm. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III performed Buddhist rites and chanted sutras for his brother. Additionally, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III passed the US$10,000 offering on to Hua Zang Si and instructed that temple to hold a large-scale Buddhist assembly to raise the spirit of Lau Pak Hun’s brother to a higher realm. Think about this for a moment. If H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III defrauded Lau Pak Hun, would Lau Pak Hun still beseech H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to raise his brother’s spirit?
Regarding Liu Juan, she published a written statement on August 20, 2003 in the Chi Am Daily, a Chinese newspaper. It clearly stated that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III not only did not defraud her, He instead selflessly helped her from beginning to end. In her statement, she wrote that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III “…always considers the welfare of His disciples and the welfare of us living beings!” and that He “…never defrauded either me or my husband…” She also wrote that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III “…does not even accept any offerings that His disciples voluntarily offer to Him, yet He has been falsely accused of swindling money. Those who make such false accusations are truly extremely vicious and extremely lowly.”
As to the Master Museum in Dayi County, Sichuan, China, it was a government project. The county government reported the project to the higher-level government, and that higher-level government approved the building of that museum, which belongs to and is an organ of the government. The head of the United-Front Work Department of the government served as the museum’s director. How the museum was used was entirely up to the government. High-level officials from the central government in Beijing and the Sichuan provincial government attended the grand opening ceremony for the museum and gave speeches that day. Of course, they highly praised H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. In contrast, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III refused to attend that opening ceremony. He also wrote a letter to the government that day stating that the museum was not His, that it was a government project that He had nothing to do with, and that He was not going to attend the opening ceremony. Reports by The Phoenix Weekly and others related to this event are complete fabrications out of thin air, turn the facts on their head, and are defamatory. We have iron-clad evidence concerning these defamatory statements. When we make public such evidence, you all will know how terrible those news media are!
We now invite you to read the following statement from the World Peace Prize, after which you will have a better understanding of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Investigations have long ago shown that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is a good person. However, His Holiness the Buddha has never mentioned one word of this fact to enhance his reputation. How holy, pure, and great such conduct is!
Statement from the World Peace Prize
Washington D.C., Nov. 12，2013 – We who are engaged in the arduous task of promoting peace in a world wracked by war are loathe to give even a moment to respond to the baseless claims of The Phoenix Weekly and the likes about the World Peace Prize and H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. However, for anyone who is remotely interested, we refer you to the recognition of support for World Peace Prize by the U.S. Congress in the Resolution introduced by the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Menendez:
Whereas the World Peace Prize is a prestigious award presented by the World Peace Corps Mission that celebrates individuals who have contributed tremendously to peace and enlightenment for humanity;
Whereas past recipients of the World Peace Prize include President Ronald Reagan of the United States, President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia, and President Nakamura of Palau;
Whereas in 2010, the World Peace Prize Awarding Council recognized His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III for his devotion to an immensely wide scope of humanitarian activities directed at individuals from different communities throughout the world;
Resolved, That the Senate (1) commends the World Peace Corps Mission for advancing peace, justice, and inter-religious collaborations; and (2) celebrates the World Peace Award and the recipients of the World Peace Award.
His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III has been enduring ongoing defamation, slander and destruction to his reputation. As evidence China at one point requested for the Interpol to issue a Red Notice for his arrest. The Interpol has made thorough investigation to determine the baseless nature of such request. Upon China’s own investigation, they have determined the non-existence of any crime and hence formally requested for the withdrawal of the Red Notice. In October 2008, the 72nd session of the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files withdrew the Red Notice and the entire case against His Holiness.
We do not idly choose the recipients of our Peace Prizes. It was after due diligence that H.H. Dorje Change Buddha III was selected to receive our 2010 award for his outstanding humanitarian efforts and the international community who enthusiastically applauded our choice. We too are aware of the continuing efforts of defamation directed at His Holiness in attempting to undermine his worldwide acclaim as a spiritual leader. The Phoenix Weekly story and the likes are just examples of destructive campaign being waged against him and the work of those who seek to bring a lasting peace to a tumultuous world.
We are concerned that the groundless defamations are spurious attempts to undermine the public’s respect for truth, peace and justice. Such libelous behavior should not be tolerated by any ethical and responsible organization. The World Peace Prize upholds the true spirit of this historical award and hereby expresses the depth of respect for facts and forthrightness.
Could it possibly be that The Phoenix Weekly and others who similarly damage the advancement of world peace are more accurate than the request by the Chinese government to withdraw that arrest warrant from the Interpol and the resolution passed by the Senate of the United States Congress? Can people trust such reports from The Phoenix Weekly and similar news media? If such words and conduct continue, lies will undoubtedly increase on a daily basis in this world. This will certainly result in falsehoods spreading unchecked along with the truth. What is true and what is false will be difficult to distinguish. As time goes on, how could people know what the truth is? How could there still be any peace in the world? What effect are these media having on humanity by beating their drums this way? This is worthy of thought. Are these rumormongers and defamers still unable to wake up?
Of course, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III undoubtedly does not hate these people. His sole wish is to bear their evil karma and pray for their happiness! However, people should know that the law of cause and effect does not work this way!
These rumormongers and trouble-makers even slandered the International Buddhism Sangha Association as a gang of defrauders. We reserve the right to take legal action against these bad people who do damage to our Buddhist organizations that uphold the true dharma.
International Buddhism Sangha Association
November 13, 2013
[Photos not available]
Attachment 1: Tangrang Jiawa of the Kumbum Monastery voluntarily wrote a letter of congratulations. He even had this photograph taken while holding the letter in his hand. He now has sunk to such depths that he shamelessly does not admit to having written that letter. Can he still be regarded as a good person? A so-called rinpoche with such an image is indeed extremely pitiful.
Attachment 2: Liu Juan published a written statement on August 20, 2003 in the Chi Am Daily newspaper. It clearly stated that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III not only did not defraud her, He instead selflessly helped her from beginning to end.