After H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III taught the Concise Practice of the Amitabha Buddha Dharma to Buddhist disciples through holy transmissions, many Buddhist disciples have received great benefits and achieved accomplishment expediently. However, a small number of people still do not quite understand how to set up and worship Amitabha Buddha’s visage in the process of learning and practicing the dharma. The Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III hereby publicly notify all Buddhist disciples through this public announcement:
The visage of Amitabha Buddha cannot be put under the Dorje Chang Buddha Lineage Refuge Tree and, rather, should be placed for worshipping in parallel to the Dorje Chang Buddha Lineage Refuge Tree. This is because there are visages of Vajras in the lower part of the Dorje Chang Buddha Lineage Refuge Tree. The visages of Vajras must not be above Amitabha Buddha. Also, Since Amitabha Buddha is a disciple of Dorje Chang Buddha I, when hanging the visage of Amitabha Buddha, the top of the head of Amitabha Buddha’s visage must not exceed the height of the shoulder of Dorje Chang Buddha I, the primordial Buddha. More generally, when visages of different Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are worshiped in a same room, regardless of in what relative direction, the top of the head of any Buddha or Bodhisattva must not exceed the height of the shoulder of Dorje Chang Buddha I, the primordial Buddha. Otherwise, the setup is not in accord with the dharma no matter what else you do.
Separately, regarding the reasons of abolishing “the Fifty Verses Regarding How Disciples Should Treat Their Master” (also called the Fifty Stanzas of Guru Devotion) and “the Fourteen Fundamental Precepts of Esoteric Buddhism” (also called the Fourteen Fundamental Precepts of Yoga Practitioners), there is a recorded dharma lesson titled “The Fifty Verses Regarding How Disciples Should Treat Their Master Must Be Abolished to Enable Cultivators to Find Good Masters.” H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said very clearly in this dharma lesson that the main reason is that in today’s world swindlers, ordinary persons, and malicious demonic persons are using these rules and precepts to defraud their disciples. To prevent cultivators from being deceived, “the Fifty Verses Regarding How Disciples Should Treat Their Master” and “the Fourteen Fundamental Precepts of Esoteric Buddhism” must be abolished, so that disciples can observe whether their masters belong to the rank of good masters who truly cultivate in accord with the Buddha’s teaching or not. Without abolishing these two kinds of rules and precepts, disciples dare not observe their masters because doing so would be regarded as violating the precepts. Therefore, the only solution is to abolish “the Fifty Verses Regarding How Disciples Should Treat Their Master” and “the Fourteen Fundamental Precepts of Esoteric Buddhism.” This can help the great masses to avoid the risk of being defrauded and harmed, so they can cultivate correctly, increase and develop good fortune and wisdom, and attain accomplishment and liberation.
From the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III,
October 7, 2015