Important Replies from Holy Virtuous Ones and Eminent Monastics
Response from the Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters to Questions Raised by Inquirers
On the Day of January 15 of the Lunar year (March 2, 2018)
Answer No. 15
We are sorry, but we must speak truthfully to tell the real situation because we cannot afford to err on causality. We fear causality and therefore dare not say false words. “Venerable one” as a title of status originated from the sixteen venerable ones who were Sakyamuni Buddha’s disciples and were great Arhats. Therefore, it is easy to know from this fact how remarkable, venerable, and revered this status is. How can this be a status comparable to the levels of eminent monastics and great virtuous ones such as you? Even many of the patriarchs of exoteric Buddhism and esoteric Buddhism of later generations did not reach a level of a venerable one.
One at even the highest level of blue buttons has not achieved the accomplishment of a venerable one yet. Only holy virtuous ones at the levels of golden buttons deserve the word venerable in the title, such as Ru Zun at the level of Golden Button Grade 1, Jiao Zun at the level of Golden Button Grade 2, and Shang Zun at the level of Golden Button Grade 3, indicating the statuses of venerable ones (Translator’s note: Zun means venerable in these titles.) at different levels.
Venerable ones at the levels of Golden Button Grade 1 and Golden Button Grade 2 do not possess the cultivated accomplishment to “Present a Petition to a Bodhisattva”!!! Even a Shang Zun at the level of Golden Button Grade 3 does not have the absolute certainty to be able to “Present a Petition to a Bodhisattva.” Only a Shang Zun who is above the level of Golden Button Grade 3 can definitely accomplish “Present a Petition to a Bodhisattva”!!! A venerable one who is a Golden-Body Arhat cannot “Present a Petition to a Bodhisattva” either, because it is difficult for such a venerable to invite a Bodhisattva to enter the mandala. Without inviting the Bodhisattva to come, the written petition cannot be sent. If the written petition is not taken away by the Bodhisattva, how could it transform into a rainbow to fly away?
Separately, regarding non-receding Bodhisattvas, one must attain the cultivated accomplishment at the level of Golden Button Grade 3 to be a non-receding Bodhisattva.
Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters
Written on behalf of great holy virtuous ones to answer questions raised
March 2, 2018