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 7 of the Lunar year (February 22, 2018)
Answer No. 7
Initiations of state practice are explained now. That category of initiations is summarized as the highest dharma transmission above the inner-tantric category and is actually the highest top dharma transmission among inner-tantric initiations. It is classified into “State Practice Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause” and “State Practice Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma.” These two categories are completely different in nature. “Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma” is the phenomenon manifested from the dharma when the master performs the initiation to confer empowerment of state practice to the disciple. The yidam only bestows the empowerment but does not accept the disciple. In “State Practice Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause,” the yidam will check to see whether the disciple’s piousness in the future will forever be firm or not, whether the disciple upholds the principle of great compassion or not, and whether the disciple is truly carrying out the practice of benefiting living beings or is defrauding cultivators. Only after looking through this person’s evolving and changes in the past and in the future, will the yidam approve or not approve in the decision by selection.
One who receives a “State Practice Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause” will manifest various holy phenomena. Some will immediately attain the supernatural power of knowing the mind of other people; some will be able to fly in the sky; some can enter the world of rainbow-light Buddha-land; some can have a big opening at the top of the crown, manifesting the phenomena of exiting and entering the crown by one’s spiritual consciousness; and so on. Furthermore, one who has received a “State Practice Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause” must have a “Measuring Vajra Rope” which is longer than 27 feet (8 meters) as an object of evidence and which is indispensable for the “State Practice Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause”!!! That is, after the initiation, the person who received this initiation will use this “Measuring Vajra Rope” as the dharma instrument when transmitting the dharma to or empowering his or her own disciples. Without this “Measuring Vajra Rope,” the initiation is absolutely not a “State Practice Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause” and can only be a “State Practice Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma.”
One who received an “Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause” has already planted the holy seed and is already able to apply holy empowerment to others. However, one who received a “State Practice Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma” is not able to apply holy power to others. Such a person also has a big hole opened on the crown manifesting the phenomenon, but does not have the supernatural power of knowing the mind of other people, is not able to fly in the sky, and is unable to have one’s spiritual consciousness go in and out of one’s body. Additionally, this person does not have a “Measuring Vajra Rope” which is longer than 27 feet and has not ended birth and death to become a holy one. Although this type of people can manifest the phenomenon of crown opening, they are unable to empower others. This is because such a person is still an ordinary being and is in the phase of progressing into holiness. The phenomenon he manifested is manifested by the empowerment his master bestowed on him and is not due to his accomplishment of practice from receiving a “State Practice Initiation of the Seed of Holy Cause.” (Regarding finding out which category the initiations of some people received are in, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters (WBAH) keep a complied record. You can call WBAH to inquire about the category.)
To turn from an ordinary person into a holy one right away, the only way is to receive an initiation of “Enlightenment Practice.” Only in that case, that person is immediately a greatly accomplished one. Also, only a person who has received a “First-Class Initiation of Dharma Affinity with the Yidam” can immediately transcend and directly enter holiness from an ordinary person. As long as one has received receive an initiation of “Enlightenment Practice,” it is one-hundred-percent certain that this person can confer inner-tantric initiations. Also, only such a person can confer initiations of state practice. This is because one who has received an initiation of “Enlightenment Practice” is already a great holy one.
You need to carefully notice the distinction between holy ones and mundane ones. Holy phenomena appeared at the time of receiving an initiation of state practice do not necessarily prove that the recipient is a holy one. One must possess the holy realization of “Presenting a Petition to a Bodhisattva,” be able to “create a mandala through a separation by a slab of stone,” have the ability to “forecast the Future,” or “stand at a far distance of 6 meters to invite the yidam to enter a Vajra pill held and controlled by the disciple; then the Vajra pill will transform miraculously, perform an ice-skating aerobic dance for the disciple, and change its size and height although the Vajra pill is inherently firm and hard.” As long as one possesses one of the above four holy states, this person is a great holy one who has already realized holiness. However, you have to be particularly careful to observe whether your master is cultivating the Vajra pill to manifest holiness while you are away at a distance of 6 meters or your master is receiving empowerment from his master who is an even higher holy virtuous one to manifest the dharma. You need to distinguish very clearly.
Other ways to distinguish the levels and stages of holy ones can be whether one takes the examination using the “Vajra Battle Position” or the “Great Battle Position of the Eight Winds.” One may be able to pass directly to get the title of a venerable one indicated by wearing a lotus button. Other than above, any miraculous manifestation still entails that one is still at the stage of ordinary persons and is not a holy one yet, but some may have already entered the ranks of eminent monastics and great virtuous ones. Those who had the statuses of eminent monastics and great virtuous ones were very rare and remarkable. However, you need to distinguish carefully and must not mix up the definitions. To know clearly whether your master can confer inner-tantric initiations, please contact the Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters to check his or her record.
Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters
Written on behalf of great holy virtuous ones to answer questions raised
February 22, 2018