by the
United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters:
Does having the same grade and level mean the same magnitude in the accomplishment of practice and merit? Many people made inquiries on this question to our United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters (UIWBAH). They think that Grade 2 is higher than Grade 1 and Grade 3 is higher than Grade 2. Actually, there is a fuzzy zone in this issue. If you perceive that a person possessing power of cultivation and externally applicable force is a great holy one, the truth may be the opposite and this person may even be a novice to Buddhism. Conventionally speaking, the development and utilization of externally applicable force starts at Grade 3 in terms of accomplishment of practice and power of cultivation but there are exceptions. In such a situation, the person’s root of goodness and level must be higher than the current level and realization in this lifetime. The reason may be that the cultivation and conduct in this lifetime caused Grade 3 in a previous lifetime to recede to Grade 2. In this kind of situations, it may also be possible to have the utilization of externally applicable force. On the other hand, if one passed Grade 3 in the category of the learning of the sutras or in the category of cultivation, practice, virtue, and character, due to not using the power of cultivation to pass, there would be no utilization of externally applicable force either. However, passing Grade 3 in the category of cultivation, practice, virtue, and character; learning of sutras, vinayas, and shastras; or whether one’s knowledge and views are correct or evil indicates more merit, root of goodness, and intrinsic quality than passing Grade 3 in the category of accomplishment of practice and power of cultivation.
There is a kind of person who is very inferior in all four categories of accomplishment of practice and power of cultivation; cultivation, practice, virtue, and character; learning of sutras, vinayas, and shastras; and whether one’s knowledge and views are correct or evil. Actually, the person knows almost nothing in any of these and is just a novice. However, such a person may pass Blue Button Grade 2 or even Blue Button Grade 3. What is the cause for this? The reason is that he or she received an initiation of a great dharma. This dharma does not require reaching the stage of perfection through practice to pass that grade. Instead, the initiation of state practice received will lead one into the stage of generation at the time of learning the dharma. Because of the strong and great force of empowerment that this great dharma inherently possesses, the person attains the grade of Blue Button Grade 2 or Blue Button Grade 3 immediately at that moment. The result is due to the effect of learning this dharma which has the particular ritual and dos not have anything to do with this person’s other aspects of possibly weak cultivation and practice, not having the knowledge, and so on. Actually, because of this fact, we must look at a holy and virtuous one at a certain grade or level to see in which category he or she passed the examination.
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III expounded to us a short dharma with very deep meaning for pondering. His Holiness the Buddha said, “Some people who currently hold certificates of holiness and virtue among you do not even have the qualification to be a low-level servant to eminent monks and great virtuous ones in ancient times. Speaking directly to the point, some so-called holy and virtuous ones are far inferior to those good people in society who are not Buddhists!”
His Holiness the Buddha’s one statement pointed out the problem. That is why our examination of admitting holy and virtuous ones this time will separately test different categories and items. Otherwise, once a grade or level is determined, the dharma attire indicating the grade of this holy and virtuous one will cover up all shortcomings of this person. Even the evil knowledge and views this person may possibly have would be made non-visible. If we try to rank holy and virtuous ones solely based on the grades of Blue Button(s), it is possible to mistakenly recognize a novice as a great holy and virtuous one.
Of course, great holy and virtuous ones with Sun-Moon wheel(s) (grades of Golden Button(s)) who have received their statuses by passing the selection by Vajra dharma Hair Initiation or the dharma of Vajra Battle Position do possess grade-matching qualities. As of now, among the masters who accept disciples in large numbers and are publicly propagating Buddha-dharma in the world, no one has received a grade of Golden Button(s) yet. Without true root nature from previous lifetimes and cultivating in accord with the dharma in this lifetime, getting the status of a holy and virtuous one with Golden Button(s) is more difficult than climbing to the sky! Even though holy and virtuous ones with Golden Button(s) are extremely rare, they also have to cultivate in accord with the dharma. The reason is that, except great holy and virtuous ones at the levels of Golden Button Grade 3 or higher, they still have not realized the non-receding stages yet.
After the publication of this announcement, you all should observe carefully. We believe that a few masters who hold certificates of holiness and virtue will be rather delighted upon reading the above contents in this announcement and will regard this as an opportunity to exonerate themselves. They would tell their disciples that taking the examination for the status of a holy and virtuous one is not important and that is why they do not want to take the examination. Actually, such a person is not an upright one or has receded from the once-attained accomplishment to a mundane person again. His or her purpose is getting away from using the status of holiness and virtue to mock a Bodhisattva or a great Bodhisattva more easily to deceive cultivators.
We clearly inform Buddhists today, these kind of people are without doubt totally swindlers or demonic persons!!! They have to make up excuses because they did not cultivate well and have receded from holy ones to mundane beings. They no longer have the accomplishment of practice to face the examination. They dare not put rusty brass into a gold-smelting furnace. They are scared to death!
United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters
June 15, 2015