World Buddhism Association Headquarters Announcements

        Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, Lord of Buddhism in the Saha World!

        Namo Yuhua Shouzhi Wang Holy Mother the Great Mahasattva!

        Namo all Buddhas in the ten directions, Vajra Beings, Bodhisattvas, Sky-goers, and Dharma Protectors!

        Today, Buddhist disciples from all over the world have once again gathered here to commemorate the Holy Birthday and infinite merit of Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III. We want to express our gratitude to Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III for bringing to humanity His magnificent, unprecedented, and unsurpassed Buddha Dharma and accomplishment in the Five Vidyas.

        I will summarize the questions that some of you have raised recently and share my personal thoughts for your reference.

First: Cultivation is the foundation for all Buddhists to attain liberation

        Throughout the time that Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III propagated Dharma to save living beings, His Holiness the Buddha continuously reminded Buddhist disciples that cultivation is of utmost importance, and it is the only foundation for attaining liberation. In many audio recordings of expounded Dharmas, Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III taught many aspects of cultivation and emphasized that Buddhist disciples must practice cultivation at all times. Therefore, we must always remember the teachings of Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III by respectfully listening to the audio recordings of the Dharmas of His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III and reading the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection.” That is how we may learn correct knowledge and views and apply them in our own cultivation practice. This is very important for all Buddhist disciples. We must always remember that it is by practicing cultivation that we may accumulate good fortune and merit, stay away from dark karma, receive initiation to the highest Dharmas, and ultimately attain liberation from transmigration and cyclical birth and death. We must not pay lip service to practicing cultivation. Cultivation must be applied to every thought, word, and deed.

        Some people tend to sway or regress from their cultivation whenever they encounter setbacks, but they should not be like that. We should know that during our transmigration since beginningless time, we have done so many bad deeds and taken on so much dark karma. All of our suffering and adversities are the effects of bad causes that we planted. By understanding this, we then understand that both good times and bad times are opportunities for us to practice our own cultivation. As our respected ancient elders said, “We do not evade bad retributions and face them with ease. We must be cautious with our every word and deed to plant good causes.”

Second: Actively Promote the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection”

        Ever since Buddha Shakyamuni established Buddhism in our sahā world, the Sutras of the World Honored Buddha have enabled innumerable Buddhist disciples to attain liberation and accomplishment. The “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection” is, once again, a collection of Dharmas expounded by a Buddha in this world. This Collection will certainly enable many more Buddhist disciples to attain liberation. Namo Buddha Shakyamuni’s Sutras have been the guidance that we have followed for more than 2,000 years. Upon that foundation, Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III used simple language to teach us the quintessence of Buddha Dharma, and the essentials for attaining liberation and accomplishment. Therefore, the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection” is and will be the fundamental guide for all Buddhist cultivators in the sahā world to attain liberation.

        Since we have received this supreme Dharma treasure, the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection,” we should apply the four limitless states of mind and Bodhicitta to enable more people to learn the Sutra Collection. Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III taught us that we will accumulate the most abundant merit by propagating Dharma to benefit living beings and that more merit we have, the sooner we can attain Buddhahood. The best method to propagate Dharma now is to actively promote the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection.” This is the quickest way for us to accumulate merit.

        Think about this: In the Diamond Sutra, Buddha Shakyamuni told Subhuti that if someone were to grasp just the four-line gatha of the Dharma and make it known and explain it in detail to living beings, this person’s merit would far exceed someone who were to fill the billion worlds of this universe with the seven jewels in almsgiving.

        The four-line gatha is only about emptiness and Dharmakaya. The “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection” comprises the truth about Dharmakāya, Saṃbhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya, and how to attain realization states of the Three Bodies. Therefore, by promoting the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection,” not only will you enable others to understand the truth contained in the four-line gatha; you may even enable them to achieve abidance in the realization states described in that four-line gatha and become a holy person. Then your merit will increase even more. That’s why whenever you introduce one person to study the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection,” you will gain an increment of merit.

        However, we must be clear that explaining the four-line gatha to others or promoting the Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection doesn’t mean that we as ordinary people would then quote Dharma out of context or randomly explain Dharma to others. In doing so, we would end up in the hell realm. We should guide living beings to study the Sutras and respectfully listen to the audio recordings of the Dharmas themselves, so that they can learn directly from His Holiness the Buddha. In this way, we can also increase our merit without incurring any sins.

Third: Make Effort to Protect the Dharma

        There are many different ways to protect the Dharma, such as protecting organizations that propagate true Tathagata Dharma or supporting Buddhist cultivators who have correct knowledge and views and who practice in accordance with the Dharma. What I want to talk about here is how to protect the Dharma on the Internet.

        In the current Internet era, Buddhist disciples make use of the Internet to propagate Buddha Dharma. However, evil demons also make use of the Internet to slander true Buddha Dharma. Therefore, if any one of us sees any evil deeds of slandering the Buddha or the Dharma, we must rebut those slander with correct knowledge and views.

        There are two things that we must not misunderstand about protecting the Dharma.

        First, it is seriously wrong to think that rebutting others is getting yourself tied up in matters of right and wrong. It is only with correct knowledge and views that you may understand Buddha Dharma, but some people understand Dharma incorrectly due to their incorrect knowledge and views. We must be very clear about this without any confusion: If a Buddhist disciple cannot differentiate between correct and incorrect knowledge and views, how can they properly understand the Dharma? If they cannot understand the Dharma, how can they attain accomplishment? Getting involved in matters of right and wrong usually refers to personal arguments about who’s right and who’s wrong as a result of attachments to self and to worldly phenomena. This is not the same as defending the correct meaning of the Dharma. The meaning of Dharma must be made clear.

        Second: It is wrong to think, “I don’t want to do the work of protecting the Dharma, but I will make effort to practice forbearance and cultivate my conduct.” Actually, protecting the Dharma is an important aspect of cultivation. If you don’t protect Buddha Dharma, you are essentially a fake Buddhist who is not cultivating yourself. Therefore, it will be impossible for you to attain accomplishment. When cultivating ourselves, if anyone points out our shortcomings or wrongdoings, we should thank them, reflect upon ourselves, and do better in our cultivation. For whatever reasons, if someone insults us or attacks us, we should ignore those distractions and focus on cultivating ourselves with forbearance. But if the attacks are targeted toward the Buddha and Buddha Dharma, we must step up and fearlessly protect the Buddha and Buddha Dharma. Even if we don’t have enough abilities on our own, we can work with other Buddhists and discuss how to protect the Dharma together. If we don’t even protect the Buddha, if we don’t protect the integrity and benefit of Buddha Dharma, will Buddhas and Bodhisattvas receive us in the Buddha Lands? Will Dharma Protecting Bodhisattvas and deities help us?

        All in all, if we want to attain liberation and accomplishment, we must cultivate ourselves. To cultivate ourselves, we must abide by the precepts, promote the “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection,” and protect the Dharma. By doing these three things well, we can quickly eliminate our dark karma, accumulate merit, receive Buddha Dharma, and be liberated from transmigration forever! Throughout Buddhist history, all holy people who attained holy accomplishments were precept-abiding. They all propagated Dharma to benefit living beings. They all protected the Dharma. That’s how respected ancient elders attained accomplishment. These are also the things that we must do to attain accomplishment.

        Here, I wish that all congregants and living beings fulfill their good wishes, have good fortune and wisdom, and attain accomplishment and liberation! I wish that the countries that you live in be prosperous and powerful, and that all people enjoy happiness. May there be peace in the world and the circumstances of all living beings be auspicious.

        Finally, let us once again pay obeisance:

        Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III!

        Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, Lord of Buddhism in the Saha World!

        Namo Yuhua Shouzhi Wang Holy Mother the Great Mahasattva!

        Namo all Buddhas in the ten directions, Vajra Beings, Bodhisattvas, Sky-goers, and Dharma Protectors!