His Magnificent Accomplishments Openly Serve as a Model for Others; His Many Honors Stir the World
The Explanation of the Buddha’s Title – “H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III”
On April 3, 2008, a solemn and dignified first-publishing ceremony of a fact-recording book entitled H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, which published jointly by the World Buddhism Publishing LLC and the World Dharma Voice, Inc., was held at the Library of the Congress of the United States. The book was also formally accepted into the collection of the Library of the Congress of the United States. Only since that time, did people in the world know that Master Wan Ko Yee, who had been broadly respected by the great masses and who had also been known as Great Dharma King Yangwo Yeshe Norbu, had been recognized by the world’s leaders, regent dharma kings, and great rinpoches of Buddhism through official documents as the third incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, who is the primordial Sambhogakaya Buddha of the universe. The Buddha’s name is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Since then, people began to address His Holiness the Buddha by “Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III.” This is similar to the situation that Sakyamuni Buddha’s name was Prince Siddhartha Gotama before attaining Buddhahood. However, after Sakyamuni Buddha had attained Buddhahood, His title changed to “Namo Sakyamuni Buddha.” That is why we now address His Holiness the Buddha as “H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.”
In particular, on December 12, 2012, the Senate Resolution No. 614 of the United States Congress officially used “His Holiness” in the name addressing Dorje Chang Buddha III (That is to say, “H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.”) Since then, the title and status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has been definitive by nature. And, as a matter of fact, “Dorje Chang Buddha III” is a name used legally in governmental and official legislative documents. Therefore, the previously used respected name and titles such as “Wan Ko Yee,” Great Master, and Great Dharma King no longer exist.
However, the news below was published before the Buddha’s title of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was publicly announced. At that time, people did not know about the true status of His Holiness the Buddha. Therefore, to respect the true history, we still kept the names used before the title of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was legitimately determined in republishing this news. However, all must clearly know that the only legitimate name of His Holiness the Buddha is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and all other names used before the legitimate determination no longer exist.
April 1, 2000
Los Angeles Asian Journal
The government of the State of California and the government of the City of San Francisco each declared March 8th as Master Wan Ko Yee Day. On March 13th the government of the City of San Francisco again expressed its highest respects for Master Wan Ko Yee’s special accomplishments by conferring upon him more honors. These newest honors were conferred based upon the Master’s position as the foremost Buddhist Master in the entire world and his tremendous achievements in the areas of art, ethics, scholarship and science.
In 1994 the Master was awarded the title of “Distinguished International Master” by the World Poets and Culture Congress, an organization composed of members from forty-eight different countries and regions. This title is conferred upon only one person in the world and is on the same level of honor as a head of state. The Distinguished International Master Certificate was signed by Juan Antonio Samaranch, the then President of the International Olympic Committee. The formal resolution conferring upon the Master such title was announced in Hungary on September 15, 1994 and formal written notification was sent to the State Council of the People’s Republic of China and other government organs.
The central government of China built a museum in honor of the Master in the Master’s hometown. In the entire history of China, this was the first museum ever built by the government of China in honor of someone who is still alive. The Master Wan Ko Yee Museum is a huge structure similar to an imperial palace and is divided into seven different sections.
The Master is extraordinarily accomplished in Chinese painting and calligraphy and has laid the groundwork for bringing Chinese painting to the international forum. He has won the highest respect of the Chinese and American people for having raised the level of culture and morality in the world, for his efforts in philosophy, for his contributions in advancing the cultural exchange between China and the United States, and for being a model of ethical conduct.
Thus, after the head of the City Council of San Francisco and ten City Council members held a meeting, they decided to jointly sign and confer upon Master Wan Ko Yee a certificate of honor for his special accomplishments. The city government of San Francisco also declared the Master an honorary citizen of San Francisco in order to express their great admiration for him.
What is most unusual is that Master Wan Ko Yee is not in the United States to accept these distinctive honors. Nevertheless, his great learning, high ethics and magnificent accomplishments cannot be covered up. He has been repeatedly honored by various organizations throughout the United States such as the World Buddhism Association, the Tibetan Buddhism Association of America, the World Buddhism Jenn Fa Association, the California Assembly and the American League of Colleges and Universities which is composed of more than eighty colleges and universities.
All of this shows that Master Wan Ko Yee is a man of tremendous virtues, the likes of whom are rarely seen in the history of mankind. People all over the world admire and emulate him.
