Answer 7 On Day 7 of the Lunar year
The Initiation of State Practice is explained now. This initiation is summarized as the highest Dharma transmission. It is above the inner-tantric initiation and is the highest and the topmost Dharma transmission in Inner-tantric Buddhism. It contains two classes: the State-Practice Initiation with the Holy Cause Seed and the State-Practice Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma. These two categories are entirely different.
The Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma is the manifestation of a phenomenon from the Dharma when the initiation master practices for the disciple of the state-practice empowerment. The Yidam only bestows the empowerment but does not accept the disciple. In the State-Practice Initiation with the Holy Cause Seed, the Yidam will check to see whether the disciple’s piousness will forever be firm in the future, whether the disciple upholds the principle of great compassion, and whether the disciple is genuinely carrying out the practice of benefiting living beings or is defrauding cultivators. Only after examining this disciple’s evolving changes in the past and the future will the Yidam give His approval or rejection in the Determination by Holy Selection.
One who receives a State-Practice Initiation with the Holy Cause Seed will see or experience various holy phenomena being manifested. Some will immediately attain the supernormal 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 their crown, manifesting the phenomena of their consciousness exiting and entering the crown, and so on.
Furthermore, one who has received a State-Practice Initiation with the Holy Cause Seed must have a “Measuring Vajra Rope” that is longer than twenty-four chi* (i.e., eight meters) as an object of evidence, which is indispensable for the State-Practice Initiation with the Holy Cause Seed! 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 with the Holy Cause Seed and can only be a State Practice Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma.
One who received an Initiation of the Holy Cause Seed has already planted the holy seed and can become a Great Holy Being if they continue to strive in their cultivation earnestly. One who received a State-Practice Initiation of the Holy Cause Seed is already able to give sacred empowerment to others. However, one who received a State-Practice Empowerment Manifesting the Dharma is not able to provide divine power to others. Although such a person also has a big hole opened on the crown that manifests the phenomenon, he or she does not have the supernormal power of knowing the mind of other people, being able to fly in the sky, or being able to have their consciousness exit the body on the spot. Additionally, if they do not have a twenty-four-chi (i.e., eight meters) long measuring vajra rope, it does not mean they have ended the cycle of death and rebirth and become a holy one (even if their crown is opened).
Although such a person shows the phenomenon of opening their crown, he or she is unable to empower others because such a person is just an ordinary being who is still progressing towards holiness. The phenomenon such a person manifests is the result of the empowerment this person’s master bestowed on him or her and is not due to his or her accomplishment from receiving a State-Practice Initiation of the Holy Cause Seed. (The World Buddhism Association Headquarters keeps a complete record of the types of initiation people received. You can inquire at the Headquarters.)
The only way for one to turn from ordinary to holy right away is to receive an Enlightenment-Practice Initiation* (覺行灌頂). A person is immediately a hugely accomplished one only with this initiation. Also, only a person who has received a First-Class Initiation of Dharma Affinity with the Yidam (本尊法緣一品灌頂) can immediately transcend and directly enter holiness from an ordinary person. As long as one has received an Enlightenment-Practice Initiation, it is one-hundred-percent sure that this person can perform the inner-tantric initiations. Also, only such a person can perform the State-Practice Initiations. This is because the person who has received the Enlightenment-Practice Initiation is already a great holy one.
You need to notice the distinction between holy ones and ordinary ones carefully. Sacred phenomena appearing at the time of receiving a State-practice Initiation do not necessarily prove that the recipient is a holy one.
It is mandated that one either must possess the holy capability of Presenting a Petition to a Bodhisattva, can create a mandala through a slab of stone, has the ability to know in advance and foretell the future, or can “stand six meters away to invite the Yidam to enter a Vajra Pill held and controlled by the disciple, and 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 must be particularly careful to observe whether your master is practicing the Dharma to have the Vajra Pill manifest holiness while you are six meters away, or whether your master can manifest the power of the Dharma only because he is receiving empowerment from his master who is an even higher holy virtuous one. You must distinguish it very clearly.
Another way to clarify the level and the stage of a holy one is by him taking the trial of the Vajra Array or the Great Eight-wind Formation. One who passes it can directly claim the title of a venerable one and wear a lotus button.
Other than the above, any miraculous manifestation shows one is still an ordinary person and not yet holy. But even so, some people nonetheless have entered the rank of eminent monastics and greatly virtuous ones. Throughout history, those who could be ranked as eminent monastics or greatly virtuous ones are very rare and quite remarkable.
Be extremely careful in distinguishing it. Do not mix things up. You must know clearly whether your master can perform inner-tantric initiations. You can check his or her record with the Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters.
Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters
Written on behalf of great holy virtuous ones to answer questions raised
February 22, 2018
*translator’s note: chi: a Chinese length measurement unit. 1 chi = 33.3 centimeters, 1 meter = 3 chis.
(translation last revised by Zunba 2020-10-04)