Dragon-Fish Stand Straight Up on the Surface of the Water and Pay Respect to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III by Bowing to His Holiness

        On November 6, 1999, I was very fortunate to have been able to accompany H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu to Puttamonton, Thailand. I went there together with Professor Yu-Hua Wang, who holds a doctorate degree in Buddhism Dharma Philosophy from the American League of Colleges and Universities, which is composed of 83 colleges and universities in the United States and around the world, and who also holds a Ph.D. degree from Manning University in England. Other people who went on that trip with us included H.E. Denma Tsemang II, Venerable Dachu II Hengsheng Rinpoche and Luoben Songzan. There were more than thirty of us all together.

        After we prostrated before the holy image of Sakyamuni Buddha, we walked to a bodhi tree beside a lake under which H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III sat. Perceiving that the karmic conditions were special, Venerable Dachu II Hengsheng Rinpoche knelt on the ground, put his palms together in respect, and respectfully beseeched H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to give a discourse on how an Arhat can realize the state of a Bodhisattva, how a Bodhisattva can ascend to the supreme and complete enlightenment of a Buddha, and why a Buddha has to rely on saving living beings to become a Buddha.

        At this time, many types of birds flew over to us from all directions and perched themselves on that tree. Various types of wild fish in the lake beside H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III swam over to us. Two wild dogs also made their way into the middle of that group of people in front of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s seat. It was extremely marvelous.

        Right when H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was expounding the highest wondrous dharma, waves suddenly surged from the quiet waters of the lake. There was a loud sound. A black dragon transformed itself into a large black and gold fish. That fish emerged vertically from the water and stood erect on its tail on the surface of the water. It resembled a dolphin performing on the water. It bowed its head toward H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III after each movement. At this time, a white fish and a black fish also did what that other large fish did, emerging from the water to pay their respects to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. This scene lasted about twenty seconds. Some fellow disciples took out their cameras and pressed down upon the shutter. They were able to capture that scene.

        Nobody ever saw such an amazing spectacle before. They were lost in wonder over such an unrivaled sight. They knew that large fish was a dragon-spirit who transformed itself into a fish in order to receive the dharma and pay its respects to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. They must have been transformed dragon-spirits since no other type of fish has the ability to use its tail to stand vertically upon the surface of the water. Furthermore, two-thirds of the bodies of the fish were over the surface of the water, leaving only the one-third tail portion of their bodies below the surface of the water.

        Still, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III smiled and said, “This is a response evoked by the Buddha-dharma. One should practice the Buddha-dharma with a heart of humility. Amazing feats are like dreams and illusions, like clouds and smoke that pass in an instant. One must not be attached to them. They are not worth mentioning.”

        When great saints expound the wonderful dharma, humans and nonhumans pay their respects. This is the result of the merit and realization of a Buddha!

        A great holy and virtuous being said, “I have heard discourses on the Buddha-dharma given by H.H. Great Dharma King. H.H. Great Dharma King is a Buddha!” Guru Padmasambhava highly praised this great holy and virtuous being and an emperor of China conferred upon him the title of Khutukhtu Dharma King.

        The holy events described above are true occurrences that I personally saw at that scene. Later, many newspapers reported on these holy events. If there are false statements in what I have just stated, I am willing to receive the most severe karmic retribution. Those were real events. May the merit of this be dedicated to all living beings in the dharma realms.

Buddhist Disciple
Ciren Gyatso