Announcement 20150103: Regarding the Holiness Levels Test
False Buddha dharmas have deceived many Buddhist disciples who devote themselves piously and sincerely. There are too many fake holy people with superb titles in the world of Buddhism nowadays. A lot of notable rinpoches, great dharma kings, and dharma masters all claim that they are great holy beings and can fly away as a bird or pass in rainbow light. Still, the fact is not what they say at all. Which one of those masters who brandished titles has flown away or passed away in rainbow light? Can they materialize spirituality? They are not even qualified to pick up shoes for Dharma Master Jianhui!
Those impostors who fake to be holy beings have made it so miserable for Buddhist disciples with their lies. Some people who are below the threshold of qualification also dare to claim they are experts in Buddha Dharmas. There is an evil cheater named Lee Yan-Hsin who lives in Quemoy, Taiwan. He does not know he is full of karmic hindrances, stupidity, and ignorance. He does not even know which dharma-enforcing Yidam must first agree before a disciple can enter samadhi in the Great Dharma of Zen that the Buddha expounded. Unbelievably, he dared to tamper with the Great Dharma of Zen, hoping to use it to deceive people. He rebelled against his guru and eliminated his lineage by doing so. He is hindered by black karma and is full of evil views. He is so childish and pathetic! He is a total cheat. As a result, the United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters is inviting him to take the holiness levels test in this public announcement. We do not expect him to pass the test at a very high level. Still, if he could just pass the One-Star Sumeru Wheel level, our Headquarters would send him an apology and publicly announce it to the world. But if he should not dare to come to the test, he would be a liar. That is because he can only talk pompously without any shame and is so stupid as to want to change the Great Dharma of Zen by the Buddha. Let us ask him: “What is your achievement in Five Vidyas? And what is your achievement in esoteric and exoteric Buddhism?” He is just an ordinary man without shame! Whoever follows him will carry the sinful karma together with him and descend into the Avici Naraka (i.e., the uninterrupted hell) for sure.
When we see Buddhists being cheated by all sorts of crooks in the world nowadays, we feel embarrassed at the Headquarters. Still, we cannot change the situation. We want to do some Buddhist work that benefits people and helps everyone check the natural face of those masters with the title of a holy person. We want to protect those who genuinely want to cultivate themselves by learning from Buddha from falling captive to deceptions. That is a part of our responsibility and obligation. For that reason, we have set up the system of the holiness levels test. Everything is to benefit people by showing who is genuine and who is fake. We have no desire for personal interests.
Dharma King Gar Tongstan IV, a 2-star Sun-moon Wheel Great Holy Guru who is the Chair of our Headquarters, said: “I came to this world with a deficient innate faculty. I have very shallow Dharma powers and realization levels. I know well that I am not qualified to take in any followers. Only when giving an inner-tantric initiation during the Holy Test did I take in one disciple. That is the only one for me in this lifetime. I want to spend all my time on cultivation, learning the Dharmas, and practicing the Dharmas. The matter regarding death and rebirth is so significant that I do not dare to slack. When I become a Bodhisattva, I will spend all my effort to broadly save living beings.”
Some people think too lightly about holy beings. Ordinary people would imagine that if someone has a lineage and owns excellent fame as a venerable, a great dharma king, a notable rinpoche, or a great dharma master, that person must be holy and know Buddha Dharmas. But the truth is not like that. Such thinking is too absurd! Becoming a holy person is not easy. Those who can pass the test for even Blue Button Level 1 are already rare and incredible. It is hard to find one great and holy person out of a hundred thousand dharma kings, rinpoches, or dharma masters who can achieve perfection in two categories. You can forget about finding one who can pass the test for all three categories!
Many people do not know how deep the ocean is or how high the sky is nowadays. They help their evil masters lie to people by falsely bragging their masters as great Bodhisattvas. Have you thought about it? Even if your master could pass the test perfectly in one of the three categories, they would still not have enough of the realization level of a great Bodhisattva. Not to mention, they cannot pass the test at all, can they? They are still really far behind, aren’t they? Check carefully: How many items in the three categories have they passed? Which item have they passed for the test? What is their strong suit? Can they touch the level of an Arahat? What kind of a Bodhisattva are they? What is their Gold Button level? Are they qualified to give teachings? What will happen to you if you listen to their lessons and read their writings? How could it be easy to find a guru of the Arahat class, not to mention a guru of the Bodhisattva class?
Concerned that Buddhist disciples will be deceived, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has constantly reminded people in the last several years. The Buddha said: “The teachings given by those below the Three-Star Sun-moon Wheel level will have severe errors and full of evil and partial views and understanding. The field of Buddhism is out of order nowadays. People are faking to be correct all over the place, but they are false. Big and small liars appear everywhere, and cheaters pretend to be holy beings. They raise the banners of a lineage but do not understand the basic sutra teachings, dharma meanings, or keeping the practice, let alone true Buddha Dharmas. And yet, they call themselves holy beings and deceive people everywhere.
You hold the test to help people distinguish gold from copper and the good from the bad. You are doing a kind deed that benefits all people. Emphasize cultivation to abstain from all the evil deeds and pursue all the good deeds. Mysterious or strange things do not mean anything. Even if you could ride the clouds to fly in the air, you would only waste time because it would not liberate you from death and rebirth. Are you going to be even more functional than an airplane? An airplane can carry several hundred people to fly!
The most important are the two mind-essences of cultivation in the Supreme and Unsurpassed Mahamudra of Liberation. You must learn and understand Expounding the Absolute Truth with the Heart Sutra. Do things as long as they benefit people, and do not even touch anything if it does not help people. It is not easy to obtain this human body. Do not be attached to any insult or slander, no matter which person or situation it may come from. If you cannot be unattached, you must forcefully endure the insult. You must remember not to leave any wrong or dark mentality, speech, or conduct. When you leave this world, everything will be bright. Only so can you not let yourself down; only so can you face living beings.”
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s teaching is a blessing and a supreme jewel to us!
Anyone who claims to be a holy being is only so if they have passed the test. Additionally, they must have a matching level and status. Only so are they eligible to wear the holy guru’s attire and be respected as holy beings by Buddhists. If one calls oneself a holy person and an expert but dares not to take the test, then one is nothing but a false holy being and an absolute liar who deceives people.
The test for holiness levels includes shared categories and individual categories. The presiding guru of the exam and the proctoring masters first do a face-to-face oral test with the candidate. The combination of the Holy Divination and Divine Announcement of Manjushri Bodhisattva (文殊菩薩打卦神諭) and the Dharmapala Validation through True Dharma of Mahamayuri Vidyarajni (孔雀明王護法正道擇決) gives the final results of the test. The test of the shared categories has three test item choices: 1. Dharma Power and Realization Capability Levels, 2. Keeping of One’s Practice and Moral Ethics, and 3. Sutra Teachings and Sastra Learning.
First, two significant stages relate to the test on the Dharma Power and Realization Capability Levels. The first is the Stage of Generating Real Form (“the Generation Stage”), and the second is the Completion and Application Stage (“the Completion Stage”). There are many items for the first stage, the Stage of Generating Real Form. The following are some examples: What is the Dharma state, and what is the actual form you, the test candidate, have realized? Which Dharma are you practicing? What is the true-form state that you have generated? Which level of dhyana have you abided in? And which level of samadhi have you attained?
There are also many items for the Completion and Application Stage, such as: What kind of holy state can you initiate in your Dharma application? Which type of wisdom can you develop? What are your real achievements in the five vidyas? Can you list the manifestations of your self-realized accomplishment? Do you consider that you have the power of visualization* (觀照力)? Can you transform from what is mental to what is material? And what kind of effect can you manifest that transformation outside your body?
Second, in the category of Keeping One’s Practice and Moral Ethics, there are the subcategories of Kindness, Uprightness, Loyalty, Truthfulness, Compassion, Benefiting Others, Abiding by Precepts, Altruism, Dedication, Bodhicitta and Bodhi Practice, Earnestly Propagating Dharma Voice, Protecting True Tathagata Dharma, Refusing Mysterious, Heretic, and Superstitious Practices, and so on.
Third, for Sutra Teachings and Sastra Learning, the items include: which Sutra and Sastra in the Twelve Divisions of Tripitaka have you studied in depth; what is the level of your understanding; can you rise onto a platform and give a teaching on it; or have you authored books to expound the meaning; and whether you consider your teachings are correct, whether your views and understanding are evil or not.
If you have attained the fruit level of Arahat or if you are the reincarnation of a true Bodhisattva, you can apply to directly take Vajra Faman (金剛法幔), starting at the Sun-moon Wheel level. To those Buddhist cultivators who would like to be determined by Vajra Faman, you must know it is a risky step to take. If what is said in your test document is accurate, and you are indeed an Arahat or a Bodhisattva, then we congratulate you. On the contrary, if what is stated on your test document is not true and you are an impostor faking to be a holy man, then the test will show you to be a crazy, deluded, evil, ordinary man. Why? It is because you say you have the realization even if you do not; you say you have attained it, but you have not. The Yidam overseeing the test does not play favoritism; They see that you have committed a sinful action and violated the precepts. You have sullied the holy test site and thus deserve to be punished. Your action and retribution have to be told to the world.
The 3-Star Sun-moon Wheel (i.e., Gold Button Level 3) Wangzha Shangzun said: “My abilities are indeed shallow, and I am not qualified to teach. But since I have already accepted the position of presiding master over the Vajra Faman Determination to validate the statuses of the holy and virtuous ones for the United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters, I must say this to the test candidates today. Whether you are an incredibly famous venerable, a great Dharma king, a great rinpoche, a great Dharma master, or just a regular master, as long as the test item you put on your test document is false, you will not pass the test. You cannot pretend to be so great anymore.
The combined result from the Divine Announcement and The Vajra Faman Determination or the Validation through Dharmapala True Dharma does not err slightly. The Great Holy Dharmapala will not err on causality a slight bit. I have composed two vertical couplets and one horizontal banner to illustrate the situation. The first couplet reads: “Your level revealed is exactly what your level is, so do not think your level would be any higher,” and “Your weight shown will be whatever you weigh, so there is no way you can add weight.” The second couplet reads: “What is true cannot be made false, in which case moving Mt. Taishan is as easy as moving a plate;” and “What is false cannot be made true, and getting a test result higher than what you are is harder than climbing the sky.” The banner says: “The result from true Dharma matches what is revealed in the holy divination; the rules are abided by to verify the result where no favoritism is played; the dharma guarding deities for the holy test are responsible for their causality, while the fundamental guru presiding over the mandala is not responsible for the causality.” So, it is clearly stated that the presiding master is not responsible for the causal consequences. Instead, the Dharmapalas in charge of the test are responsible for the causal consequences. As such, the Dharmapalas in charge of the test will not remove the undesired retribution for you, and no favoritism is at play.
It is easy to pass the test as long as two things are satisfied 100%. First, the test document must be truthful, and second, you have attained the corresponding realization level in your holy capabilities, virtues, and teachings. If the test document you submit is false, and you have not attained the level, no matter how you do the test, you will not pass it.
Take Validation by Vajra Faman Determination for illustration. Suppose we submit the Dharma image of Shakyamuni Buddha to be determined as a Buddha. In that case, the Faman will manifest holiness by forming a crown on the Buddha’s head to show He is indeed a Buddha. It is because Shakyamuni Buddha is a true Buddha. If you take the image of Monk Jigong to be tested by Vajra Faman as a Buddha, then no form will be shown, and therefore, no crown can be put on top of the head. It is because Jigong is not a Buddha, and the Yidam will view it as an outrageous action that disdains the Buddha. If you want Jigong to be crowned by Famen, you must report him as a reincarnated rinpoche on your test document.
Therefore, when a candidate writes the test document, they write it voluntarily. However, they must truthfully write the item and category in which they have confidently attained realization or to which level they feel confident in reaching. You must submit the test document truthfully. If you do not have confidence in a subject area, don’t write it down. Otherwise, you will be viewed as crazy; you will be deemed to be cheating the Great Holy Guru who presides over the test, the Yidam, and the Dharmapalas in charge of the test. Not only will you not pass the test, but you will also be defined as an evil person who deliberately does something while knowing it is wrong! Because you are so bad that you dare to cheat the Dharmapalas. You only deserve to be called shameless!
After this announcement is published, you will see those who are conceited and swaggering normally, those who pretend to be a great holy person or those who have regressed will not know what to do. They will find all kinds of excuses to escape; they do not dare to come to the test and try to avoid it. These people who shamelessly call themselves a great Bodhisattva, a great holy being, a great dharma king, a great rinpoche, or a great dharma master in front of their disciples have suddenly become small rats. Why? They are fake; they tell lies to cheat their disciples usually. They are a piece of scrap metal and are afraid of being thrown into the smelting furnace. They will show their true colors when they are put to the test. Therefore, when they know the test is coming, they are so nervous that they have to fabricate some reasons to hide as long as they can. However, people all know it is a fact that they are a liar and an ordinary man if they do not dare to take the test! Another kind of person has the status of a holy and virtuous person but is still lying. For example, they have passed the holiness levels test but only attained Sumeru Wheel Blue Button Level 1. They do not wear the Dharma attire that indicates their level because they have selfish motives and greed. They do not want people to know they are Blue Button Level 1 because they want to pretend to be a holy and virtuous person of an even higher level to cheat people more easily.
This Headquarters asks for the holy and virtuous masters’ forgiveness because our words are too sharp. But what we say is accurate and straightforward, after all. If you are a true holy guru, there is nothing to worry about. Even if you are to take the test on only one item, you treat it honestly. That is a glorious and ethical thing to do, and you are worthy of being others’ master. If you are a liar or an evil master, or if you have typically said untrue things that do not match who you are, you should retract immediately and repent yourself sincerely. Do not continue your deceit; become a good person who benefits others. Practice actual cultivation and learn authentic Buddha Dharma. Let people listen to the Dharma Voice of the Buddha. You will attain accomplishment in this lifetime, and people will understand you and forgive you. You can become a good master as long as you have corrected yourself.
The United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters
April 7, 2015
(Eric C Huang worked on the English translation of this announcement. It was last revised on 2024-10-13.)