Important Replies from Holy Virtuous Ones and Eminent Monastics
—— Answer 21
On Day 21 of the Lunar year
Many people indeed vowed in writing to present offerings to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. But whether those are massive amounts from very wealthy people or offerings from ordinary people, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has never accepted even a cent, nor will he ever take anything. After seeing them making genuine and sincere vows, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said: “Buddha Dharma is to be given to living beings! The key to whether one can learn Buddha Dharma or not is whether one truly has a pious mind. I know it deeply that I am an ordinary Buddhist. What qualification do I have to accept offerings from all the people? That is why I made the vow of not accepting any offerings throughout this lifetime to serve living beings for free. You are so sincere and treat me seriously. For your sincerity, I will do as much as I can in my mind to beseech good fortune for you and wish you well. However, I am still an ordinary Buddhist myself. My beseeching may not have any effect. But your genuine sincerity is seen by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. It will not be in vain, and you will receive all your deserved good fortune!”
“Today, I will clearly express my attitude. I tell you clearly that there are a minimal number of people whose vows are false. They are wealthy but do not have a sincere mind to make offerings to Buddhist undertakings. They even write fake documents to make vows. I will not teach this kind of person. Even if I taught them, they would not become accomplished through cultivation and learning the dharma.”
“There is a person whom I pity very much. She knew that I do not have any attachment and do not care about money, wealth, fame, or gain. She thought that I am the easiest to cheat. Because I never intervened, she took the product Fabisheng (* translator’s note: lit. meaning “Hair Must Grow”), which was invented by me and regarded as the top product by the Department of Health of China, to make money for herself and satisfy her greedy desire. She did not pay me one cent from the beginning to the end and has utilized it for 30 years. With no shame, she even wrote down her vow to further develop the business of Fabisheng so that she could make more money. She did not feel a bit of shame for saying such words. She is genuinely pitiable, pitiable! She completely usurped Fabisheng, which is a resource for Buddhist undertakings, and falsely made nice-sounding claims that she was doing Buddhist work. If she had robbed one day’s resource from Sakyamuni Buddha, what kind of sin would she have committed? Although I am not a holy virtuous one, she has deprived me for 30 years, and the total resource amounted from that is more than enough for building a big temple. Can such a person learn excellent dharma? Will she become accomplished, or go to some other place? She is ignorant and pitiable!”
“On the contrary, the absolute majority made their vows sincerely. Among them, more than 80% of people have difficulty in their life. Some almost do not have meals to eat and are very pitiful! Nonetheless, they grit their teeth and keep doing Buddhist work, even though they are both physically and mentally exhausted. Still, some masters are so heartless as to accept their offerings. These masters tell them that they are planting a field of fortune. So much about planting a field of fortune, they could not even feed themselves! Remember this! People who have difficulty in their basic living are not allowed to make offerings to any Buddhist undertaking. In particular, I do not accept any offerings anyway. Rest assured, as long as you abstain from all evils and do all that is good, as long as you devote yourself with sincerity in both your mind and conduct, I will teach you the top-level Buddha Dharma. You have too much difficulty and hardship in life. Spend your money to maintain your lives! Only having a life can you have the peace of mind to learn from Buddha and attain accomplishment! If you do not listen to what I say today, I will no longer teach you!”
Separately, none of the holy virtuous ones who can only transmit a Borrowed Inner-tantric Initiation rather than a real Inner-tantric Initiation are non-retrograde Bodhisattvas. Therefore, if their holy realized power diminishes, they may not necessarily be able to transmit a Borrowed Inner-tantric Initiation again. In other words, it is possible that their powers of accomplishment diminished or have receded so that they cannot give a Borrowed Inner-tantric Initiation.
The Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters
Written on behalf of great holy virtuous ones to answer questions raised
March 8, 2018
(English translation by Zunba, last edited 2020-10-09)
