Important Replies from Holy Virtuous Ones and Eminent Monastics
—— Answer 22
Day 22 of the Lunar year
The wisp of white light between the eyebrows, one of the thirty-two significant elegant marks of a Buddha, is not what anyone can see in its entirety or even see it at all. Those who do not possess the karmic condition, those who speak falsely to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, those who are insincere and have told lies to a Buddha, those who are incredibly selfish, those who have violated solemn precepts, those who are not kind in mind, those who are demons, evil ghosts, or monsters, those who do not sincerely learn from Buddha to cultivate oneself, and those who lack the affinity or do not possess the good fortune to admire the Buddha respectfully cannot see some of the thirty-two significant elegant marks of the Buddha.
The fact is there were more than 100 persons who verifiably saw the real face of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as a Buddha in last December. His facial complexion was like the color of an extremely precious red coral. Some people saw it like a brilliant sun emitting radiance that kept their eyes from opening, while some other people saw it containing a luxurious beauty of the utmost redness. As for the wisp of white light between the eyebrows of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, some saw only one ray while others saw countless light rays. Some saw the light curving like pearls, and some saw it as straight as sharp, shining swords changing their lengths and emitting various auspicious light. At the same place and at the same time, some people did not see the white light, some people saw the elegant mark of neat teeth, and others did not see it but saw H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III manifesting two completely different appearances of great compassion. However, only more than 70 people saw the manifestation that belongs to the thirty-two significant elegant marks of a Buddha. The other more than 20 people did not see it even though they were at the same place and simultaneously.
Actually, the thirty-two significant elegant marks of a Buddha are varying. Different scripture versions explain them differently, but they all describe the following ones relatively commonly: the flesh in the form of topknots above the head, the wisp of white light between the eyebrows, the neat teeth, and the character 卍 on the chest. It is difficult to explain what the other marks are specifically, and different people have different understandings and views. Especially, Buddhas respond to karmic conditions to save living beings, and according to living beings’ kinds, Buddhas take various forms in different realms, including heaven, the human realm, the animal realm, and so on, based on different karmic conditions and circumstances. The Madhyama Agama Sutra and other sutras noted this fact. One can look up for explanations in an online encyclopedia.
Therefore, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s manifestation of having the complexion of extremely precious red coral, emitting light like a sun, the wisp of white light between the eyebrows changing its length or strength, and so on were seen differently by different people on site due to their different karmic conditions. Thus, the thirty-two significant elegant marks of a Buddha are not fixed.
The Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters
Written on behalf of great holy virtuous ones to answer questions raised
March 9, 2018
(English translation by Zunba; last edited 2020-10-09)
