At the invitation of Rev. Chandima of the Sri Lanka Cultural and Educational Foundation, members of Buddhist Town joined a delegation to Bhutan to participate in the Global Peace Festival, held in celebration of the 70th birthday of the Fourth King of Bhutan. The trip was co-organized by the Buddhist Town Community Association, with participating organizations including Fa Chan Temple, Macang Yuan, Holy Vajrasana Temple, and the Canadian Institute of Buddhist Studies, among others. In total, 68 representatives took part in this meaningful event.
As part of the visit, the delegation donated 500 sets of essential baby supplies, offering prayers for happiness, health, and well-being for every family. The donation ceremony was attended by the Director of Bhutan’s Ministry of Health, who officially received the supplies. Following the ceremony, the donated items were distributed on-site to pregnant women and mothers with newborns by members of the delegation.
The delegation jointly sponsored the offering of 3,000 butter lamps and respectfully invited Master Shin Zhengda Jaozun to preside over the 3,000 Butter Lamp Offering Ceremony at Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Paro. The prayers were dedicated to world peace, the removal of obstacles, the averting of disasters, and the flourishing and propagation of the True Buddha Dharma.
Kyichu Lhakhang is one of the 108 demon-subduing temples built by King Songtsen Gampo. Established in 638 CE, it stands as one of Bhutan’s most sacred and historically significant temples.
Dasho Passang Dorji, former Speaker of the National Assembly of Bhutan, formally welcomed the Buddhist Town delegation at Paro International Airport. Following the reception, the delegation embarked on an inspiring journey to visit sacred sites associated with Guru Padmasambhava and to learn how Zhabdrung Rinpoche further propagated and established Guru Padmasambhava’s lineage teachings throughout Bhutan.
During the journey, the delegation visited many major temples and sacred sites, including the Buddha Dordenma in Thimphu (21st century), Punakha Dzong (17th century), the Druk Wangyal Chortens—also known as the 108 Stupas (21st century), Chimi Lhakhang (15th century), Khewang Lhakhang (15th century), and Gangtey Monastery (17th century), among others.
The final highlight of the journey was the ascent to the legendary Taktsang Monastery (8th century), dramatically perched at an elevation of 3,100 meters above sea level. According to tradition, Guru Padmasambhava flew to this sacred site, where he subdued negative forces and later spread Buddhism throughout Bhutan, becoming the foundational figure of Bhutanese Buddhism.
With an elevation gain of more than 900 meters and steep mountain trails, the pilgrimage requires a 7–8 hour round-trip hike. Throughout the journey—visiting sacred sites, receiving blessings, paying homage to the Buddhas, and experiencing deep spiritual inspiration—the delegation was filled with immeasurable Dharma joy and boundless gratitude.
At every point along the path, it felt as though the land itself was gently reminding the delegation that all worldly phenomena are impermanent and ever-changing, and that only the true Dharma of the Buddha remains eternally unchanged.
The Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, who are undertaking a 2,300 mile pilgrimage of Walk for Peace, arrive for a welcome ceremony at Hong Kong City Mall in Houston Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images
In a world that often feels rushed, divided, and relentlessly loud, there is something quietly revolutionary about the act of walking.
Recently, a group of Buddhist monks began a long, demanding pilgrimage across the United States. Their mission is simple yet profound: to promote peace. Their journey began in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26. Since then, they have faced the literal “wear and tear” of the road, including a harrowing incident where two monks were injured after a truck struck their escort vehicle.
Yet, they did not stop.
With perseverance and a calm, unshakable resolve, the group of two dozen monks has reached Georgia. They are still moving, one step at a time, toward their final destination in Washington, D.C. Their pace is slow, deliberate, and intentional—and that may be exactly what our world needs right now.
Buddhism has a long history of “engaged mindfulness”—the idea that compassion isn’t just felt in meditation, but lived in the world. These monks are not just praying for peace; they are embodying it.
As they navigate highways and back roads, they offer a living reminder that peace isn’t a destination we reach once and for all. It is a practice. It is something we choose moment by moment, breath by breath, step by step.
Watching their progress brings me back to a book I read nearly 30 years ago: Peace Pilgrim.
I remember being deeply moved by her story—how she walked across countries carrying almost nothing, guided by the conviction that peace begins within the individual. At the time, I wished I could have met her in person, just to thank her for the way her simplicity and courage planted a seed in my heart.
Though she is gone, her spirit feels remarkably present today. I see her legacy in the orange robes of these monks as they crest the hills of the American South.
Monks rest at Hong Kong City Mall in Houston Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
Igniting Kindness, One Heart at a Time
There is something profoundly moving about a walking pilgrimage in the age of instant communication. There are no hashtags here. No viral outrage. Just human beings placing one foot in front of the other, trusting that their presence alone can soften the world.
And it works.
Along the way, the “ordinary” world reacts. Drivers slow down. Strangers stop to ask questions. People offer water, a meal, or a simple smile. In these small, unscripted exchanges, something gentle is awakened. We are reminded that beneath our political and social differences, we all share a basic human longing for safety, understanding, and harmony.
The monks may be the ones doing the walking, but the kindness they ignite along the way belongs to all of us. As they recently shared on their Facebook page:
“We do not walk alone. We walk together with every person whose heart has opened to peace, whose spirit has chosen kindness, whose daily life has become a garden where understanding grows.”
A group of Buddhist Monks and several hundred local community members take part in the Walk for Peace in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday December 23, 2025. The Monks are walking from Texas to Washington, D.C. to promote peace and compassion.
Most of us cannot drop everything to walk across a continent. But all of us can “walk for peace” in the geography of our own lives.
We can pause before we react in anger.
We can choose compassion over the reflex of judgment.
We can listen more deeply than we speak.
Watching these monks continue their journey despite injury and uncertainty reminds me that peace isn’t achieved through grand, sweeping gestures. It is built patiently through humility and love.
Step by step.
May their walk remind us to slow down, to soften our hearts, and to keep moving—together—toward a more peaceful world.
In the southwestern suburbs of Xining, where the air grows thin and the spirit grows light, stands one of the most significant sites in the Buddhist world: Kumbum Monastery.
Known in Tibetan as Kumbum Jampa Ling, meaning “A Supreme Temple of a Hundred Thousand Lion’s Roar Buddha Images,” this sprawling complex is far more than just a collection of buildings. It is a living monument to Lama Tsongkhapa, the revered founder of the Gelug (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Legend of the Golden Tree
Unlike many temples built to house statues, Kumbum was built to house a pagoda.
Legend tells us that Tsongkhapa was born here in 1357. When his mother cut his umbilical cord, drops of blood fell to the earth, and from that spot grew a miraculous sandalwood tree—the “Tree of Great Merit.” It is said this tree had 100,000 leaves, each bearing a natural image of the Buddha.
Years later, when Tsongkhapa was studying in Tibet, his mother sent a letter begging him to return. He replied that he could not leave his studies, but sent a self-portrait and a “Lion’s Roar” image, instructing her to build a pagoda over his birthplace. “Seeing this pagoda,” he promised, “is the same as seeing me.” In 1379, the Julian Pagoda was built, forming the sacred heart of what would become Kumbum Monastery.
Kumbum is world-renowned for its harmonious blend of traditional Tibetan and Chinese Han architectural styles.
1. The Eight Pagodas of Buddha Shakyamuni
Greeting visitors in the front square are eight gleaming white pagodas. Built in 1776, they commemorate the eight great merits and virtues of Buddha Shakyamuni. Each stands 6.4 meters tall, decorated with delicate Sanskrit scriptures and guardian lions, serving as a powerful symbol of the monastery’s spiritual authority.
2. The Grand Golden Tiled Hall
This is the soul of the monastery. With its gilded copper roof and emerald glazed-tile walls, the hall radiates a celestial glow. Inside, you will find an 11-meter-tall golden tower wrapped in white sandalwood and encrusted with jewels. At its peak sits a statue of Tsongkhapa. For pilgrims, meeting this tower is considered a direct meeting with the Master himself.
3. The Main Assembly Hall
Spanning nearly 2,000 square meters, this is the center of monastic life. Under a flat roof adorned with gilded bronze bells and “Aquarius” vases, hundreds of monks gather to recite sutras. The interior is a sensory masterpiece of colorful streamers and intricate carvings.
Dhammapala Hall
The “Three Artistic Wonders” of Kumbum
Kumbum is celebrated throughout Asia for its “Three Arts,” which represent the peak of Tibetan craftsmanship and devotion.
I. Vivid Yak Butter Sculptures
In the freezing depths of winter, when fresh flowers were unavailable for offerings, monks began carving flowers from yak butter. This evolved into a sophisticated art form. In the Yak Butter Sculpture Hall, you can see entire landscapes, pavilions, and deities crafted with impossible detail. To keep the butter from melting while they work, monks must dip their hands in ice water—a true testament to their endurance and faith.
II. Imaginative Barbola (Embroidered Appliqué)
Barbola is a unique form of 3D silk embroidery. By layering silk and cotton, artists create raised patterns that give the figures of Buddhas and animals a lifelike, three-dimensional appearance. The “Sixteen Disciples of Buddha” housed in the Main Assembly Hall are considered national treasures.
III. Exquisite Murals
The walls of Kumbum are alive with color. Using special mineral pigments that remain vibrant for centuries, these murals depict the life of Shakyamuni and scenes from the sutras. During the Sutra-viewing Festival, a massive 30-meter-long Buddha scroll is unfurled on the hillside, a breathtaking sight known as the “Great Buddha Exhibition.”
Kumbum Monastery hosts four major Dharma assemblies annually, held during the first, fourth, sixth, and ninth months of the lunar calendar. These gatherings are a blend of traditional festivals and grand religious events unique to the monastery. During these times, the temple comes alive with sacred activities, including monastic debates, mask dances, and sutra chanting.
A highlight of these fairs is the Cham Dance, where monks wear ornate masks and vibrant costumes, using dramatic gestures to express profound Buddhist teachings to the rhythm of cymbals and suonas (traditional horns). One of the most awe-inspiring sights is the Giant Thangka Unveiling, where a massive, delicate image of Tsongkhapa is unfurled down the mountainside. For the faithful, witnessing this Thangka is considered a direct and holy encounter with the Master himself.
Thangka Exhibition during the Buddha Festival
In July 2006, this sacred temple issued its formal recognition and congratulations to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III
United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters:
Under auspicious circumstances, we were happy to learn of the publication of A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma—Complete Proficiency in Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism and Perfect Mastery of the Five Vidyas about the Buddha Vajradhara, H.H. Master Yangwo Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu. His Holiness’s outstanding accomplishments are unprecedented. We respectfully send this letter of congratulations and joyfully offer our praise.
His actions and mind are pure, and His good fortune and wisdom are limitless. He benefits myriad living beings, and His willpower never tires. His powerful virtue is widespread, and His appearance is completely dignified. He truly abides in peace and His accomplishments are perfect!
Qinghai Skuvbum Monastery An auspicious day in July of 2006
Below is the original copy of the recognition letter in Chinese:
In the annals of spiritual history, few figures are as revolutionary as Huineng (慧能), the Sixth Patriarch of Zen (Chan) Buddhism. His life story is a profound testament to the idea that enlightenment is not reserved for the elite or the scholarly, but is the inherent birthright of every human being.
Known for the iconic verse you mentioned—“Bodhi originally has no tree”—Huineng transformed Zen from a complex Indian philosophy into the direct, spontaneous practice we recognize today.
Huineng’s journey did not begin in a monastery. He was born into a poor family in 7th-century China and worked as an illiterate woodcutter to support his widowed mother.
His life changed in an instant when he overheard a traveler reciting the Diamond Sutra. Upon hearing the line, “Depending upon nothing, the mind arises,” Huineng experienced a sudden moment of clarity. This “sudden awakening” became the hallmark of his future teachings.
Driven by this experience, he traveled to the Dongshan Monastery to seek guidance from the Fifth Patriarch, Hongren.
Huineng’s status as an illiterate outsider meant he was initially assigned to the kitchen to hull rice. When the time came for the Fifth Patriarch to choose a successor, he asked his disciples to write a “mind-verse” to demonstrate their understanding.
The lead disciple, Shenxiu, wrote a verse emphasizing constant, diligent practice:
“The body is the Bodhi tree; the mind is like a bright mirror on a stand. Take care to wipe it always, and let no dust collect.”
Huineng, hearing the verse, realized it missed the ultimate truth of emptiness. He dictated his now-famous response to be written on the wall:
“Bodhi originally has no tree.The bright mirror on a stand is also not real.From the beginning, not a single thing exists.Where, then, can dust collect?”
Hongren recognized Huineng’s superior realization and secretly passed him the robe and bowl—the symbols of the Patriarchy—in the middle of the night, instructing him to go into hiding until the time was right to teach.
Huineng eventually emerged from hiding and began teaching at Nanhua Temple. His impact on Buddhism was so immense that his teachings were recorded in the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. This is the only Buddhist scripture not spoken by a Buddha to be officially granted the title of a “Sutra.”
His major achievements include:
The Southern School of Zen: He founded the “Southern School,” which emphasizes “Sudden Enlightenment” (Dunwu) over gradual study.
Democratizing Wisdom: He taught that the “Buddha-nature” is present in everyone, regardless of literacy or social status.
The Foundation of Zen: Nearly all surviving Zen lineages (including Japanese Zen and Korean Seon) trace their ancestry back to Huineng.
A Living Legacy: The Whole-Body Relic
Perhaps the most miraculous aspect of Huineng’s story is his physical departure from this world. In 713 AD, Huineng entered Nirvana, but his body did not decay.
To this day, his whole-body relic (mummy) is enshrined and preserved at Nanhua Temple in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province. For over 1,300 years, devotees have traveled to the temple to pay respects to the Sixth Patriarch. His physical presence remains a powerful symbol of the “Diamond Body”—the incorruptible nature of a truly enlightened mind.
Huineng reminds us that we do not need to look outside ourselves for wisdom. As he famously taught, our original nature is pure, and enlightenment is simply the act of seeing through the “dust” to the emptiness that was there all along.
Zhenru Chan Temple is nestled on the southwestern slopes of Yunju Mountain in Jiangxi Province. Surrounded by peaks said to resemble unfolding lotus petals, the landscape is poetically described as “lotus peaks clustering around Huatai.” Huatai, the mountain’s central peak, anchors this natural harmony. Here, architecture, terrain, and spiritual intention merge seamlessly, creating a setting that feels both grounded and quietly transcendent.
Even before understanding its history, one senses that this is a place shaped not to dominate nature, but to listen to it.
The name Zhenru (真如) means “True Suchness”—a fundamental concept in Chan Buddhism that points to ultimate reality as it is, beyond words, labels, or conceptual thinking. It is not something to be grasped intellectually, but something to be directly experienced.
Founded during the Tang Dynasty (806–810), Zhenru Chan Temple is regarded as the cradle of the Caodong School of Chan Buddhism, which later spread to Japan as the Soto Zen tradition. Revered as one of China’s three great model Chan monasteries, the temple has long been a center for authentic practice. Though the present structures were rebuilt in the 1950s, they preserve the simplicity and elegance of traditional Chinese monastic architecture.
Chan in Action: Meditation and Farming as One Path
One of Zhenru Temple’s defining characteristics is its embodiment of the Chan principle that “agriculture and meditation are equally emphasized.” Monks here did not retreat from life; they engaged it fully.
Alongside meditation, monks cultivated tea fields and farmed the land. This was not merely practical—it was spiritual. Farming ensured self-sufficiency in the remote mountains, freeing the monastery from reliance on external donations. More importantly, working the soil was understood as a form of Chan practice: repetitive, mindful, intimate with the rhythms of nature.
In the Caodong tradition, there is no division between the sacred and the ordinary. Plowing a field is no less sacred than chanting a sutra. The monks alternated between sitting meditation and physical labor, living out the Chan maxim:
“A day without work is a day without food.”
This principle is traditionally attributed to the Tang-dynasty Chan master Baizhang Huaihai (720–814), a disciple of Mazu Daoyi and a key figure in establishing Chan monastic regulations. His teaching reminds us that awakening is not found apart from daily life, but revealed within it.
Master Xu Yun: Reviving the Living Dharma
Zhenru Chan Temple is also inseparably linked to Master Xu Yun (1840–1959), one of the most revered Chan masters of modern China, often described as a rare master who embodied and transmitted the lineages of five Chan schools in a single lifetime.
When Master Xu Yun arrived at Zhenru in the early 20th century, the temple lay largely in ruins. With unwavering resolve, he led an extensive restoration—rebuilding halls, pagodas, and monastic quarters with the support of disciples and lay donors. More than physical reconstruction, he revived strict monastic discipline and rigorous meditation practice, restoring the temple’s spiritual vitality.
Zhenru ultimately became the place where Master Xu Yun passed away, completing a life devoted to the Dharma.
Earlier in his life, Master Xu Yun experienced a profound awakening during intensive meditation at Gaomin Temple in Yangzhou at the age of fifty-six. In his autobiography, he described the experience with clarity and restraint:
“In the purity of my single-mindedness, I forgot my body entirely. After twenty days, my illness disappeared. From that moment on, my practice continued day and night without interruption… One evening after meditation, I opened my eyes and saw a brightness like broad daylight, in which everything inside and outside the monastery was clearly visible.”
Yet what makes his account especially powerful is what followed. Master Xu Yun did not cling to the experience. He recognized it as a mental state—not an ultimate attainment—and continued his investigation with humility and perseverance, asking relentlessly:
“Who is mindful of the Buddha?”
Later, he commemorated a moment of deep insight triggered by the simple sound of a teacup breaking in the Chan hall, capturing Chan’s direct and unadorned wisdom in a verse:
A cup fell to the ground, The sound rang clear and sharp. Space itself shattered— The restless mind came to rest.
This is primarily a video demonstration of the moving meditation practiced at Zhen Ru Chan Temple.
Zhenru Chan Temple is more than a historical site. It is a living reminder that Chan practice is not confined to silence or retreat, but woven into how we walk, work, and meet the ordinary moments of life.
Xiaoxitian, originally known as Qianfo’an (The Hermitage of a Thousand Buddhas), was founded in the second year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty (1629). It stands atop Phoenix Mountain, about one kilometer west of Xixian County in Linfen, Shanxi Province.
Built entirely in harmony with the mountain, the temple unfolds in layers, as if it had grown naturally from the slope itself. Stone steps lead visitors upward, passing through courtyards divided by arched cave-like gateways. The upper, middle, and front courtyards are connected yet distinct, creating a spatial rhythm that is winding, intimate, and quietly profound. As one walks through the complex, footsteps instinctively slow, and time itself seems to soften.
The architecture of Xiaoxitian is restrained rather than ostentatious, yet its mastery reveals itself everywhere. Painted beams are elegant and dignified, and many of the halls are ingeniously built as two-story structures, creating a rich sense of vertical space within the limited mountain terrain. The bell and drum towers stand in stillness, inviting the imagination to wander back to an age when morning bells and evening drums echoed through the valley.
Stepping into the Mahavira Hall is a moment of sudden awe. Nearly the entire interior is filled with suspended polychrome sculptures—more than 1,900 figures, layered from floor to ceiling. From towering Buddhas over three meters high to figures no larger than a thumb, the sculptures are densely arranged yet never chaotic, solemn yet vibrantly alive. In that instant, one understands why Xiaoxitian is revered as the “Museum of Chinese Hanging Sculpture Art.”
Unlike many Buddhist temples that draw attention primarily to their principal Buddhas, the Mahavira Hall at Xiaoxitian is celebrated for the immersive world it creates as a whole. At its core stand the Medicine Buddha, Amitabha, Shakyamuni, Vairocana, and Maitreya, but surrounding them unfolds an entire celestial realm: the Ten Great Disciples, six young novices, the Ten Wisdom Kings, the Six Desire Heavens, and countless heavenly musicians dancing through the air.
Most unforgettable are the celestial musicians suspended within the tiered “sky pavilions” above the altars. Their figures are light and graceful, sleeves flowing as if caught in an eternal breeze, frozen in a moment of unending heavenly music. Some play the pipa, others hold flutes, while some seem to dance midair. One pipa-playing figure, leaning slightly forward with fingers poised on the strings, radiates such focus and elegance that one can almost hear the melody drifting across centuries.
Looking up toward the roof, the tri-colored glazed chiwen ornaments—yellow, green, and blue—gleam softly in the light. Their refined brilliance reflects the unmistakable aesthetic of the Ming Dynasty. Here, architecture, sculpture, and color merge seamlessly, and one forgets that this is a mountain temple at all. It feels instead like stepping into a floating Buddha realm, suspended between earth and sky.
That these sculptures have survived nearly four hundred years in such vivid detail inspires deep reverence. They represent not only the pinnacle of craftsmanship, but also a profound devotion—to faith, to beauty, and to a harmonious vision of the cosmos.
Perhaps what truly moves the heart at Xiaoxitian is not only the astonishing number of its hanging sculptures or the rare Ming Yongle Northern Buddhist Canon once preserved here, but something more enduring: a spiritual presence that has remained vibrant across centuries. It quietly reminds us that beyond the noise of the modern world, there still exists a place of serenity and dignity—carefully upheld by time itself.
A Buddha Truly Recognized as Such in Accordance with the Dharma
The people on both sides of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III on this page are the highest present-day dharma kings and regent dharma kings from various Buddhist sects or are famous rinpoches. It is they who wrote recognitions, corroborations, or congratulations to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the first Buddha on earth to have received such a large number of recognitions, corroborations, and congratulations and to have been recognized as having the highest status! No other Rinpoche on earth has ever received even one third of the number of recognitions, corroborations, and congratulations from great dharma kings, regent dharma kings, etc. that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has received. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has singlehandedly manifested accomplishments in thirty large categories involving all of the Five Vidyas, thereby establishing the highest record of accomplishment in the history of Buddhism in this world.
Certain evil people have slandered H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as having conferred upon Himself the status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, and they have thereby guided Buddhist practitioners toward evil. In order to protect the wisdom roots of living beings, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III makes the following vow of truth: “If those recognitions, corroborations, and congratulations that follow did not come from the dharma kings, regent dharma kings, and rinpoches whose photographs appear on this page of from their temples and/ or are not copies of the original texts but rather are my fabrications with forged signatures – if even one such case exists – then i should descend into hell without the possibility of ever leaving hell. If those recognitions, corroborations, and congratulations were written or typed by them as well as signed and/ or stamped by them, the merit of this truth will bring to everyone wonderful blessings and wisdom! Vow Maker- Dorje Chang Buddha III“
FATHER OF MEDICINE, FERRYBOATS, BRIDGES, AND OPERAS IN TIBET IN A PREVIOUS LIFE: H.E. DHARMA KING TANGTONG GYALPO
H.E. Tangtong Gyalpo is a greatly accomplished person within Tibetan esoteric Buddhism who attained the rainbow body. In a prior life in Tibet, he was the supreme dharma king of the four main sects esoteric Buddhism. He is a great Bodhisattva known and respected by one and all in Tibet. He is also a person of great holiness who has made huge contributions to the Tibetan people. It was this great Bodhisattva who was the father of medicine, ferryboats, bridges, and operas in Tibet. To this day, Tibetan temples and families continue to worship H.E. Tangtong Gyalpo Bodhisattva.
H.E. the 16th Tangtong Gyalpo Bodhisattva (Thangtrul Rinpoche) took birth in Bhutan. His physical appearance resembles that of Guru Padmasambhava. Even when he sleeps, his eyes remain open. During a Dharma Assembly that took place in 2005 at Hua Zang Si in San Francisco, he entered a supernatural state of samadhi in which he saw H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha. H.E. Tangtong Gyalpo said to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III that he had received teachings directly from Guru Padmasambhava. He also said that he specially came to formally acknowledge H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as his Master and to request the highest dharma in order to save living beings. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III immediately accepted H.E. Tangtong Gyalpo as one of his disciples who is on the level of a great venerable one and performed an initiation for him. H.E. Tangtong Gyalpo organized many rinpoches to practice the Kuan Yin Dharma one billion times as an offering to the treasure book about H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. He also sent his written congratulations stating that the magnificence of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is supreme and that no other holy being in history can compare with this master of the Buddhas.
H.E. Dharma King Tangtong Gyalpo, the Father of Medicine, Ferryboats, Bridges, and Operas in Tibet in a previous life, acknowledged H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III (H.H. Dharma King Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu) as his Master, who is unanimously recognized by great holy beings as the true incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, the Master of the Five Buddhas, having manifested complete mastery of exoteric and esoteric Buddhism and the Five Vidyas.
During a Dharma Assembly held by the International Buddhism Sangha Association at the Hua Zang Si temple in San Francisco, I saw the awe-inspiring and peerless powers and realization of the Master. Bodhi nectar went through the walls of the bowl unhindered as it left and entered the bowl. That nectar can make a person’s body change involuntarily in an instant. H.H. Dharma King Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu bestowed upon me that holy bowl. H.H. Dharma King Sakya Trizin; Dharma King Omniscience Jamyang Lungdok Gyaltsen; Lama palchug Ugyen Sherab; Dharma King Renzeng Nima; the Eastern Tibetan Dharma King of the Nyingma sect, Renqing Rongbo Barongbo Rinpoche; the Green Jewel Crown karmapa, Dharma King Jiezong; and other great, holy and virtuous beings who are on the levels of Buddhas and Mahasattvas unanimously acknowledge that H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu is the true incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, the Master of the Five Buddhas, and has for the first time in the history of Buddhism in the human realm truly manifested complete proficiency in exoteric and esoteric Buddhism and perfect mastery of the Five Vidyas. This is a goal of Buddhism that all other Buddhists have not been able to achieve. This goal has finally been achieved by H.H. Master Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu. This is an honor to Buddhism and a blessing to living beings.
May the seven types of Buddhist disciples hear the true dharma taught by H.H. Great Dharma King Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu, and may they soon realize enlightenment!
She was eight years old when her father gambled her away in a card game. Her older sister had three hours to win her back before the debt collector came.
Deadwood, Dakota Territory. 1877. A place where law came slow, danger came fast, and survival belonged to the ruthless.
Thomas Garrett had lost everything—his mining stake, his wages, his self-respect—and now, in a drunken haze at the Gem Saloon, he’d lost something far worse:
his daughter.
The man who won her was Bullock— not the sheriff, but a labor trafficker who “supplied” children to mining camps. Kids as young as six spent twelve-hour days sorting ore until their lungs failed or their fingers gave out. Most didn’t live past fourteen.
Thomas signed the paper without hesitation. Bullock would collect little Emma at noon.
When fifteen-year-old Sarah came home from the laundry and learned what her father had done, she didn’t cry. Didn’t scream. Didn’t fall apart.
She simply asked, “When?”
“Tomorrow. Noon.”
Three hours until dawn. Three hours to save her sister.
And Sarah had something her father never had:
clarity.
She knew Bullock.
Everyone did. A cruel man who hid behind paperwork and respectability.
He’d made her father sign a contract— which meant it could be challenged.
And Deadwood had something else:
A new federal judge who’d publicly declared that parents could not use their children to pay debts.
Sarah didn’t sleep. She didn’t blink.
At dawn she was already standing in the courthouse, breathless, determined.
The clerk tried to dismiss her— fifteen-year-old girls didn’t talk law.
But Sarah did.
Because before drink ruined him, her father had been a clerk… and she’d read every law book he left lying around.
She laid out the case with the precision of a trained lawyer:
The contract violated territorial labor laws.
It constituted debt bondage of a minor.
Thomas Garrett was legally incapacitated due to intoxication.
The clerk stared. Then nodded.
He woke the judge.
Judge Isaac Parker—who would one day be known as the “Hanging Judge”—read the contract, listened to Sarah, and did something extraordinary:
He issued an emergency injunction, blocking the transfer and summoning both Bullock and Thomas Garrett to court that afternoon.
When Bullock arrived at the Garrett cabin at noon, two men at his back, he found Sarah waiting on the porch.
Not shaking.
Not pleading.
Holding a federal court order in her hand.
Bullock turned red with fury but wasn’t stupid enough to defy a judge.
At the hearing, Judge Parker didn’t hesitate.
He voided the contract. Declared it an illegal attempt to traffic a minor. Warned Bullock that any further attempt to collect “payment” would end with him in chains.
Then he turned to Thomas Garrett.
A father who gambled his children away forfeits the right to be a father.
Parker stripped him of parental rights and— in a move that shocked the entire Dakota Territory— appointed fifteen-year-old Sarah as her sister’s legal guardian.
But victory didn’t fill their stomachs.
Sarah now had an eight-year-old to raise, no money, no home, and only her laundry work to survive.
What she did next became legend.
She went to five different businesswomen in Deadwood— laundry owners, seamstresses, boarding house keepers— and proposed a deal:
“I’ll work for reduced wages. You house and feed my sister and me. I’ll take the hardest jobs and the longest hours.”
Four said no.
The fifth— a widow named Martha Bullock (no relation to the trafficker)— said yes.
For the next three years, Sarah worked sixteen-hour days. Emma went to school— Sarah insisted on it.
She saved every coin.
By 1880, she’d saved enough to lease a small building and open her own laundry.
By 1882, she owned it.
She employed six women. Paid fair wages. Offered housing to those in need.
Emma, thirteen, kept the books.
When Emma turned eighteen, Sarah paid— entirely from her business profits— for her to attend normal school and become a teacher.
Emma later became a school principal and one of the fiercest advocates for child labor reform in the state.
Sarah never married.
“I raised one child already,” she’d say with a half-smile. “Did a better job than most with half the resources.”
She ran her business until 1910, providing work for over a hundred women across three decades.
Emma retired as the first female superintendent in her county.
When Sarah died in 1923, her obituary mentioned her “successful business career.”
Emma told the real story:
A fifteen-year-old girl who had three hours, a law book, and the unwavering conviction that her sister’s life was not for sale.
Judge Parker later said:
“Justice isn’t only about punishing the guilty. Sometimes it’s about recognizing competence where no one else looks for it.”
The line between tragedy and triumph is thin. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a teenage girl who refuses to accept that her sister can be traded like poker chips—
and who’s smart enough to find the one legal lever that can stop it.
Sarah Garrett didn’t have money. Didn’t have weapons. Didn’t have allies.
She had time running out. A mind trained by desperation. And love hard enough to fight the world.
The moment I heard that I would be going with Venerable Dharma Teacher Long Hui to Los Angeles, unspeakable joy arose in my heart. On the way to Los Angeles, a rainbow suddenly emerged from the drizzling sky, emitting beautiful lights of various colors. A white celestial crane seen in the distance flew near and landed at the side of the freeway gazing at us, as if paying us respect. All of these signs expressed auspicious blessings. I strongly sensed that what I had wished for so long was about to come true.
A notice arrived in the afternoon of December 28th. From Venerable Dharma Teacher Long Hui’s somewhat tense facial expression, I could tell this must be the time for me to pay my respects and visit the Buddha Master. Just as expected, when we stepped into the mandala, I saw H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata sitting upright on the dharma platform. His Holiness appeared so dignified and had an expression of loving-kindness. As I sincerely prostrated myself to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, all I heard was the cordial voice of His Holiness telling everyone to come sit toward the front. I sat beside Venerable Dharma Teacher Long Hui. Dharma Teacher Jue Hui and Dharma Teacher Ruo Hui also sat with us.
Venerable Dharma Teacher Long Hui reported to the Buddha Master regarding the Buddhist chanting work that had taken place at Hua Zang Si over the past two months. Next, the Buddha Master called my name: “Fa Hai, proceed with what you want to say.” Without knowing why, my mind went totally blank. I felt that my entire body was soaking in a kind of freshness. I remained kneeling with a very straight back, as if I had entered a state of meditation. At this time, I only heard the Buddha Master say, “It is all right. Just speak directly!” Yet, I still could not speak and was silent for another eight or nine minutes. I could sense that the Buddha Master was patiently waiting. Finally, a sound floated out of my mouth: “My karmic affinity with the Buddha Master should have begun ten years ago. Because I could not come to America, I was not able to visit His Holiness. I finally got a visa last year. Only this year did I have the opportunity to visit Hua Zang Si, where I respectfully listened to recorded dharma teachings of the Buddha Master. For more than one straight month, I have listened to the recorded dharma discourses without the slightest sense of tiredness.
This has been the most beneficial and rewarding time of my entire life. The beneficial effects I have experienced can never be expressed in words. I bring my body, speech, and mind to respectfully visit the Buddha Master at this time. Today, I would like to specially request a great dharma from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. I would not hesitate to leap into boiling water or walk on fire in order to obtain this great dharma. I am willing to undergo any test in order to obtain such dharma. I am even willing to sacrifice my own life. It might sound like I am exaggerating, but I truly can do such things.”
Perhaps because I was too nervous or focused, I unexpectedly was not able to express exactly what I meant to say. However, I silently told myself that the Buddha Master definitely understands what I am trying to express and what dharma I am requesting. I still remember that I fasted for a full 21 days in the Philippines in order to obtain this great dharma. This is because I am very aware that in this world only H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can accomplish this task and announce to the world this great dharma in order to demonstrate the brightness of Buddha and enable the correct dharma to exist in this world forever.
At first, the Buddha Master did not answer my request directly but gave us a profound and important discourse. Only afterward did I realize that this discourse was actually the beginning of His Holiness’s response to my question. His Holiness specifically pointed out the various kinds of confusion and mistakes that have appeared within Buddhism in this current Dharma Ending Age. Some Buddhist sutras contain serious mistakes. What is even more serious is that there are some so-called eminent monks and great virtuous beings who, due to their erroneous understanding and views, seriously misguide others when giving discourses on the dharma. What is even sadder is that believers who do not understand the truth still fanatically follow them and prostrate to them in worship. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III does all He can to correct these heretical ideas and views. However, being limited by the karma of living beings, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III feels that it is very difficult to change the current situation despite His wish to do so. The Buddha Master gave some examples of these heretical ways within both esoteric Buddhism and exoteric Buddhism. These very worrisome examples left me not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
After finishing the discourse, the Buddha Master said to me directly, “Fa Hai, you did not say what great dharma you want to request. Let me say it for you. The dharma you want to request is to film a movie of the Buddha. There really is no one else besides me who can do this because I completely understand the teachings of the Buddha. I can write the script. This movie must be filmed. The only thing is that the karmic conditions this year are not quite mature enough because the script needs to be written and actors need to be found, especially actors who are qualified. As for funding, as long as there is a script, there will be people who will sponsor and invest. Besides, the movie of the Buddha will not be filmed as one undivided whole but will be divided into a series of 100 parts or episodes. Perhaps this is really the right channel. After all, the influence of a book is limited as it reaches fewer people than a movie, which has much more of an international impact. In addition, when we do this, many problems might be solved. We might even be able to build several temples this way!” At this moment, I understood that the discourse just given by H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata on the current chaotic situation within Buddhism illustrated that it is impossible for anyone else to write in a script the authentic doctrines of the Buddha.
Listening to this point, I was really shocked in my heart. I used to pay respect and visit many eminent monks and great virtuous beings. I requested from them great dharma. None of them knew what this great dharma in my mind was that I wanted to request. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is truly magnificent. I did not reveal in the slightest what great dharma I wanted to request. Nonetheless, what His Holiness stated was the exact great dharma in my mind that I wanted to request.
His Holiness then said, “Fa Hai, when you come back from mainland China, I will transmit to you dharma according to the formal rituals of Tibetan esoteric Buddhism. You still have some negative karma. At that time, I will perform an initiation for you and eliminate your karmic hindrances. You will see.” I was totally engulfed in the joy of the dharma. The Buddha Master further said, “On your way here, the rainbow and the celestial crane you saw augured that your future undertakings will be bright. However, behind the brightness lurks darkness, and there are twists and turns on the path. We will soon face some attacks and slander, although those who commit the slander will all end up losing. When A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma is published, no force can obstruct or destroy us because what is in that book are facts.” The Buddha Master finished by saying, “The movie of the Buddha definitely has to be filmed. You see, Fa Hai, your wishes have all been fulfilled. How fortunate you are!”
Actually, there are no words that can express my happiness. There are also no words that can express my gratitude toward H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.
I only want to respectfully offer to the Dorje Chang Buddha III my most beautiful spirit, my most beautiful melody, my most beautiful singing voice, and my best wishes. May all those who hear this beautiful melody and singing voice be happy.
I would like to express my special thanks to an anonymous person who ten years ago sent me an express mail package in which a yellow silk scarf was wrapped around the book The Fruits of Pious Devotion and CD’s that had a picture of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III on their covers. It is because of this present that seeds planted ten years ago have borne fruit in the form of my taking refuge in the His Holiness as my Buddha Master and in the form of my witnessing the magnificence of the Buddha-dharma.
Everything I described above is true. I am a Buddhist nun. I accept the karmic responsibility for my words. If what I have stated is false, I will descend into the Vajra Hell. If what I have stated is true, I would like to dedicate the resulting merit to all living beings in the dharma realm so that they will soon realize enlightenment.
Respectfully written by disciple Fa Hai Shi December 30, 2006
The above account was written by Fa Hai Shi. We three humble Buddhist nuns provide the following testimonials.
Encountering an Unusual Occurrence
Basically, whenever people pay their respects and visit H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata, they make good use of their short meeting time by posing prepared questions or by requesting the transmission of dharma. Some groups have really made the best use of their time by requesting answers to problems that have arisen.
From left to right: Ruo Hui Shih, Long Hui Shih, and Jue Hui Shih
However, there was one particular occasion in the afternoon of December 28, 2006 when a dharma teacher from the Philippines, Fa Hai, came to the mandala from thousands of miles away. This was the first time she was granted an audience with H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. When H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III asked her what question she had, I saw that Buddhist nun take a deep breath. She then unexpectedly remained silent as she stared at the Buddha Master with open eyes, sometimes lowering her head. Perhaps all of this was due to nervousness or other factors. At this time, the Buddha Master also did not speak. Seconds and then minutes passed by in silence. Then, that dharma teacher sighed once more and straightened her back, still looking at the Great Dharma King without uttering a sound. Strangely, Dorje Chang Buddha III also remained silent. A moment later, she sighed for the third time but still did not reply to the Buddha Master. The duration of this silence lasted more than eight minutes. This kind of situation had never happened before.
Finally, the dharma teacher spoke. She said she had come with a wish to request a great dharma. If her wish to obtain this great dharma were fulfilled, she said she would dedicate her life to the Buddha-dharma and living beings, even if it meant sacrificing her life. After uttering such words, she again fell into silence without mentioning what dharma she wished to request.
At this time, Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “Do not say anymore. I will give you a discourse.” The Buddha Master pointed out what request was in the mind of this Buddhist nun. That discourse not only enabled us disciples who were there to once again witness the supernatural powers of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, it also enabled us to understand precious dharma principles.
Because I took Dharma Teacher Fa Hai to pay her respects to H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata, I was there and personally witnessed everything that happened. Everything I described above is true. If what I have stated above contains false words, may I never become accomplished in the dharma. If what I have stated above is true, I dedicate the resulting merit to all living beings so that they may soon hear the correct dharma and soon attain liberation and accomplishment.
Buddhist disciple Long Hui Shih
I was present at the time. I hereby confirm that what is stated above is true. If what is stated above is false, I am willing to descend into hell and experience negative karmic retribution. If everything stated above is true, I dedicate the resulting merit to all living beings so that they may soon hear the correct dharma and soon realize enlightenment.
Buddhist disciple, Jue Hui Shih
Everything stated above is true. If what is stated above contains false words, I will not become accomplished in the dharma and will become impoverished and miserable. If what is stated above is true, I wish to dedicate the resulting merit to all living beings so that they may always see Buddha and attain liberation.
Buddhist disciple, Ruo Hui Shih
(This is a complete translation of the Chinese text that follows originally written and signed by Fa Hai Shih, Long Hui Shih, Jue Hui Shih, and Ruo Hui Shih.)
The Medicine Buddha is a great teacher who purifies all obstacles and brings healing to the world. When the Medicine Buddha was practicing the Bodhisattva path in past lives, he made twelve great vows to relieve the suffering of sentient beings and bring them happiness including curing physical disabilities, relieving poverty, providing material needs, guiding those astray, and liberating prisoners. He is associated with a pure land in the East called Vaiḍūryanirbhāsa, or “Pure Lapis Lazuli”.
On the 29th day of the ninth lunar month, Buddhist disciples worldwide honor the birthday of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, known as the Medicine Buddha or the Great Medicine King. He is also referred to as the Buddha of Twelve Great Vows, embodying deep compassion and healing. Presiding over the Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli Light in the East, the Medicine Buddha has inspired countless practitioners with his transformative teachings and boundless compassion.
Hua Zang Si, a Buddhist temple in the Mission District of San Francisco, California, held a Namo Medicine Buddha Holy Birthday Dharma Assembly on November 16, 2025. The next scheduled Dharma assembly will be the Namo Amitabha Buddha Dharma Assembly to be held on December 28, 9:30 am.
Peace LiLy 
