January 1st in the Chinese lunar calendar, is chinese Spring festival, it is the biggest holiday in china. It is also the holy birthday of Maitreya Bodhisattva – the next Buddha in the saha world. This is a special and joyful holiday that is celebrated by many. Hua Zang Si in San Francisco held a Dharma Assembly to celebrate this important occasion. It was the first Dharma Assembly of the year and it was held on a beautiful sunny day. Many laypersons participated in the event.
At the entrance of the temple is an oversize marvelous statue representation of a jolly, laughing Buddha: Maitreya Bodhisattva (the next Buddha in this Saha world). It is such a warm welcoming sign. The big belly not only means jolly, it also means tolerating the intolerable things in the world. So when you look at the statue, you will start to feel that learning Buddhism is happy and kind.
The Dharma Assembly was an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate the teachings of Maitreya Bodhisattva. It was a time for reflection and meditation, as well as a chance to learn more about the teachings of Buddhism. The atmosphere was filled with positivity and joy, as people came together to celebrate this important holiday.
In Chinese culture, Maitreya Bodhisattva is seen as a symbol of joy and tolerance. As practitioners of Buddhism, we are encouraged to strive to be like the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas by cultivating a broad mind, open heart, and great tolerance.
One of the key principles of Buddhism is patience and forbearance, particularly under insult. This is seen as a key aspect of self-cultivation and it is important to remember that everything in the dharma realms can change from ordinary to holy. This means that even difficult situations can be transformed and overcome through the practice of patience and tolerance.
Patience and tolerance are not just passive qualities, but rather active ones that require effort and practice. We must actively cultivate them in our daily lives and strive to maintain them even in difficult situations. Through this practice, we can transform our own minds and hearts, becoming more like the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that we strive to emulate.
At the Dharma Assembly, we chanted the Eighty-eight holy Buddha name jeweled repentance sutra, in hopes that the Buddhas will wash away all of our sins and negative karmas. After the chanting, we offered a meal to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The event concluded with a dharma talk given by Dharma Master Ruohui.
During her talk, Dharma Master Ruohui emphasized the importance of faith, vows, and actions for disciples of Buddhism. She explained that faith is the foundation of our practice, and that with strong faith, we will have the determination to follow the Buddha’s teachings and put them into action in our lives.
The Dharma Assembly was a meaningful event where participants not only had the opportunity to reflect on their own spiritual growth but also to make an impact on the world around them. During the assembly, the participants returned the merit to all living beings, holding the hope that they shall be rid of suffering, obtain happiness, and have the opportunity to listen to authentic Buddha Dharma.
The act of returning merit is an important aspect of Buddhist practice as it is believed that by dedicating the positive energy generated through our spiritual practice to the benefit of others, we can help bring about peace and prosperity in the world. By returning merit to all living beings, participants were able to contribute to the collective well-being of the world and make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Furthermore, the participants also held the hope that by listening to authentic Buddha Dharma, they will be able to perfect their fortune and wisdom, leading to a more prosperous and peaceful world for all. This is the ultimate goal of Buddhism, to help all beings to find inner peace, happiness and liberation from suffering.
It has been nearly three years since the COVID-19 pandemic broke throughout the world. Statistics tell us at least 201 countries and regions across the globe reported confirmed cases, accumulating to more than 620 million cases, over 6 million of which resulted in death. The coronavirus pandemic created chaos in the world order, directly affecting the health of hundreds of millions of people and resulting in fumbled responses early on from some of the world’s best-equipped countries.
Strict lockdown measures were implemented to stem the spread of the disease, and the resulting interruption to human travel, financial systems, and logistics of all areas resulted in broad and serious consequences to the economy, culture, travel, education, medical systems, mental health, social habits, and overall wellbeing. As the world stepped up to fight the pandemic, resources and people were mobilized in countries of every size to find solutions—large and small—that solve the many pandemic-related concerns we now face.
National medical systems treated the sick as private-sector pharma rushed to develop vaccines, treatments, medications and medical equipment. Governments issued emergency relief funds while churches and non-profits turned their attention to addressing the need for medical supplies. The goal was a unified one—to stop the virus from spreading and ending life.
The Buddhist community responded in kind as COVID-19 began to ravage communities in every country. The Pope of World Buddhism, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, took the lead to donate protective and pandemic-fighting supplies to public service organizations and hospitals. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said to people, “The emergence of the pandemic is due to cause and effect. There have been many pandemics of different types and forms in the history of human society. Covid-19 is a contagious pandemic, which means it is infectious. It can morph into different variations due to changes in human body and the weather conditions and cause new infections to people. That, however, will result in the generation of anti-bodies in humans. Although this disease cannot be fully exterminated, vaccines can be quite effective in protecting humans. Therefore, don’t stress out, and don’t worry. Do what the government asks you to do. Follow the government’s regulations. Get vaccinated so that you can protect yourself and your family. Do know that humans will not be stopped by the pandemic. At the end, everything will be reopened, because the nation will not be stopped, and the world will not be stopped.”
As foretold by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, humans have gradually developed anti-bodies and vaccines and treatments have arrived. Global pandemic prevention policies continue to evolve, and the pandemic started to ease in 2021. In September of 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that, “although we are not there yet, the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight.”
The World Buddhism Association Headquarters is a non-profit religious organization in the United States which has many branch Buddhist organizations, associations, Buddhism-learning academies, temples, Dharma centers, and Dharma-listening locations in the world. The purpose of the association is to spread the pure and supreme Buddha’s teachings and Dharma voices of Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and Namo Shakyamuni Buddha to Buddhists, promoting that people abide by these teachings to do good deeds, give, practice compassion, abstain from bad deeds, and commit to all good conduct. By altruistically contributing and dedicating oneself to the nation and society, the world can be filled with auspiciousness.
With Buddhist Dharma assemblies on specific Buddhist occasions, attendees chant Buddhist Sutras, prostrate themselves and pray to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to grant blessings and protections to all. The holy birthday of Medicine Guru Buddha—known by many names and the Lord of the Pure Lapis Lazuli World of the East—lands on the 29th day of the 9th month in the lunar calendar. The Medicine Buddha made twelve great vows and vowed to cure diseases and pain for living beings of the worlds in ten directions in their current lifetime, to let living beings obtain happiness and peace of mind, to increase living beings’ fortune and longevity, and to guide living beings to liberation. All Buddhists respect and admire Medicine Guru Buddha for His vows and their effect on current beings.
In accordance, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters held two Dharma events on October 29 and October 30 to honor Namo Medicine Buddha’s holy birthday. On October 29th, a Dharma Assembly was held in the inner bay of Marian Del Ray, California to release captured lives in observance of the Buddha-Stipulated Day of Releasing Lives. October 30th, the Dharma Assembly convene to respectfully celebrate the birthday of Namo Medicine Buddha at the Holy Miracles Temple in Pasadena, California. Several hundred Buddhists from across the world attended, including holy gurus, eminent monastics, rinpoches, acaryas, Dharma-listening masters, and householders.
The Holy Miracles Temple is owned by the World Buddhism Association Headquarters. It is a temple where authentic Buddha Dharma is practiced and where many real Buddha Dharma’s holy feats have been manifested and shown to the world.
Within the temple, the Grand Hall of Shakyamuni Buddha is presently the only Inner-Tantric Mandala in the world—a place where Two Great Dharma Requirements have been met. Within the hall, the Pope of World Buddhism Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has presided over many significant holy Dharma Assemblies which manifested the powers of Buddha Dharma, transmitted unparalleled Buddha Dharmas to disciples, and imparted the universal truth. His Holiness illuminates the grand path to liberation that encompasses both the practices of cultivation and Dharma.
Among the temple’s other wonders is the Hall of Buddha Dipankara and the Holy Hall of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. On March 7, 2014, the Holy Blessing Dharma Assembly was held in the place that is now the Hall of Buddha Dipankara to celebrate the First Issue of Imparting the Absolute Truth Through Heart Sutra, a Buddhist Sutra imparted by Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. There, onlookers witnessed a number of Buddhas bestow holy amritas of three different colors, shining down through the roof, passed through a crystal bowl cover into the empty Dharma Bowl.
Today, the Hall of Buddha Dipankara is a sanctuary for Buddhists to light lamps in offering and increase their merits. Great Holy Gurus, Holy Gurus, and Dharma masters chant mantras, read out Buddhist Sutras, and practice Dharmas to pray for and bless lamp lighters. It is said, when one lights the bright lamp of blessing in front of Buddha Dipankara in the holy hall where amritas were once bestowed, the blessings power outshines that of any brought by lamps lit in common-place halls.
Hall of Buddha Dipankara in Holy Miracle Temple
In the Holy Hall of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, the holy statue of Namo Great Compassionate Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is placed for people to worship. In this hall, the body of Shengzun Yinhai, a noted disciple of Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, was placed after his passing. During the month his body resided in the hall in the Holy Miracles Temple, a series of divine transformations and holy feats took place. His body transformed as, from the tenth day of his passing, the wrinkles on his visage began to disappear and his bones and muscles began grew fuller. His complexion was rosy once more and his hair and fingernails continued to grow. Shengzun Yinhai transformed and realized a non-decaying vajra body—a state never before witnessed in Buddhist history. This transformation marked a new holy chapter in the history of Buddhist accomplishments after passing, and the western media was quick to report on the media.
The Dharma Assembly to Respectfully Celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday of Namo Medicine Buddha was held in the Grand Hall of Shakyamuni Buddha of the Holy Miracles Temple on October 30. The Vice Chairperson of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters and also the Honorable Chairperson of the International Buddhism Sangha Association, Jiaozun Zhengda, who is a holy guru of Gold Button Level II, together with the Abbot of the Hua Zang Si Temple, Ruzun Ruohui, a holy guru of Gold Button Level I, as well as the Abbot of the Sanger Mission Bodhi Monastery, Dharma Master Juehui presided over the Dharma ceremony. Notable holy gurus, eminent monks and nuns, and monastics led the Buddhist chanting. The attendees chanted the Bhaisajya Guru Vaidurya Prabha Raja Sutra—The Medicine Guru Vaidurya Prabha Tathagata’s Fundamental Vows Merit Sutra—in synchronicity.
With praises to the Buddha and offerings made to the Buddha, the two Dharma events included chanting the sutra and the mantras as well as releasing lives. The assembly returned the merits to and prayed for the living beings in the world, praying to Namo Medicine Buddha and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the ten directions to give blessings and to protect living beings so that the pandemic is eradicated from the world, peace and friendship persist internationally, the world rids itself of calamity and all enjoy good fortune, health, and longevity.
Buddhism from Sakyamuni Buddha has been propagating in the world for more than 2,000 years and has evolved into various sects and schools that emphasize different principles and customs. Patriarchs, eminent monastics, and great virtuous ones all state that they themselves possess the best teachings and dharmas. Each flaunts the ability to teach people to eventually attain accomplishment and liberation. The freedom from birth and death in Buddhism that entails one’s ability to control one’s birth and death freely has always been a legend.
Then, what are the results? Facts showed that, in the process of seeking liberation, very few people actually become accomplished in history. On the contrary, very many people did not attain accomplishment through practicing their dharmas. Examples of those who attained prominently well-known accomplishments include Bodhidharma, Hui Neng, Hanshan, and others. In more recent times, there were Xu Yun, Hui Ming, Sheng Qing, and other elderly dharma masters. Of course, there were also Guru Padmasambhava, Master Tsongkhapa, Master Karmapa, Venerable Atisa, Venerable Suchandra, and others. However, the fact is that such accomplished holy virtuous ones are so rare. Especially during the last 100 years or so, the curernt dharma-ending era becomes more penetrating and more deeply rooted. Ture dharma of the Tathagata has almost become lost from the lineages. Even leading figures of eminent monastics and great virtuous ones of the modern time with worldwide reputations had to pass away amid sufferings at the end of one’s life, unable to end the cycle of birth and death and with no accomplishment to speak of.
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III brought the great dharmas of Tathagatas to the human world and has restored the original teachings and dharmas of SaKyamuni Buddha. His Holiness the Buddha continues the lifeline of the wisdom of Buddhas and also leads people to the Buddhist principles and ways that deepen and facilitate cultivators’ accomplishment. Examples are The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation, holy inner-tantric initiations of dharmas of state practice, incomparable rules and systematic ways of cultivation, and supreme and expedient dharmas leading to accomplishment. Such teachings and dharmas are unprecedented by any holy ones in history and cannot be exhaustively mentioned or described.
The accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III at the pinnacles of the five vidyas and the holy realization of His Holiness the Buddha have all been widely known as real facts in the world. However, what is intimately relevant to us is the abilities of the Buddha in teaching people to become accomplished. Only this is the utmost important matter! Facts from actual practices show that people taught by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III attained prominent accomplishments.
At year 2018, a disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, Dharma King Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso who was the chairman of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, demonstrated the world-astounding record of becoming free from birth and death!
Dharma King Gar Tongstan paid respect to and learned from many famous figures of Buddhism. Since he paid homage to and became a disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III in 1995, his experience was like having found the most precious and rarest treasure. It was exactly like what Geshe Luosang Zhenzhou, who was the sole Larampa Geshe among the Han Chinese people, said in an interview with news media that his earlier experience of learning Buddhism for sixty years could not compare to what he learned from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III in one day. Can you imagine what these words entail!
After having learned the cultivation and dharmas transmitted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, Dharma King Gar Tongstan gave up all the dharmas that he had learned before and did not get effects from and dedicated himself to practicing the profound Buddha-dharma transmitted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. His realization advanced by leaps and bounds and he attained perfect good fortune and wisdom. In 2004, he demonstrated the Vajra power of a champion of majestic strength and lifted before a crowd of people the Buddha-bathing lotus tub weighing more than 4,000 pounds to fetch water at a holy Buddha-bathing dharma assembly (CLICK for article. The Dharma King was known as layman Ciren Jiacuo Gyatso then) for article. In 2009, he performed a dharma publicly to cause his spiritual consciousness to exit his body to take a Vajra pill placed at a distance away into his hand. Eventually he enlightened his mind and saw his original nature to realize his dharma body. His undertaking was recorded into the Dharma Discourses in Silver Box that have been widely distributed in the world.
In September 2018, Dharma King Gar Tongstan beseeched His beneficent Buddha Master, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, to perform a session of grand offering of holy fire mandala. He said, “This highest and greatest dharma will prove whether those figures who put up the signs of lineages of schools and sects in society are mundane or holy and whether they are novices of Buddhism who have lost the lineages of true Buddha-dharma or not. Those who carry evil views are making big efforts on the internet and in social-media communities to undermine and slander the cultivation and Buddha-dharma from my beneficent Master H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Only by doing this, can we remove the evils and manifest true Buddha-dharma!”
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “You are wrong. One should not cause others to feel bad for one’s own sake. I am not able to perform this dharma. Even if I am to perform it, I can only chant according to the ritual.”
Dharma King Gar Tongstan beseeched again, “Even if the dharma is not to be performed for proving my beneficent Buddha Master, the dharma still needs to be performed for stopping disasters and praying for good fortune for living beings in the entire western world and also for me, Disciple Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso, to beseech true Buddha-dharma and perfect resources of cultivation!”
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III then said, “Since this is for the karmic conditions about the great event of true Buddha-dharma in the entire Western world to pray for good fortune to benefit sentient beings, you can take it easy. This dharma assembly has to be performed. Even if I do not do that, there will be a tremendously great holy virtuous one to perform the dharma.”
On September 17, a specialist of metallic manufacturing led a team of people to have a brass mandala stove made in time. On September 18, Sister Xuan Hui was brought the sandalwood pieces and charcoals to be used for burning homas during the fire offering. On September 19, the “Grand Dharma Assembly of Holy Fire Offering” was formally held with the grand opening of the mandala at the Holy Miracles Temple in the United States of America.
Grand Hall in Holy Miracles Temple
The “Dharma of Holy Fire Offering” is regarded as the king of dharmas for halting disasters and increasing good fortune. Such dharma was performed successfully only by Master Phapongka and Kangsa Rinpoche in Tibet about 80 years ago. Since then, the so-called fire-offering dharmas in both Tibet and regions of Han Chinese are only described as holy dharma practices in books and verbal words without the actual manifestation of any holy state. All is based on chanting the ritual and explicit practices of worldly ways.
On the contrary, during the Grand Dharma Assembly of Holy Fire Offering presided by a tremendously great holy virtuous one at the Holy Miracles Temple in America, Vajra Female Mahasattva arrived in person in the empty sky, emitting light throughout Her tall and huge blue-colored body. In an article published on the internet, someone said that with the pointing of a finger, Vajra Female Mahasattva ejected a ray of flashing light and flame began to burn inside the mandala stove.
They saw that Vajra Female Mahasattva manifested in the empty sky and She was very tall and extremely solemn and majestic. She acted with changing bodily movements and postures. There was a net of electric fire circling around Her body. As soon as the fire-igniting guard of the dharma assembly finished the beseeching prayer, a flash was emitted from between the eyebrows of Vajra Female Mahasattva into the mandala stove. A big blazing fire started to burn instantly! At that time, there were only five pieces of sandalwood chips inside the mandala stove. What caused such a big blazing fire immediately?
Next, the demons captured inside the Vajra demon-subduing bowl tried as much as they could to push up the bowl to escape. At the moment when the bowl was shaken, a light of fire was again emitted from between the eyebrows of Vajra Female Mahasattva toward the demon-subduing bowl. With a sound of “hong,” golden flame came from the demon-subduing bowl, turning the demons and the dark karmas of cultivators into crushed powders. Vajra Female Mahasattva then brought the souls of the demons to the Buddha-land to teach and transform them! The nearly 100 cultivators attending the dharma assembly were greatly astonished and all bowed continuously on their kneels to pay respect!
At the dharma assembly, the tremendously great holy virtuous one announced to cultivators that since this dharma assembly had been performed, Dharma King Gar Tongstan would very soon pass away in a perfectly liberated state.
This dharma assembly was exactly the last dharma assembly that Dharma King Gar Tongstan was waiting for. Next day, after taking a bath and changing His garment, He entered His dharma practice. Then, a writing desk with pen, ink, paper, and white-out fluid placed on it was put in front of His dharma seat. He wrote a letter of respectful farewell to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and then immediately sat down to pass away in a perfectly liberated state. When monastics from different temples arrived, they found that right after putting down the pen, the dharma king passed away in a perfectly liberated state with complete ease and without any hesitation. At that time, it suddenly dawned on everyone that the verse of respectful farewell that Dharma King Gar Tongstan wrote was to point out where the true dharma of the Tathagata is for living beings, which is upheld and controlled by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and is the same as the Buddha-dharma of Sakyamuni Buddha that only belongs to Buddhism without any sectarian affiliation!
Dharma King Gar Tongstan passed away in a perfectly liberated state
Verses of Respectful Farewell
The following is the verse of respectful farewell written by Dharma King Gar Tongstan.
Dharma King Gar Tongstan’s Last Letter to Dorje Chang Buddha III
” Verse of Respectful Farewell“
”To my beneficent Master Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III,“
“I, Disciple Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso, decided to pass away in a perfectly liberated state.”
“Human life accumulates sufferings through the years and months. I went to various places to seek enlightenment through learning from Buddha. I followed and stayed with many masters to learn from them, including Guang Qin, Xuan Hua, Ka Lu, and Dharma King Dilgo Khyentse. I practiced diligently and worked hard on the unshared dharma of Path-Fruit of the Sakya Sect without effect. I gratefully thank my Buddha Master for the Mahamudra of Liberation that is supreme and unsurpassed. The holy dharma that I received from secretly transmitted initiation enabled me to achieve freedom from birth and death, with true realization attained on the spot. I now pen down my words and will then leave the world, passing away in a state of perfect accomplishment before the ink dries.”
Verses of Respectful Farewell
Namo beneficent Master, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III
Disciple Gar Tongstan Ciren Gyatso has decided to leave this world.
As life is filled with suffering,
I rushed about learning Buddhism and seeking enlightenment.
I have followed many masters:
Guang Qin, Xuan Hua, Kalu,
And Dharma King Dilgo Khyentse,
Diligently practicing their dharmas and the Sakya unshared LamDre Dharma,
All to no avail.
Thankfully, I met my Buddha Master.
Through the Mahamudra of Liberation that is supreme and unsurpassed,
And the secret initiations and transmissions of holy dharma from my Buddha Master,
I achieved control over my own birth and death.
My direct realization is reality.
I now put down my brush and leave this world,
Entering into the state of liberation before the ink dries.
Namo my beneficent Master, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III!
Disciple Tongstan respectfully bids farewell.
September 20, 2018
“Namo my beneficent Master Dorje Chang Buddha III!”*
Peace LiLy 
