Wangzha Shangzun said: “You must read this public announcement. From now on, anyone who wants to learn an important Dharma must first read, understand and be well-versed in this public announcement because any Buddhist cultivator who will learn and receive the Initiation of a high-level Dharma will be asked about it. If we ask you about the content of this public announcement, and you don’t know anything about it, you will not be allowed into the hall to learn the Dharma. You will not have the qualifications to receive the Initiation of the high-level Dharma because you may be a cohort of liars and evil people since you don’t want to do what is good and forego what is terrible. You don’t want to distinguish fake people, so you don’t even want to read the public announcement.

Evil masters and liars will expose themselves.

There are too many evil masters and liars in the world today. They play all kinds of tricks. In the world of Buddhism, these evil masters and liars have no fewer than three typical traits. All the evil masters and liars will deceive Buddhists by all kinds of means and sayings, but Buddhists usually cannot tell because they are muddle-headed and trapped in lies. Our Headquarters has often reminded people to pay attention and be careful about whether those masters are qualified. Still, some people are unimaginably ignorant and stupid in that they would not check carefully, and they would instead help the evil to do evil rather than leave the master, who is a liar. Our Headquarters can only say you are pathetic!

Have you honestly thought about it? Do you plan to find a good, holy guru as your master or an ordinary lying man who is an impostor feigning to be a great divine being? Think about it again. If the disciples brag and say their master is sacred, is their master then really holy? Is there 50% credibility? Can you definitively say they are a master who truly understands Buddha Dharma?

On the other hand, there are the written exam and Holy Test, in which 17 venerables, dharma kings, rinpoches, and dharma masters are onsite to proctor it. What is essential is all 17 of them take a vow to guarantee the level of accomplishment reached by the candidate. Will you choose a master who has taken the tests with the vows and guarantees made by the seven holy masters and the ten gurus or a master who has not been endorsed by the seventeen proctors whose status cannot be definitively determined? You think about it carefully.

The dimwits will say: “This rare and greatly treasured master whom I found is a great venerable, a great dharma king, or a great rinpoche who holds an authentic lineage.” Pay attention! Those evil masters and liars usually hold the lineage of a major sect. Some have titles such as a great dharma king, rinpoche, or master. But you have neglected a point that has yet to be analyzed. In 99 out of 100 times, their selection of a child as the true reincarnation is artificial. What is the percentage of accuracy from a synthetic point of view? Therefore, all those selected children must go through the learning of sutras and be taught by a sutra teacher. Just by this one point, it could be seen they have to learn the knowledge and are not born with the knowledge. Is that what a holy being is supposed to be like? Is it the case that a sacred being loses wisdom and holy capabilities and recedes to an ordinary person who does not know anything after each reincarnation and must regain knowledge after being taught by a sutra teacher?

They hardly know that Shakyamuni Buddha established the rules of sutra debates and tests to ensure the safety of living beings’ wisdom roots and protect living beings from being hurt by evil people and liars. He also passed down the unconditioned and definitive Dharma of the Holy Test. But those evil masters and liars are incredibly cunning. They destroyed the Holy Test and did not let their disciples know about it to ensure they would not be exposed. They even devise a means to slander the test to cover their embarrassment. Although it appears that they have destroyed the holy test, they forgot that Shakyamuni Buddha had rigorously decreed in the sutras that “Bodhisattvas must be found in Five Vidyas.” Since Buddhists all know about this requirement set by the Buddha about the great holy Bodhisattvas’ realization power, there is no way those evil masters can destroy that dharma rule stated publicly in the sutras.

Let’s ponder those artificially selected rinpoches from another angle. Where are their achievements in the Five Vidyas? What levels do they have? Can they surpass the regular experts? Are they in accordance with the rules and regulations of the sutras? Have they obtained the Five Vidyas? If they have no mastery of the Five Vidyas and the definitive holy test does not bolster them, are they Bodhisattvas?

Therefore, Buddhist cultivators must not believe in their proclaimed lineage or title. No matter how great the lineage or title is, how much they have expounded the sutras or given a speech about Buddha Dharma, how many temples they have built, how much the so-called Buddhist work they have done, or how many superficial images they have created, they may be clueless about Buddhism. They may appear to be a master, but their essence is an ordinary man. Even though they are expounding the sutras and talking about Buddha Dharma, they are just pretending to know what they are talking about but are explaining the meaning of the sutras carelessly and erroneously.

This kind of Buddhist bigshot is essentially a neophyte. Unfortunately, many do exist. For example, when some people talk about the Diamond Sutra, they deny any holy realization powers. They even stomp the effigies of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the temples, calling them useless conditioned Dharma made of mud and wood. Monk Danxia, for example, burnt a wooden Buddha.

On the other hand, when others talk about holy capabilities and dharma power, they deny the nature of emptiness. They say the deities abound in the space three feet above the head. One can only attain accomplishment if one believes in the deities. These people have descended to the two extreme views—nihilism and eternalism. They haven’t even reached the walls of Buddhism.

Here is a real example. There was a dharma master who had specialized in studying the Diamond Sutra and the Surangama Sutra. When he was taking the Eight-wind Array holy test, the proctor masters asked him how much confidence he had in getting the level. He answered confidently: “I have been chanting and studying the Diamond Sutra for 31 years. All conditioned dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. We should have a view like that. The Eight-wind Array is also a Conditioned Dharma. I will cut out the Buddha if a Buddha appears, and I will cut out the demon if a demon appears. As long as I don’t have an attachment in my mind, I can pass the test for any level I want. If I can’t even pass the Eight-wind Array, where are my dharma nature and true thusness, which has no form of man or myself? In the dharma nature, are there bad things to abstain from or good deeds to do? Are there terror and the aggregate of suffering? All are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, let alone an array which is a conditioned dharma.”

So, on that day, the dharma master went into the holy test, full of an air of righteousness, chanting loudly, “All conditioned dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows. They are like dewdrops and lightning. One should hold such a view.” Just as he went in front of the gate of the Eight-wind Array, he was engulfed in the Samsara Black Region (輪迴黑界) by the strong wind inside the array. He could see the green-colored Safety and Pure Region (i.e., the Auspicious Region) was only a few steps away, but he couldn’t go in even though he tried a few rounds. So, he just held his palms together and knelt to chant the Diamond Sutra. As he was chanting, suddenly, he fell on the ground, in a seizure, spitting out white foams. The four great guards brought his body out of the array and laid it on the grass. Wangzha Shangzun practiced Dharma and revived him. The first thing the dharma master said was: “Did I go into the Auspicious Zone? It is incredible! That is an Unconditioned Dharma that transcends the nature of emptiness.” When the seven holy beings and the ten gurus heard it, they couldn’t know whether to laugh or cry because it was nonsense, spoken by a novice who knew nothing about sutras, teachings, or the truth of Buddha Dharma. He was not enlightened with the truth in the Diamond Sutra expounded by the World-Honored One. He never realized the non-duality or oneness of the true thusness, dharma nature, and the state of the holy realization powers. Therefore, he mistakenly viewed “abstaining from what’s bad and doing what’s good” as violating true thusness dharma nature. That dharma master didn’t understand the principle where causality never errs; how could he be called a dharma master? Such people abound nowadays.

You should pay attention to another type of person and never go near them. They form factions and gangs and create trouble. They praise themselves but slander others. Their words and deeds reveal they are not good masters and have no essential moral capacity.

Speaking of lineage, none of us can deny that the most excellent lineage is that of Shakyamuni Buddha. Which Buddhist disciple is not from Shakyamuni Buddha’s lineage? But the evil masters and liars cover their ugly faces with H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. They all brandish the grand flag of the Buddha, calling themselves Buddhists. The one who truly takes the rap is Shakyamuni Buddha. All those so-called Buddhists pretend to be so pious in front of the Buddha’s image. They all say they practice cultivation according to the teachings and precepts of the Buddha. But in which sutra did Buddha ever tell them to commit deceit or deceive people in mysterious, violent, and sinful ways? There is no remote chance for them to try to disdain the Buddha!

Some people claimed to be a close disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and a great holy being. They try to deceive people with that. Yes, they do get to see H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III quite often. From the outside, it appears they are a close disciple. But you have forgotten what H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said: “Don’t believe that someone is a good master or a holy being easily. There are too many liars and evil masters in society. Also, don’t think that just because someone can often see me, they are a good master. Don’t think that all my disciples are good men. Many of them are bad people! You need to understand a principle. Is it true that Shakyamuni Buddha only edified good people and never edified bad people? Would I not go about benefiting living beings like the World-Honored One? Do I not teach someone because they are a bad master? If I did not interact with masters, whether good or bad, and I cut off my conversation with them, be they good or bad, how would I educate them? But many of those bad people I edified have not yet changed much. It seems that I, one who cannot even be called a small holy one but an ordinary person, have no qualification to teach those who called themselves a great holy being!”

H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III scolded our Headquarters and said the Headquarters had previously set the titles carelessly. After looking at the certificates of holy and virtuous ones issued a few years back, Wangzha Shangzun also harshly criticized the leaders, high monks, and the holy and virtuous ones of the International United World Buddhism Association Headquarters for irresponsibly issuing those certificates. Our Headquarters reviewed ourselves. Yes, the rules for the qualification test before were too loose. There was also no tremendous holy being of the Shangzun level to preside over the test. The titles were not very precise either. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III strongly disliked the titles we came up with a few years ago. He said that since there was no written test on Tripitaka—i.e., Sutra, Vinaya, and Sastra—from the Headquarters, there was no confirmation on the candidate’s foundation in the meaning of the teachings. Therefore, He could only identify with 2% to 3% of the holy ones we had certified! He said: “How is it possible that there are so many holy beings? Among all those people whom you have issued the certificate of holiness to, maybe only 2% of them are holy!” Therefore, with Wangzha Shangzun presiding, the Headquarters has solemnly tightened the test by establishing the appropriate titles that match the status of the candidates. The holy test is presided over by Wangzha Shangzun and assisted by Mozhi Jiaozun, Dharma King Gar Tongstan, and Kaichu Ruzun.

Some people say: “I cannot understand why H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s Dharma discourses have publicly edified evil masters and liars. Why don’t they practice according to the teachings?” How dare you say that! You should ask yourselves. Why do you always not listen to the warnings by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III? Being even more stupid and shameless, you wrote to the Sangha Association and said some cheaters lie to people. You also said why you want to cover the evilness of those evil people or liars and not report them. You even said that if you went to report on them, then H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III would be involved in the scandal.

What is the difference between you who say these words and the evil people? You must make clear one principle. These liars are deceiving people in the name of Buddhists, aren’t they? It is a different story if they aren’t, but since they are, they are indeed Buddhist disciples, or more precisely, they are the disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Why don’t you say Shakyamuni Buddha, the Lord of Buddhism, will be involved in the scandal? Why don’t you say Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva will be involved in the scandal? Make no mistake! Since the evil people deceive others when brandishing the sign of being Buddhist disciples, all these swindlers are the disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha, aren’t they? Shakyamuni Buddha talked about how terrible the evil teachings were. He said that evilness and Buddhism are opposites. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III not only has said innumerable times in the audio recording of the Dharma discourses and the public announcements about the evil essence of evil people, but He also teaches people how to distinguish and prevent bad people and liars. Then, why don’t you say Shakyamuni Buddha is involved in a scandal? Why do you say H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is involved in a scandal?

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is upright and selfless and benefits people. The words He said, printed beneath the contrasting photos published by the Dharma Voice Publishing LLC, point out unequivocal views. Besides, the 128 views and understanding, a mirror that exposes evil people, show the words and deeds of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Even the most terrible liar or evil people cannot sully H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, who has the words and deeds of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. It is just Shakyamuni Buddha, the World-Honored One, whose words and deeds had nothing to do with the liars. If you believe that bad people can sully His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III, which of the six realms would you say you should belong to? That is like saying a certain Buddhist is wrong, so Shakyamuni Buddha must also be an evil man. If, let’s say, there are some terrible people and cheaters in a country, then must the leader of that country also be an evil man and a cheater?

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III teaches disciples to do good deeds and abstain from evil deeds. But still, some disciples do nothing but cheat people illegally. Is that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s fault? The view of those who say H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III will be involved in the scandal is shameless, baseless, and dirty. Not to say the dirt could never sully the Buddha, even if some dirty, stinky water spills over the body of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III or Shakyamuni Buddha, it will become the most fragrant holy Amrit because Shakyamuni Buddha’s sutras are immense and immeasurably bright, and the audio recordings of the Dharma discourses given by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III have circulated in the world. The public announcements often remind people that those who hear the gossip about H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III getting involved in the scandal should look at and check the views, words, and deeds of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. If they understand deeply, they will know that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is most fairly and selflessly benefiting all living beings and that His actual views, Buddha Dharma, and teachings shine with infinite brightness. Aren’t the words and deeds of the Buddha dustless and shiny like that?

The wrong people have already thrown dirty water at H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. For example, the bad people said H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III had forged the certificates of recognition. Think about it. It may be possible to forge one or two, keep them in hiding, and show them only to a few people without trouble. Who dares to forge over one hundred letters of recognition, corroboration, and congratulation? Besides, it has been ten years since they became public. They have continuously been published online through those years.

You can try to publish a few forged documents online publicly. You will immediately be sued. Why has no one who offered a recognition letter sued H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III? Because these letters are not forged recognition letters. They are genuine and authentic; they were written by the dharma kings, regent dharma kings, and rinpoches. There was indeed one immoral dharma king who said he had not written the recognition letter. But why did he not dare to sue? Because he knew that if he had sued, he would have been lawfully investigated. People will find that the recognition letter he wrote and its envelope still carry his fingerprints and many other pieces of evidence. He is not a real dharma king at all, but just a bucket of filthy water. Still, he can not sully H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The more anyone tries to sully the Buddha, the brighter the Buddha becomes.

If you encounter a wicked person or a liar who wrecks the teachings and precepts of Shakyamuni Buddha, who does not practice cultivation following the teachings of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, who does bad deeds, who is evil by cheating others, or who violates a particular item of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s teachings to hurt people, you should report that person.

Wangzha Shangzun said: “A person said to me: ‘H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is a regular person like us. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III admitted it by Himself. I don’t know if I should listen to the audio recordings of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s Dharma discourses to guide my practice and cultivation. Chang Buddha only teaches us how to abstain from bad deeds and do good deeds. On the other hand, even Jianhui, the famous Buddhist nun who could fly, also said Wangzha Shangzun’s dharma powers are profound, and no regular high monk could compare. What Jianhui Shangren said makes a lot of sense. I also think that since Shangzun can invoke the responses from the three continents and preside over the holy tests, you are a great holy being. Could you give us Initiation and teach us what we can practice so that we can ensure to attain accomplishment in this lifetime?’

“After hearing what they said, I, a humbled monk with a meaningless title, feel completely undeserving of these words. I can, at most, reach a tiny bit of knowledge that fits in a slit between the teeth of the Buddha Master. Do you understand how different the gurus of Initiation could be and how far a gap exists between them? The initiations that I give, compared to the initiations that Namo Chang Buddha gives, to be practical, are only 5% the transmission power, empowerment power, and siddhi power of those of the initiations given by the Buddha Master. You guys are so muddle-minded to such a degree that I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. You people do not normally protect the Dharma; you just stand on the sideline and watch those individual clowns and bad people slandering the Buddha Master and feel nothing about it. Such unworthy disciples as you are nothing but trash in the world of Buddhism. How can you expect to learn a great Dharma? How can your behavior constitute the karmic origin for receiving a holy Dharma? I heard your thoughts today. All I can say is you are evil and pathetic. In Buddhist history, who other than H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has truly shown achievements in Five Vidyas as decreed in the Buddhist sutras? Which one has accomplished it? In Buddhist history, which person has done it like the Buddha, who rejuvenated Himself from an appearance of seventy or eighty years old in less than twenty minutes? Let alone for a few minutes. Who could rejuvenate themselves in a matter of a few days? Most of all, it is undeniable that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has been determined to be an ancient Buddha who descended to this world by the supreme great Dharma of Vajra Faman (金剛法曼法) in public! You tell me, is He an ordinary person? Even I must always listen to the audio recordings of the Dharma discourses as a guide for my advancement. You are so stupid and ignorant…”

Wangzha Shangzun said: “You must treat it seriously. For a master, what level are they? Are they correct or evil? If you look at their pompous titles and status or whose disciple they are to determine whether they are correct or evil, then you are finished. To accurately determine if someone is correct or evil, holy or ordinary, you must examine the robe they wear bearing the level buttons and the certificate issued by the United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters. They are the standard!
Additionally, you must use the 128 views H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III taught as the demon-exposing mirror to validate all Buddhist people! If you still do not examine a so-called holy being and Buddhist cultivator by the correct views and understanding, but mistakenly think some master with the status of a venerable, great dharma king, great rinpoche, or great dharma master, who has authored a lot of books to expound Buddha Dharma or can talk smoothly, to be a good guru and a good man, then I firmly believe you will degenerate ultimately from this lifetime on without time for liberation! Because you have been mesmerized by evil masters, you will walk on the wrong path for life and descend to an evil realm forever.”

This Headquarters reminds people to pay attention again. There are many evil masters and liars. There are three typical traits among them. When you validate the master against these three traits, the evil masters and liars will expose themselves.

The first trait is that they arrogate to themselves the title of a holy master, but they don’t know the actual teachings of Dharma. They are afraid to take the test, so they cannot get the robe bearing the level buttons and the certificate. That says they are a piece of scrap metal and not gold. Would they fear being smelt in the fire if they were actual gold? Would they be afraid of being tested on the touchstone?

The second trait is that some people take the test but only get a low level. As such, they do not wear robes indicating their level when doing Buddhist work or interacting with other Buddhist cultivators. That is because they want to avoid being seen by their disciples and cover their shortcomings. That is ugly and dirty behavior. Such people, whether they are great dharma kings or venerables, are all evil demons!

Why does such a master dare to do so? Because they are essentially a selfish liar. How do they not dare? People hailed them as venerables, great dharma kings, great rinpoches, or great dharma masters before taking the test, or they shamelessly put on the air as eminent monks or holy beings and feigned as Buddhist disciples. But the essence of that master is not what you think. They are not sacred beings but selfish, greedy, ordinary men. Their external, much-vaunted status cannot represent their inner essence; it does not say if they are authentic, fake, holy, or ordinary. Even if the presiding dharma king or venerable says somebody is sacred, it does not count either because that presiding dharma king or great venerable themselves was a child who was artificially selected.

Then, who can say it definitively? Only when a Dharma is performed in public, with the approval of the Yidam, can the result count. Whether a master is correct or evil, they must take the test for a confident and definitive result. Therefore, there are people who, after taking the test and having received a low level, become so embarrassed that their faces blush and their hands and feet tremble. That kind of person is afraid of being discovered by others to be essentially an ordinary person, which is different than the great and holy being that they had portrayed themselves to be before. To save their selfish and greedy face, they know their only and best way is not to wear the robe that indicates their level. They only have one goal: to fake it and make it convenient for them to pretend to be great holy beings and continue their deceit to others. To say it bluntly, these people who wear Buddhist outfits, whether a supreme dharma king, a venerable, a great rinpoche, a great dharma master, or even a regular Buddhist disciple, are not qualified to be a Buddhist master. They are not even qualified to be a Buddhist disciple or even a good person. These people, who do not wear the robes that indicate their levels, sit on the dharma rostrum receiving people, thinking they are pretty smart themselves by avoiding being seen by others. They are too pathetic!

There is a type of master who uses the Fifty Stanzas on Devotion to Guru to control their disciples. Wangzha Shangzun said: “How so quickly Buddhist disciples have forgotten! H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has announced that the Fifty Stanzas on Devotion to Guru teaches to respect Buddhas and Bodhisattvas but is also a protective umbrella used by evil masters and liars to shield themselves. It is a fatal virus the evil masters have in their palms. It has been used by a lot of evil masters and liars to control their disciples and deceive Buddhist cultivators. If a guru is good, that guru must be bright, upright, and selflessly benefiting living beings. They will never consider how their disciples examine them. What is the use for the Fifty Stanzas, then? What is the need for the first precept of the Fourteen Fundamental Precepts of Tantra? The masters use them to force the disciples to be unconditionally loyal to themselves.” H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III also said: “A master who is learning with me could be deceiving people, no matter how noble status they have on the outside.”

The third trait of the evil masters and liars is that they will go for the whole thing by wearing a robe with a false level and forging a fake certificate of a higher level of holiness. But they don’t know that this Headquarters will answer inquiries about the masters. Suppose someone calls in or sends an email to ask whether a master has taken the test, what level they have achieved in the test, or what kind of and how many buttons they have obtained from the test. In that case, our Headquarters shall tell the inquirer factually whether that master took the test on the sutra teachings, or dharma power and holy capability, chanting sutras, prostration and repentance, doing Buddhist work, or helping others to listen to the audio recording of the Dharma discourses, or the knowledge in sutras and teachings. But the Headquarters will not reveal the master’s score from the one-hundred-question written test or the inquirer’s name to anyone. The (privacy of the) inquirer is 100% protected.

Therefore, as people find out about the conditions in this public announcement, those who are masters and those Buddhist cultivators can only be sincere, without being evil or deceptive, following the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and the teachings of Dharma by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, to practice your cultivation and to benefit living beings. Be a good person, a good Buddhist, and a good master, concretely and practically. That is the only bright way forward!

Take caution. Be careful. No matter how shiny or loud a person’s status is, it cannot prove their essence. The only way to be sure if someone is correct or evil, holy or ordinary, and if their dharma power and realization capability are deep or shallow is to examine their level. Additionally, they must be validated against the 128 views and knowledge. Only by these can one be definitively confirmed as genuine and not false.

The inquiring center’s phone number regarding the holy level certificate at the United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters is 626-789-1001. The email is uiwbahinquiry@gmail.com.

United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters

June 19, 2016

(Eric Huang translated this announcement into English on 2020-04-09 and last revised it on 2024-08-30.)