(The holy Drawing Lots from the Golden Urn has a total of twenty-one stipulated procedures, all indispensable. The holy Drawing Lots from the Golden Urn is different from conventional drawing lots from a golden urn. No one other than a true Great Holy Being of the Buddha and Bodhisattva level would dare to practice the holy Drawing Lots from the Golden Urn, no matter how high one’s status is. It is because one cannot succeed in practicing it unless one’s virtue is high enough.)
>>Dharma-stipulated procedure 1 – producing the lot preparers
In the Mahavira Hall, practicing Dharma, chanting sutras for seven days, and chanting the 21-Tara Sutra are indispensable. On the eighth day, it is open to public inspection, the uncovering of the terma treasure is held, and great holy and virtuous people are recommended to retrieve the terma, which is the Green Tara Mirror Altar’s treasured mirror (demon-reflecting mirror), to purify the altar. On the ninth day, the holy Drawing of Lots from the Golden Urn officially starts, and the lot preparers must be produced according to strict rules. As many paper balls are rolled as the number of people attending the Dharma assembly, the papers marked with numbers 1 to 13 are shown to the public and then kneaded into paper balls in public and mixed into all the paper balls. Everyone participating in the Dharma assembly draws one paper ball; those who get paper balls numbered 1 to 13 are the 13 lot preparers. Among these 13 people, the person who gets the paper ball marked with 13 will seal the Dharma script, and the remaining 12 will make the lots.
After the 12 lot preparers wash their hands, they will begin to practice making the lots.
In the afternoon, the 12 lot preparers wash their hands again and take their seats in front of the lot preparation table already set up outside the main door of the Grand Hall. At this time, all the titled divination labels, ivory divination cards, divination sticks, divination sleeves, and the two sealed, black opaque envelopes containing the two recitation rituals ready for determination will all be handed to the lot preparers.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 2: Defining the type of determination to be made by drawing the lots
Suppose the presiding lot drawer is a renowned Tremendously Holy One. In that case, the precentor should directly announce: “The congregation respectfully invites the Tremendously Holy Guru to ascend to the Dharma throne and impart Dharma!” If it is uncertain whether the presiding lot drawer is a Holy Guru, then the precentor should announce: “The presiding lot drawer will explain the circumstances for drawing the lots.”
At this time, the presiding lot drawer explains the circumstances for drawing the lots, indicating what matters will be determined by conducting the holy Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn: whether a particular Dharma rule is correct or evil; whether a Dharma script or verse is holy or mundane; whether a certain significant Buddhist event is authentic or false; whether the reincarnation status of a great rinpoche is true or false; and so forth.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 3: Inviting the Golden Urn into the Grand Hall
The precentor announces: “Ring the bell, beat the drum, blow the horn, and hit the Dharma gong at once!”
The precentor announces: “The congregation respectfully invites the Golden Urn to enter the Grand Hall!”
The congregation respectfully greets the Golden Urn, which is carried into the Grand Hall and placed on the altar table. The door at the top of the pagoda that houses the Golden Urn will be opened. The Golden Urn is taken out and placed on the altar table.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 4: Secretly packaging and sealing the Dharma scripts to be placed on the lot-preparation table
The recitation texts, Dharma manuals, or rituals that need to be definitively determined are placed on the lot-preparation table. Take, for example, the determination of whether the various kinds of Dharma manuals or recitation texts are correct or not: Today, if the Selection is to determine which of the two versions of recitation texts—a traditional recitation versus a revised and restored version—is correct and which is incorrect, which one is true Dharma and which one is evil, then two clean trays of different colors must be placed on the two ends of the altar table, one on the left and the other one on the right.
The precentor announces: “Secretly insert the items for determination into additional envelopes and seal them securely. Set up the clean trays on the left and the right sides!”
Each of the two recitation texts has already been inserted into a black, opaque envelope that was previously sealed. From the outside, the two items look identical; there isn’t the slightest difference between them. No one, not even the person chosen to enclose and seal the Dharma manuals, can see the contents of the sealed envelopes. While the 12 lot preparers monitor, the envelope thrower takes 108 yellow envelopes from a wooden box and throws them into the air. The envelopes scatter all over the satin cloth on the floor, turning into a chaotic mess. Without pausing, the envelope-sealer instantly dashes into the center and picks up two yellow envelopes randomly. In front of the congregation, the envelope-sealer then inserts the two black envelopes, each containing a recitation text, into the two yellow envelopes respectively and seals them securely on the spot. This action prevents the presiding lot drawer or anyone else from seeing the ones containing the traditional and the corrected recitation text.
After the recitation texts have been securely sealed a second time and the congregation has acknowledged that there is no difference between the two envelopes, the items are placed separately onto the two clean trays on the left and the right, as stipulated by the Dharma. Throughout the procedure, neither the lot preparers nor the presiding lot drawer can open the sealed packets containing the recitation texts! Neither the Holy Gurus nor the ordinary people in the congregation can differentiate which packet contains the traditional recitation ritual and which contains the corrected version what was restored to its original purity. Throughout the proceedings, the presiding lot drawer is only entitled to take an oath, declare that their mind is pure, draw lots, and explicate the Dharma regarding the procedures. They cannot take part in any other procedures. Even the congregation must avoid encountering the presiding lot drawer. The lot preparation must take place outside the door of the Grand Hall. The presiding Holy Guru is not allowed to participate or even take a glimpse. By the time the presiding lot drawer starts drawing lots, all the divination sticks will already have been sealed several times, inserted into the Namchu Wangden Vajra Treasure Urn [Translator’s note: 朗久旺丹金剛寶瓶 in Chinese], and covered by the lid.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 5: Opening the Urn and explicating the essence of the Dharma.
The precentor announces: “The congregation respectfully beseeches the presiding lot drawer to open the Urn and explicate the essence of the Dharma!”
The presiding lot drawer explicates the text on the 12 titled divination labels for the congregation.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 6: Inspecting and verifying the four types of divination components.
The 12 lot preparers put the four types of divination components, i.e., the titled divination labels, the ivory divination cards, the divination sticks for holding the divination cards, and the cloth divination sleeves for holding the divination sticks, separately into individual trays on the lot preparation table outside the door of the Grand Hall of Shakyamuni Buddha.
The precentor announces: “The congregation comes forward to pay obeisance, examine, and verify!”
At this time, the congregation comes forward to examine and verify the details of the appearances and contents of the four types of divination components. First, they view what was written on each of the divination cards. Second, they view the ivory divination cards. Third, they view the divination sticks. Fourth, they view the divination sleeves. They must verify whether all the items within the four components are identical and whether extraneous substances are in the sleeves.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 7: Respectfully requesting the descent of the Vajra Treasure Urn from the altar table. The congregation will pay their respects and view it.
The precentor announces: “The congregation respectfully requests the descent of the Vajra Treasure Urn from the altar table for it to be seated on the lot preparation table!”
At this time, the presiding lot drawer retrieves the Vajra Treasure Urn from the center of the Golden Vase. One of the 12 lot preparers respectfully receives and holds the Vajra Treasure Urn and places it on the lot preparation table.
The precentor announces: “Congregation members may respectfully hold and view the Vajra Treasure Urn!”
At this time, congregation members pay their respects and, with clean hands, gently hold the Namchu Wangdan Vajra Treasure Urn to view it. They must not taint or scratch the Urn. Otherwise, that sin will cause them to develop negative karma and hindrances.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 8: Lot preparers form groups and determine group orders.
The precentor announces: “The 12 lot preparers responsible for carrying out the Dharma procedures will form groups and determine the group order!”
The 12 lot preparers form three groups according to the sequential order of the numbers on the paper balls they picked earlier. Each group is comprised of four people. They will take their seats at the lot-preparation table.
Each group will then draw a paper ball from three paper balls marked with the numbers 1, 2, and 3 to decide the order they will be in.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 9: Secret sealing of the divination cards. Declaring the vow.
The precentor announces: “Among the three groups of lot preparers, members of Group 1 take their seats at the lot-preparation table. Members of Group 2 and Group 3 return to the congregation!”
While being monitored by the congregation, the four members of Group 1 take their seats at the lot preparation table. Respectfully, solemnly, and conscientiously, they will then affix each pair of identically marked divination labels onto both sides of each ivory divination card consistently without errors. (If the divination card denotes “true Dharma and correct nature,” then both sides of the card will show the same. If the divination card denotes “evil nature,” then both sides of the card will show the same.) Whenever a lot-maker finishes sticking the labels onto a divination card, they immediately chant the one-word Vajra Mantra and wrap a piece of Dharma paper around it. After the 12 divination cards have all been wrapped, the divination cards can no longer be seen. A member from Group 1 will then place all the 12 ivory divination cards and sticks wrapped in Dharma paper onto a tray and set it on the altar table. No one, including the presiding lot drawer, is allowed to unwrap the Dharma paper to view the divination cards.
Now, this is a particularly solemn and important moment. No matter how high the status of the presiding lot drawer is, They must take an oath to clearly state the purity of the two aspects of Their mind to the Yidam and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas while standing in front of the 12 wrapped divination cards and sticks. This oath must be taken in front of the congregation, as well as the Holy Dharma Protectors on duty overseeing the 12 links of dependent origination:
“With purity of mind, I hereby declare, under oath, that I, the lot drawer, have the status of __________________. I honestly declare the first aspect of my mind’s purity: I have never deceived Buddhas, Maternal Holy Beings, Vajra Beings, Bodhisattvas, or Dharma Protectors. I honestly declare the second aspect of my mind’s purity: I have never deceived anyone in this world. Everything I do is based on abstaining from evil and doing all kinds of good deeds. I have never transmitted evil dharmas. I have only transmitted mundane Dharmas and holy Dharmas according to Buddhist teachings and discipline. All truths in the Dharma that I have explicated have always been correct teachings, correct Dharma, correct precepts, and correct conduct. However, there have been unintentional errors in my language. I have never performed false initiations; they were only true initiations per the Dharma.
“As a __________________ Holy Guru drawing the lots this time, I declare my pure virtue as stated above. This statement is what I declare, under oath, to all Buddhas and Holy Beings in the ten directions. The words I speak are from my heart. If my above statement contains false words, my drawing of the lots will not be efficacious. If I am truthful, the Yidam and the Holy Dharma Protectors will respond to my invocation at the holy Drawing Lots from Golden Urn to accurately determine the nature of the truth of the Dharma. This is my oath, my honest declaration, and my sincere wish. Lot drawer: __________________ Holy Guru __________________ .”
(Beware: The wording of this oath is of the highest standard, meant for a lot drawer Who is a Tremendously Great Holy Guru, i.e., a Buddha, an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva, or a Marvelous Enlightenment Bodhisattva. A lot drawer who is a regular Holy Guru does not possess this kind of virtue, and consequently, any part of this oath that does not apply to the presiding lot drawer must be deleted. Otherwise, the lot drawer will openly lie to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas before the congregation. Naturally, the result of the lot drawing will not be accurate! However, a regular lot drawer must also clearly declare the two aspects of the purity of their mind. The first aspect is whether they have ever deceived Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Holy Beings. The second aspect is whether they have ever deceived people in the world, including by transmitting false Buddha Dharma, and whether they are cultivating themself and benefiting living beings through their deeds. When expressing the purity of their mind in taking this oath, they do so with explicit detail, and they must recite it aloud. They must not recite silently. Otherwise, the lots that they draw will not be accurate.)
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 10: Shuffling the lots.
The precentor announces: “The first group of lot preparers now returns to the congregation. Members of the second group take their seats.”
After the presiding lot drawer takes Their oath and declares Their wishes, the divination cards must still remain wrapped. After the divination cards have been placed onto the lot preparation table, a yellow, opaque satin cloth will be placed on top of the table to cover the divination cards and sticks.
The precentor announces: “The second group returns to the congregation. Members of the third group take their seats.”
One person from the third group walks up to the lot preparation table. After being blindfolded in front of the congregation, this person reaches their hands under the satin cloth. The satin cloth must not be lifted. With their hands underneath the satin cloth, this person holds the top end of the Dharma paper wrapped around each divination card, then shakes the 12 cards loose from the paper. The divination cards are now scattered inside the tray underneath the satin cloth. This person will then withdraw their hands from underneath the satin cloth, remove the blindfold, and return to their seat.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 11: Reshuffling the lots
The precentor announces: “The third group proceeds to the lot preparation table to shuffle the lots.”
At this time, members of the third group put their hands on the satin cloth and shuffle the divination sticks from outside the cloth. The satin cloth still must not be lifted.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 12: Inserting the divination cards into the divination sticks according to rules stipulated by the Dharma
The precentor announces: “The third group returns to the congregation. The four people from the second group proceed to the lot preparation table and insert the divination cards into divination sticks as stipulated by the Dharma.”
The four lot preparers each take turns reaching into the divination stick tray covered with a rectangular strip of yellow satin cloth, then pick one divination stick from the tray. The preparer then uses the other hand to reach into the tray of divination cards, which is also covered by the same piece of satin cloth, picking one divination card among the cards shuffled earlier. The preparers must not lift the yellow satin cloth to see. With their hands underneath the satin, they must rely on their sense of touch to carefully insert each divination card into the 2mm-wide opening of each divination stick. Once that is done, to avoid having the divination card fall off from the divination stick, each lot preparer must use their thumb to block the top opening before taking out the divination card and the stick from the cloth-covered tray. After ensuring that no trace of the divination card can be seen, the preparer uses white rosin or other kind of clean tape to seal the opening into which the divination card was inserted. Throughout this entire procedure, there is not a one-in-a-million chance that the preparers inserting the divination cards into the divination sticks can see the content of the divination cards. Once all 12 divination sticks have been sealed with tape, the 12 divination cards will all be placed vertically on the same tray for the congregation to see if their dimensions are identical and without the slightest difference.
The precentor asks all Buddhist disciples in the Grand Hall: “Can you tell which divination card denotes the holy recitation text and which divination card denotes the mundane, incorrect, and evil recitation text? Do not make guesses. If you speak falsehoods or nonsense, you will generate significant negative karma and certainly be met with negative retribution.”
The congregation replies: ______
At this time, if anyone says that they can distinguish the content of one of the divination cards, the precentor will openly address this person: “The 12 divination cards, including the one which you say you can recognize, will be mixed with all the other divination cards. Among the 12 cards, you must prove what you say is true by accurately picking the card you say you can recognize. Otherwise, you are merely grandstanding, deliberately making up deceptive nonsense and taking advantage of the congregation. That also means you are a liar deceiving people, hoping they will admire you. As a result, you will certainly face bad retribution.”
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 13: Putting the divination sleeves into the Vajra Treasure Urn.
The precentor announces: “The second group now returns to the congregation. The four people from the third group get ready to put the divination cards and the sticks into the divination sleeves.”
The four people from the third group are not allowed to open the seal of the divination sticks. They will directly insert each set consisting of one divination card and one stick into a yellow satin divination sleeve. Each person responsible for putting the paired divination card and stick inside a sleeve will decide whether the set will be inserted right side up or upside down. However, they must be careful not to tear the sleeve. Even though the lot preparers cannot make any markings, the sleeves containing the lots must be placed into the Vajra Treasure Urn with the openings facing the bottom of the Urn to prevent the presiding lot drawer from seeing the lots inside the sleeves. In this way, no trace of the divination cards and sticks can be seen from the opening of the Urn. From the top of the Vajra Treasure Urn, it can be seen that the identical sleeves completely conceal all the lots. Once it has been established that all the 12 divination sleeves are exactly the same, the lots will again be placed vertically inside the Urn so that the congregation can see and verify whether all the covered lots are of the same height. If they are not identical in height, they will be removed from the sleeves immediately and examined to see if any extraneous substance inside the sleeves, such as cotton lint, could have caused the difference. Any differences will be corrected immediately until the lots are identical in height. Only after they are perfected as per the stipulation of the Dharma will they be placed inside the Vajra Treasure Urn. After the lid is placed on top of the Vajra Treasure Urn at the lot preparation table, the Urn is sent into the Grand Hall of Shakyamuni Buddha and placed onto the lot drawing altar table.
At this moment, the presiding lot drawer still cannot open the lid of the Vajra Treasure Urn. The Vajra Treasure Urn is directly placed inside the Golden Vase until the lots are ready to be drawn during the Dharma-stipulated Procedure 16.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 14: Presenting the Dharma ritual texts to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The precentor announces: “The Holy Guru Who requested that the Holy Determination be conducted will now read aloud the content of the Dharma ritual’s texts They are presenting to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and respectfully request the Yidam and Dharma Protectors to determine the natures of the recitation texts through the holy Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn.”
The Holy Dharma king, Holy Rinpoche, or Great Dharma Master who requested that the Holy Determination be conducted will have already prepared copies of the two Dharma rituals, each with different text and meaning. This requester will now recite the contents aloud inside the Grand Hall and present the contents to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. After the texts have been read aloud, the copies will be burned in the Altar’s cauldron as a prayer request to the Yidam and Dharma Protectors to seek Their determination of whether the two Dharma rituals are true Dharma of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and whether their natures are holy or mundane.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 15: Performing Dharma and chanting Scriptures.
The presiding lot drawer will practice Dharma and make a prayer request to the Yidam and Dharma Protectors for Their determination of whether the natures of the rituals are holy or mundane based on causality.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 16: The Holy Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn, Placing the lots onto the trays.
The precentor announces: “As per the Dharma, pick a paper ball to determine whether the first lot to be drawn will be assigned to the recitation text Dharma ritual on the left or the right tray.”
At this time, the lot greeter, one of the 12 lot preparers, will pick a paper ball. The paper ball will indicate whether the first lot to be drawn will be assigned to the left or the right tray. While monitored by Buddhists in the congregation, the presiding lot drawer can then take the lid off the Namchu Wangdan Vajra Treasure Urn. The presiding lot drawer will shuffle the lots, draw the first lot, and immediately hand it to the lot greeter. The lot greeter then places the lot on the tray as indicated by the paper ball. If the paper ball indicates that the first lot should be placed on the left tray, then the second lot will be placed on the right tray. With the alternate placement of each lot on the left and right trays, by the time the eighth lot has been drawn, there will be four lots on each tray. These are the eight lots controlled by the Yidam. At this time, the lot drawer will stop drawing lots and put the lid back on the Vajra Treasure Urn. (The precentor must remind the presiding lot drawer to put the lid back on the Vajra Treasure Urn.)
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 17: The congregation views the opening of the lots and bears witness to the outcome of the determination.
The precentor announces: “The 12 lot preparers proceed to the front to open the lots. All congregation members come forward to view the outcome of the lot drawing and witness whether the eight drawn lots denote the nature of the subject matter as correct or erroneous, true or false!”
While the congregation of the Dharma Assembly monitors it, the 12 lot preparers retrieve the lots from the divination sleeves, break open the tapes on top of the divination sticks and let the labeled divination cards fall directly onto the trays. The hands of the preparers must not come near the divination cards. Congregation members will personally view, examine, and verify whether all four cards on each tray have identical text. When the divination cards are removed from the divination sticks, the eight divination cards must not be misplaced to cause any mix-up.
Suppose the Yidam confirms a recitation text of the Dharma ritual as true Dharma and holy in nature. In that case, the text on all four divination cards will denote “holy.” Likewise, when the Dharma ritual’s recitation text is determined to be mundane or contains sinful errors or evil teachings, the text on all four divination cards will denote “sinfully erroneous” or “mundane.” If the text on one of the cards is inconsistent, there are issues in both Dharma manuals. It is just that one contains more sinful errors than the other.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 18: Re-examining the lots rigorously.
The precentor announces: “The eight lots have been verified. The presiding lot drawer is a Tremendously Holy Guru, not a regular Holy Guru. All disciples respectfully request the Tremendously Holy Guru to draw the four Dharma Protectors Lots.”
Eight of the twelve lots have been drawn. The Yidam determined these eight lots. The four lots that remain to be drawn are governed by the Dharma Protectors of the subject matter being determined.
At this time, a paper ball will again be picked to determine the tray to which the first lot will be attributed. After this is determined, the Tremendously Great Holy Guru must retrieve the Namchu Wangden Mantra Wheel Vajra Treasure Urn that contains the remaining four lots from the Golden Vase, then either directly hold the Treasure Urn up by hand or place the Treasure Urn on the altar table. The Tremendously Great Holy Guru will draw two more lots for each tray. All four lots are drawn and placed respectively onto the two trays.
The precentor announces: “Open the lots for verification. All Buddhist disciples monitor and bear witness to the outcome!”
The last two lots must match the previous four for any Dharma ritual manual or recitation text to be deemed pure and holy. Only when the text of all six lots is the same can the nature of an item be affirmed as holy. This condition is also true for any item ascertained as mundane, evil and sinfully erroneous, or a mixture of evil and correct contents that have been tampered with by evil demons, evil masters or charlatans. The outcome of all six lots must be the same; not even one can be a mismatch.
If any mismatch happens, such as a divination card denoting “evil” is misplaced among divination cards denoting “correct,” then all the lots must be re-sealed in front of the congregation. A second round of lot drawing must be conducted. Suppose the outcome of the second round matches that of the first round. In that case, it proves that the 12 Virtue-Induced Lots were drawn successfully, and the presiding lot drawer is truly a Tremendously Holy Guru, namely a Buddha or Mahasattva. If the determination does not affirm the recitation text of the Dharma ritual as holy, and it is determined that the text is erroneous and sinful, then such text must be reviewed and revised. After the correction, a date must be set for another Holy Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn to be held.
After the 12 lots from the first round have yielded an outcome showing six identical divination cards on each tray, the 12 divination cards must then be re-inserted into the divination sticks. All the lots will again be placed into their cloth sleeves, head in first (i.e., the end of the divination card goes into the sleeve first). Afterward, the Tremendously Holy Guru will draw the lots a second time. Suppose the 12 lots drawn in the second round yield two sets of six identical cards, each on a tray, without any mismatches or errors, and the outcome is the same as the first round. In that case, the recitation text of the Dharma ritual is confirmed as holy in nature. This explanation is based on the example of using 12 lots to determine the nature of a morning and evening recitation text.
If the first and second rounds of lot drawing yield inconsistent outcomes, then no determination can be established. This result indicates that the Yidam, a Buddha or Bodhisattva, did not come to make any holy determination. Hence, this proves that the presiding lot drawer does not have the virtue of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. They may be an eminent monk or a great virtuous person with the title of Dharma king, master or great master. They certainly are not a Tremendously Holy Guru incarnated from a Buddha, an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva, or a Marvelous Enlightenment Bodhisattva. They are perhaps just a master who is an ordinary person.
Suppose it has been determined that the Dharma ritual text contains incorrect or sinful contents. Then, the text must again be reviewed and corrected until the drawing of twelve lots yields two sets of six identical cards denoting evil and correct, respectively, without any mismatches or errors. Only then is the Dharma ritual text directly confirmed by the Yidam as true and holy Buddha Dharma!
If both recitation texts contain sinful errors, it is necessary to respectfully beseech Holy Gurus of Buddha or Bodhisattva levels to emend the Dharma ritual text until it meets the standard to be holy — when the outcome yields six identical lots determining it to be holy. Suppose it is impossible to beseech an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva or a Marvelous Enlightenment Bodhisattva to rectify the recitation text. In that case, that is due to living beings lacking such good fortune and karmic conditions, and nothing can be done about it. Because we are determining the nature of a morning and evening recitation text, the Yidam of a morning and evening recitation text is always a Buddha, Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva, Marvelous Enlightenment Bodhisattva, Vajra Deity, Great Holy Dharma Protector, etc.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 19: Announcing the definitive determination.
The precentor announces: “The congregation respectfully beseeches the Tremendously Holy Guru to announce the final outcome of the definitive determination from today’s Holy Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn Dharma Assembly!”
The Tremendously Great Holy Guru announces the Dharma decree: “The definitive determination of the Holy Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn: the left side is _______, and the right side is _______.”
The precentor announces: “The congregation pays obeisance with sincere gratitude!”
The person who requested this determination, and all monastics and Buddhist disciples attending the Dharma Assembly, pay obeisance with sincere gratitude to the Tremendously Holy Guru for benefiting living beings, thank the Yidam for manifesting Their holy presence, and thank the Dharma Protectors for manifesting Their holy presence to ascertain the determination in accordance with causality. The congregation proceeds to pay obeisance and observes the presentation of offerings. At this time, congregation members may feel free to express their admiration or talk with one another. They cannot touch the holy divination lots or other Dharma objects with unclean hands.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 20: The Tremendously Holy Guru explicates Dharma to elucidate the principles regarding the recitation texts put through the determination.
The precentor announces: “The congregation respectfully beseeches the Tremendously Holy Guru, Who successfully performed the holy Drawing Lots from a Golden Urn, to tell the truth regarding the differences between the two kinds of Dharma texts!”
The presiding Tremendously Holy Guru explains the truth relating to the holy and mundane natures of the recitation texts to the congregation:
the differences between the correct and the evil versions,
where the errors lie and how the truth taught by the Buddha was violated, and
where the truth lies, and how it accords with the teachings of the Buddha.
>>Dharma-stipulated Procedure 21: Dedicating merits and respectfully bidding farewell to the Holy.
The precentor announces: “Dedicate merit and respectfully bid farewell to the Holy!”
The presiding Tremendously Holy Guru practices Dharma to express gratitude and recites the verse for dedicating merits: “The drawing of the Virtue-Induced Lots from the Golden Urn is to select true Dharma for the benefit of living beings. May all living beings have the holy affinity to practice holy Dharma and attain enlightenment.”
Recite the Mantra of Bidding Farewell to the Holy one time. Respectfully bid farewell to the Twenty-one Taras, the Legion of Dharma Protectors, the Dakinis, and the Holy Dharma Protectors. The facts will be recorded in testimonials. The original treasure items used for the Holy Determination will be collected and enshrined by the person who requested that this Holy Determination be conducted. The exact content of the holy Dharma recitation text that the Holy Determination has confirmed will be published. The recitation text will be widely disseminated per the Dharma and solemnly to cultivators piously learning from Buddha and whose affinity with Dharma has matured.
This concludes the Dharma Assembly. The congregation may celebrate this joyful event and enjoy vegetarian refreshments.
World Buddhism Association Headquarters
August 3, 2020
(Eric Huang translated this public announcement from Chinese to English. The translated version was reviewed by Justin Teaw, Swee Siew, Annie Wong, and Frankie Kok and was last edited on 2024-12-24.)