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San Francisco’s Hua Zang Si (Temple) hosted a solemn Dharma Assembly on September 10th, 2023, dedicated to paying deep respects to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva on the occasion of His holy birthday and also celebrating the Ullambana Festival. Under the guidance of Abbess Ruzun Ruohui, the congregation recited the Original Vows of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra to honor this special day. Attendees offered their heartfelt reverence to the Buddhas and prayed for blessings upon all sentient beings from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

To honor the Holy Birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, revered as the Pope of Buddhism, several prominent Buddhist organizations including the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, Holy Miracles Temple, Hua Zang Si, Benevolence Temple, and the Sanger Mission, jointly organized a Grand Dharma Assembly in Glendale, California. The two-day event took place on June 30th and July 1st, 2023, at the Glendale Civic Auditorium and attracted over a thousand Buddhists from around the world.

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.

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.

Buddha taught that all living beings have Buddha-nature, and that we shall treat them as family members and relatives. The World Buddhism Association Headquarters held a Dharma Assembly to release captive lives and pray for blessings on Buddha-Stipulated Lives-Releasing day. Presiding over the gathering was the Abbot of the Hua Zang Si Temple, Ruzun Ruohui. The congregation was jointly led through the service by the Vice Chairperson of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, Jiaozun Zhengda, who is also the Honorable Chairperson of the International Buddhism Sangha Association, and Dharma Master Juehui, the Abbot of the Sanger Mission Bodhi Monastery.

The conferment of the Pope of Buddhism to His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III originated in January 2018 when the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council passed the resolution to confer to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III the title of Pope of Buddhism, the highest leader of Buddhism in this world. However, His Holiness the Buddha refused to accept the conferment…

As early as January 2018, the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leaders Title Conferment Council came to the resolution to canonize H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as the Pope Of World Buddhism, but H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III refused to accept it. The World Buddhism Association Headquarters accepted the canonization order and the scepter for the purpose of broadcasting true Buddha Dharma and benefiting all living beings. When the World Buddhism Association Headquarters respectfully presented the canonization order as the Pope Of World Buddhism and the scepter to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said: “Shakyamuni Buddha sits majestically at the tip of the scepter. We should respect Nomo Shakyamuni Buddha.” Then He held the scepter high above the Head, holding palms with a single hand to signify respect. However, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha said that He is only a humbled practitioner of cultivation. He sternly refused the canonization and returned the order and the scepter to the two councils.

On February 9, 2020, there was a huge Vajra pestle of 420 pounds inside the Hall of Shakyamuni Buddha at the Holy Miracles Temple. That was the Supreme Holy Vajra Pestle that was placed on the Golden Step during a Dharma Assembly held two days earlier by Holy Gurus. Other than Tremendously Great Holy Gurus, no one in this world has ever been able to lift it one bit. Since the Supreme Holy Vajra Pestle was already placed onto the Golden Step, the Exam of Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform could not be conducted. This was because according to the Dharma rules, when this Pestle is on the Golden Step, the Vajra Hook cannot be used to lift any pestle. Otherwise, the rules would be violated. Everyone was very worried and all those who have good physical strength came forward, but no one was able to lift that pestle off the Holy Seat with one hand.

Wangzha Shangzun is a Great Holy Guru who has attained the level of Gold Button Grade 3 and the state of a non-retrograde Bodhisattva. The Shangzun rarely comes into contact with ordinary people. Finally, He met with a thousand Buddhists at Holy Miracles Temple in Pasadena, Los Angeles. On March 6, 2019, the temple was crowded with a large and orderly congregation of Buddhists. Their sole purpose was to meet Wangzha Shangzun.