Venerable Dharma Teacher Tonghui (1922-2013) is the Abbot of the Longju Temple made famous by Jiangxi Mazu. He is a close disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s from whom he learned and practiced dharma. He was also called Elder Monk Tonghui. He had transcended the ordinary and entered the state of holiness a long time ago. His status is that of a holy monk.
There are many examples of his awesome virtue. People often see dharma protecting deities wherever he is. There is a large withered ginkgo tree at his temple that had been dead for over thirty years. After Venerable Dharma Teacher Tonghui sprinkled Bodhi Holy Water on it, the gingko tree came back to life. In 1992, Venerable Dharma Teacher Tonghui went to Burma to respectfully receive and take back with him an image of the Buddha. The night before the Dharma teacher arrived, many people in Burma suddenly dreamed that he was a golden Arhat and would soon come to Burma. The next day when he arrived in Burma, hoards of people made offerings to him. In Hinayana Buddhism, Arhats are praised in the same way that Bodhisattvas who attained the marvelous fruit of enlightenment are praised. It is clear that Venerable Dharma Teacher Tonghui is an amazing and great sage.
The Venerable Dharma Teacher Tonghui passed away in liberation from death and rebirth on February 26, 2013 at the worldly age of 92. After His passing, His body was respectfully stowed in a closed urn and placed in the Mazu Hall of the Longju Temple. In accordance with His antemortem instructions, His urn was reopened by His disciples, together with over one thousand Buddhist disciples, in public three years after His passing on June 12, 2016, following the ancient Buddhist rituals. The flesh body of the Venerable Dharma Teacher Tonghui looked full and complete, with the color of jade, after the urn was opened. Such a holy feat showed once again that true Buddha Dharma is real and practical!
The flesh body of the Venerable Dharma Teacher Tonghui is placed in Longju Temple for people to respectfully admire.