BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INCARNATION OF DORJE CHANG BUDDHA
Dorje Chang Buddha is
Buddha Vajradhara (金剛總持, pronounced jin gang zong chi in
Chinese, which literally means “Supreme Ruler of the Vajra Beings”)
and is also called in Chinese 持金剛 (pronounced chi jin gang, which
literally means “Ruler of the Vajra Beings”).
Dorje Chang Buddha is not 金剛持 (pronounced jin gang chi in
Chinese, which means “Practitioner of the Vajra”
as explained below). In English, people often use the word vajradhara to refer
to a 金剛持 (jin gang chi), or Practitioner of the Vajra. Actually
a 金剛持 (vajradhara) is a master or guru. BuddhaVajradhara is a
Buddha. Moreover, Buddha Vajradhara is the primordial sambhogakaya Buddha whose
sambhogakaya manifested out of the dharmakaya of Adharma Buddha (Adi Buddha, or
Samantabhadra Tathagata). All of the Buddha-dharma of Buddha Vajradhara
originated from the tathata (true suchness) of Samantabhadra Tathagata. With
respect to the dharmakaya of Samantabhadra Tathagata, there is no past and no
future. Without form yet not empty, He neither comes nor goes. There are no
Buddhas above Him to become. There are no living beings below Him to be saved.
Such is His absolute truth. Thus, the dharma-body state of Samantabhadra
Tathagata is without signs or characteristics, without speech, and without
form. As such, there is no subject or being who could expound the dharma.
Without such a subject or being, the multitudinous living beings could not be
saved.
Because of such
karmic conditions, the formless dharmakaya Buddha generated the first sambhogakaya
Buddha with form. This sambhogakaya Buddha with form transformed into
Vajrasattva and other nirmanakayas. In order to make a distinction between
those three, the dharmakaya Buddha was named Adharma Buddha; the sambhogakaya
Buddha was named Dorje Chang Buddha; the nirmanakaya was named Vajrasattva.
Actually, all three are Samantabhadra Tathagata, all three are Adharma Buddha,
and three are Dorje Chang Buddha. In truth, there are not two Buddhas. These
distinctions are due to a dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya. Based on
this dharma, Samantabhadra Tathagata did not directly incarnate. Even the
ancient Buddha Dipankara and Vajrasattva were the nirmanakayas of Dorje Chang
Buddha.
Dorje Chang
Buddha is also called Buddha Vajradhara or Ruler of the Vajra Beings (持金剛
chi jin gang). In the entire universe, Dorje Chang Buddha is the first Buddha
with form and is the highest Buddha. That is, the highest leader of Buddhism in
the entire universe came into being in the form of Dorje Chang Buddha. It was
Dorje Chang Buddha who began transmitting dharma and saving living beings in
the dharmadhatu. As a result, Buddhism was born and the Buddha-dharma began
spreading.
However, many
sects and lineages list Samantabhadra Tathagata as the first Buddha who began
all the lineages in the dharmadhatu. This way of thinking is actually correct
as well. That is because although Samantabhadra Tathagata is a dharmakaya
without form and has no way of speaking, the origin lies with this dharmakaya
from which the sambhogakaya Dorje Chang Buddha manifested. This sambhogakaya
Buddha was the first one to spread the Buddha-dharma in the dharmadhatu. That
sambhogakaya Buddha also transformed into Vajrasattva and other nirmanakayas
whospread the dharma in the triloka (three spheres). Because of the birth of
Dorje Chang Buddha, living beings were thus able to become holy beings in
accordance with His dharma teachings.
We often see in
dharma books a blue image of Adharma Buddha. Actually, this image is a symbol.
Such a symbolic form is necessary since the tathata emptiness of Adharma Buddha
is invisible and cannot be depicted in a thangka. There is no way to draw the
shape of emptiness. The dharmakaya has no features that can be pictorially
depicted. In fact, the concept of dharmakaya is the absolute truth of the
universe (dharmadhatu) that is not born and does not perish. The sambhogakaya
Buddha (Buddha Vajradhara) manifested out of this concept of not being born and
not perishing.
Dorje Chang
Buddha is the ancient, primordial sambhogakaya Buddha. He has the unsurpassed
virtuous appearance that all of the Buddhas in the ten directions have. He was
the first in the dharmadhatu and triloka (three spheres) to express the dharma.
Therefore, Buddha Vajradhara, or Dorje Chang Buddha, is actually the greatest
leader of Buddhism in the entire dharmadhatu. He is the original ancestor of
Buddhism.
However, many
Buddhists misinterpret Dorje Chang Buddha, or Buddha Vajradhara, as being a 金剛持
(jin gang chi), or Practitioner of the Vajra (i.e. vajradhara). This is a
mistake in a matter of principle that carries with it a karmic offence. Buddha
Vajradhara has the meaning of one who is in charge of and has supervision over
all of the vajra beings. Thus, He is the 持金剛 (chi
jin gang) or Ruler of the Vajra Beings, the one who has dominion over the vajra
beings. On the other hand, a 金剛持 (jin gang chi), or Practitioner of
the Vajra (i.e. vajradhara), is one who learns the dharma and teaches others.
Such a person enlightens himself and others. The term 金剛持 (jin
gang chi), or Practitioner of the Vajra, connotes Vajra Master. There is a
world of difference between a 金剛持 (jin gang chi) or Practitioner of
the Vajra on the one hand and a 持金剛
(chi jin gang) or Ruler of the Vajra Beings on the other hand.
Buddha
Vajradhara (also called Ruler of the Vajra Beings) has passed down dharma to
all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who received such dharma. All of the
Buddha-dharma of both exoteric and esoteric Buddhism was originally transmitted
by this Ruler of the Vajra Beings. The 84,000 dharma methods that Sakyamuni
Buddha taught were transmitted to Sakyamuni Buddha by the ancient Buddha
Dipankara, who was a nirmanakaya of Dorje Chang Buddha. Tibetan esoteric
Buddhism, which contains all of the dharma of the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang,
Kagyu, andGeluk sects, including the Kalachakra Vajra Dharma transmitted by
Sakyamuni Buddha; Japanese esoteric Buddhism; and esoteric Buddhism taught by
Sakyamuni Buddha contained in the Tripitaka all come from the lineage of which
Dorje Chang Buddha is the original ancestor or from the lineage of His
nirmanakaya, Vajrasattva. 金剛總持 Buddha Vajradhara or Ruler of the
Vajra Beings is the supreme leader of Buddhism in the dharmadhatu. He is not a
Vajra Master who is a 金剛持 (jin gang chi), or Practitioner of
the Vajra (i.e. vajradhara).
When disciples
find a qualified master, they should visualize their Vajra Master as being a
Buddha. This is done out of respect for the dharma and respect for one’s
lineage. However, no matter what type of master he may be, if his identity or
status has not been recognized as a Buddha by rinpoches of great holiness in
accordance with the dharma, then he is not a Buddha. Still, the disciple must
visualize Him as a Buddha. Even the holy and venerable Vimalakirti, who as the
second Buddha Vajradhara, was affirmed as a Tathagata (Buddha) through an
announcement of Sakyamuni Buddha.
The incarnation
of Dorje Chang Buddha is different from the nirmanakayas of any other Buddha.
Such an incarnation is a primordial manifestation of the existence of
Buddha-dharma. In each world of living beings, there can be at any one time
only one incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, who manifests or expresses the
existence of the true dharma. There will not be a second incarnation of Dorje
Chang Buddha in the same age or era. Only after the first incarnation of Dorje
Chang Buddha leaves the world can the second incarnation be born based on
karmic conditions relating to the good fortune of living beings. For example,
the holy and venerable Vimalakirti, who was the second Dorje Chang Buddha, took
birth in this earthly realm in the past. The third Dorje Chang Buddha, H.H. Wan
Ko Yeshe Norbu, took birth in this earthly realm more than two thousand years
after Vimalakirti left it and only when karmic conditions relating to the good
fortune of living beings had matured.
Nobody can get
away with falsely claiming to be the incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha. In
order to protect the dignity of the Buddha-dharma in the dharmadhatu and
prevent demons from falsely claiming to be Buddha Vajradhara or the Ruler of
the Vajra Beings, Buddha Vajradhara must be born with His own dharma and
realization so that He may manifest or express the dharma. No other Buddha is
able to manifest realization equal to the realization of Dorje Chang Buddha.
That is because in order to protect the true dharma, the Buddhas do not manifest
realization powers at the sameholy level as the realization of Dorje Chang
Buddha. Conversely, all demons lack the power to manifest such realization and
therefore cannot manifest such realization.
When Sakyamuni
Buddha lived in this world, Dorje Chang Buddha took birth as the holy and
venerable Vimalakirti, who helped Sakyamuni Buddha teach the 500 monks and
8,000 Bodhisattvas. The holy and venerable Vimalakirti, who was the second
incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, had the highest wisdom and the greatest
ability to manifest supernatural powers as an expression of dharma. No other
holy being could match Him.
H.H.
Mahavairocana Tathagata formally pronounced that the third incarnation of Dorje
Chang Buddha, H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu, must meet five conditions: He must
successfully invoke the Buddhas to bestow nectar. He must be able to perform
the Golden Vase Selection of Karmic Affinity and predict the results of that
ceremony beforehand. He must be able to eliminate the karmic obstructions of
disciples. He must be able to take mist, place it inside a hollowed out
sculpted boulder, and have the mist stay there. He must be able to carve
wondrous multicolored sculptures.
The formal
pronouncement stated that no other holy being could repeat those five types of
accomplishments. It also stated that if any other person of great holiness
repeat those five types of accomplishments, then Mahavairocana Tathagata’s
recognition that H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu is Dorje Chang Buddha is false, and
the pronouncement has deceived the public in order to build up a false
reputation.
The facts have
proven that in this world there is no being of great holiness and virtue or
even an expert who is able to match the accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang
Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu. Furthermore, great dharma kings on the level of
a Buddha or Bodhisattvahave unanimously recognized the identity of H.H. Wan Ko
Yeshe Norbuthrough recognition certificates. This thoroughly proves that no one
can get away with falsely claiming the identity or status of Dorje Chang
Buddha.
In order to
prevent demons from wreaking havoc by falsely claiming to be the incarnation of
Dorje Chang Buddha, the required number of many holy beings must recognize the
incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha. Furthermore, many additional holy beings
must bear witness to the veracity of the recognition and respectfully offer
congratulations. The many holy beings who recognize the incarnation of Dorje
Chang Buddha must be Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or great dharma kings. Those who
bear witness to the veracity of the recognition and respectfully offer
congratulations must beextremely holy and virtuous Bodhisattvas. All of those
who recognize, bear witness, and respectfully offer congratulations must be famous
leaders within Buddhism and great rinpoches. If the identity of the person was
notrecognized by those on such a holy level, if congratulations were not
respectfully offered to him by those on such a holy level, and if he does not
have legitimate recognition certificates, then his claims that he is a holy
being are false.
People say,
“So-and-so rinpoche is universally recognized as the incarnation of Buddha
Vajradhara.” This way of speaking is based on heretical and erroneous
understanding. It is not in accord with the rules of true Buddhism. Where is
the realization of this rinpoche that an incarnation of Buddha Vajradhara would
have? Does this rinpoche have complete proficiency in both exoteric and
esoteric Buddhism? Does he have full mastery of the Five Vidyas? Which five
dharma kings have recognized his identity as being Buddha Vajradhara and which
ten dharma kings or rinpoches have certified that recognition? Can he show
others a recognition certificate showing he is the third Buddha Vajradhara?
Which several famous people of holy virtue respectfully offered congratulations
to him for being recognized? No matter how high a certain monastic may be, if
he does not have true realization and the required written recognitions
andcongratulations stating he is the third incarnation of Buddha Vajradhara,
then all claims by others that he is Buddha Vajradhara are flattery,
exaggeration, and rumors.
Hence, one must
understand that Buddha Vajradhara (金剛總持, jin gang zong chi) is 持金剛
(chi jin gang, which is a Buddha). On the other hand, a 金剛持 (jin
gang chi) is a lama (master). Anyone who misinterprets a 金剛持(jin
gang chi) as being a 持金剛
(chi jin gang) or Buddha Vajradhara is undoubtedly placing the status of
a mere vajra master over that of Amitabha Buddha and other Buddhas. Such
conduct is a terrible offense because according to the sutras and esoteric
scriptures Buddha Vajradhara is Dorje Chang Buddha (持金剛 chi jin gang), the Master of the Five
Buddhas and other Buddhas.
United International World Buddhism Association Headquarters
International Buddhism Sangha Association.
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