His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche Presided Over the Incomparably Wondrous Empowerment Puja of Vajrasattva at the Taipei Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center to Perfect Completion.
His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche Presided Over the Incomparably Wondrous Empowerment Puja of Vajrasattva at the Taipei Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center to Perfect Completion.
His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche presided over the incomparably wondrous Vajrasattva empowerment puja at Taipei Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center and bestowed precious Buddha’s teachings and empowerment. Since it is the Moon Festival, Rinpoche personally treated each disciple with a pomelo and wished that all may be forever reunited in Amitabha’s Pure Land. The assembly received Rinpoche’s precious teachings with joy and gratitude, deepening their commitment to believe and follow the guidance.
It had been five years since His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche last bestowed the incomparably wondrous Vajrasattva Empowerment. When His Eminence bestowed the empowerment once again, he manifested a majestic and furious appearance. The assembly felt as if their chests had been struck; their bodies grew warm, their hair stood on end, and tears streamed uncontrollably. During the practice, Rinpoche’s sacred body and the mandala radiated golden light. The air was filled with a miraculous fragrance, and the assembly was filled with awe and reverence.
His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, out of great compassion for all sentient beings, benefits them through the dual functioning of Śūnyatā（Puja teachings index 21) and Karuna, as well as his profound and vast blessings. Hoping that all sentient beings may take refuge in and rely on the guru wholeheartedly on the path of cultivation, all obstacles be purified, keep on going courageously, practice diligently, and ultimately attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
With the welcoming procession of the jeweled sitātapatra, musical instruments, and incense leading the way, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche stepped onto the mandala, respectfully prostrated to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and offered a khada to the Wish-Granting Jewel Dharma Throne of His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. After making a lamp offering to the Buddhas, Rinpoche ascended the Dharma throne and compassionately expounded precious Dharma teachings:
Today, I bestow all the disciples the Vajrasattva Empowerment. (Disciples together thank Rinpoche.) Dand what the motivation of the people who receive the empowerment is. If one’s motivation is based on the belief that receiving a Vajrayana empowerment is to become more advanced, or that things will turn out better afterwards, it is not the case. Vajrasattva is an essential yidam in on’t thank me! When was the previous empowerment? (A disciple replies: 2020.) It has been five years. Many Buddhist Centers frequently bestow empowerments; however, what truly matters in an empowerment is whether the one conferring it has attained achievement through practicing the yidam, and the recipient’s motivation. If one’s intention is considering to received the Vajarayana empowerment is more advanced, or hoping that everything will turn out better afterwards, that is not the right. Vajrasattva is a crucial yidam in Vajrayana. Although Vajrasattva isn’t practiced in the Extoreric Buddhism, one must rely on Vajrasattva’s assistance in order to cultivate the Bodhisattva Path.
The negative karma we have accumulated over past lives is beyond measure, do not think that eating meat or taking lives in this life is a small matter. Throughout accumulated past lifetimes, one has created much negative karma that one is unaware of, which in turn gives rise to many obstacles during the process of practicing. Karmic creditors do not impose these obstacles during practice—they arise from ourselves. When you begin to cultivate the Bodhisattva path, if the karmic creditors from past lives, together with all the Dharma protectors and celestial beings in the Heavenly Realm, find that your practice is not truly for the benefit and liberation of all sentient beings, they will create many obstacles, for they do not wish for you to attain achievement.
It has been stated clearly in The Ratnakuta Sutra that the mental preparation of people who want to practice the Bodhisattva Path is very important, not simply just following Rinpoche. I have mentioned this multiple times: if you do not make a firm resolve to truly practice the Bodhisattva Path, you won’t be able to keep up with me, but you simply don’t believe it. I do not dare say that my fruition level has become more advanced, but at least I’m very clear about my future. Since you haven’t accomplished it, how are you able to follow me? Simply speaking, it’s like I’m riding a perfect car, and you’re riding a bike, saying that you want to follow me, but you can’t even see the taillights! That’s what you’re like right now. Why can’t you see it? It’s because you’re still selfishly practicing for yourselves.
I’ve told you many times, the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center and the Monastery exist entirely to transmit the Bodhisattva Path, not the teachings of so-called human or heavenly Dharma. Although the Bodhisattva Path can be practiced among humans, within the six realms, and among all sentient beings, obtaining a human body in this lifetime is not for the purpose of seeking pleasure or satisfying desires. The human body one possesses is the result of the virtuous and negative karma one has accumulated through body, speech, and mind over past lives. One day, one will die when this body can no longer serve him. Do not assume that simply learning Buddhism or reciting mantras thousands or even tens of thousands of times each day will make things better and better. It will not—because such practice does not follow the Bodhisattva Path, but rather the path of human and heavenly virtues. Hence, it cannot transform the karmic of virtuous and evil that perpetuated from life to life.
If one were to practice Bodhisattvayana, he or she would have to practice a yidam first to purify all the obstacles. Being purified doesn’t mean to eliminate all the obstacles; instead, when the obstacle appears, it wouldn’t stop you from learning Buddhism. Obstacles would definitely appear; there are no practitioners or Mahasiddhas who have never encountered obstacles during the process. It’s impossible to beg the guru to bless you, to help you accomplish yourself, and to remove all barriers in your practice because you have no faith and surrender to the guru. I’m practicing the Bodhisattva Path, are you? No! Therefore, I can only give you the so-called “blessings”, at most preventing you from dying accidentally, don’t think that you will become a Bodhisattva by simply attending the pujas, it’s impossible!
Today, this yidam will help those who wish to learn and practice the Bodhisattva Path, through repentance, purifying your karma through repentance, so that it will not obstruct your progress on the path to Bodhisattva. Many people, including those masters who propagated the Dharma on television, have said that: Do not keep repenting, just repent once, otherwise the idea of repentance will keep remaining in mind. I always consider this wrong, because according to the Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows, ‘ All our thoughts generate karma and vices’; you won’t repent if you don’t think that all your thoughts generate karma and vices, considering that it’s your life. You only repent when you fall ill, go bankrupt, get divorced, experience business failure, or encounter relationship problems. Other than that, you would never repent.
For those who practice the Bodhisattva Path, even the subtlest thoughts matter, as long as a thought that isn’t related to bodhicitta arises, one should immediately repent — but you cannot do that! Your repentance now is only superficial, because you are afraid of getting sick, losing money, this and that — hoping that after repentance, things will not be so bad and your body will get better. I can tell you clearly that such repentance is useless, for I have successfully practiced through the path of repentance myself, and I know it well. You may consider yourselves to have repented already, so everything should be fine. Wrong, as long as you have not attained Buddhahood, you still haven’t done it right, there must still be flaws, ignorance and afflictions, you still have unwholesome thoughts! Many of you think repentance is merely a slogan, but I have been repenting all the time.
Many people think that as long as they keep repenting, their wives and children will become better, so they fail to practice. This problem is even more serious among monastics; some believe that they have always been repenting and ordained, they became different from others, and thus stop repenting. In our practice of the Anuttarayogatantra, before performing any Dharma, we must first practice Vajrasattva — to beg Vajrasattva for repentance, so that our obstacles in practice may be reduced. (At this point, the male monastic disciples unpromptedly stood up and knelt.) Rinpoche turned to the female monastic disciples and said, ‘Why are you still not kneeling? Have you already repented so thoroughly? Even as monastics, your minds are still so arrogant.’ (Then the female monastic disciples also stood up and knelt.)
Today, the reason I transmit the Vajrasattva is not wishing you well, but firstly, I am getting old; secondly, I will become more and more busy in the future. I am giving you this empowerment today because perhaps, after this one, it might be another ten years before I give it again. Many Buddhist Centers casually give the Vajrasattva Empowerment, but I do not — because if you are not someone who truly practices this Dharma method, why should I give you the empowerment? Before His Holiness transmitted the Mahamudra to me, I told him that I would first recite 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras. I can’t remember whether it took seven or ten days, but it certainly took no more than ten days for me to complete the recitation of 100,000 times. I practiced with all my strength, not coming from some of your imagined greatness of my past lives. My previous lives only provided the virtuous fate for me to take refuge in the Buddha Dharma, to encounter His Holiness, but every Dharma the guru transmitted depended entirely on my own practice. Therefore, I give you the Vajrasattva Empowerment in order to prepare you to practice the Bodhisattva Path. If you think receiving the Vajrasattva Empowerment is only to make yourself better or to improve future circumstances, then it will only bring you a small amount of good fortune — but it won’t benefit your future.
The Dharma method of the Vajrasattva is common in Vajrayana, yet only a few are truly able to accomplish the practice. A while ago, a disciple’s child suffered from skin disease. I told him to bring me a bottle of mineral water, and I recited the Hundred-Syllable Mantra, blew a few breaths into it, and put in a nectar pill; now the child’s skin is healed. I do have the ability — but it depends on whether the person who comes to beg for help pays reverence or repent. I am especially kind toward children. When I see that some of you are not doing well, I’ll tell you honestly, repentance is not about trying to stay alive, but it is about reflecting on why, even now, you still don’t understand what learning Buddhism is for. Yesterday, a disciple came to make an offering, as if squeezing toothpaste, and I refused it. He said his wife had instructed him before she died to make an offering to Rinpoche, I told him, ‘Your wife had more than just this amount of money. I can ensure she does not fall into the Three Evil Realms and is reborn in a Virtuous Realm — and you think that’s all it takes?’ That showed he lacked the mind to offer. More than ten years ago, I turned away twenty million dollars again and again without accepting it.
Many people think that the guru is always asking for money, it’s like Disciple Chen, who was once punished a long time ago — for not allowed to make offerings, though I still assigned her to tell chengyu (idiom) stories, I had forbidden her from making offerings for quite some time. (Disciple Chen replied: Rinpoche, the punishment was that I wasn’t allowed to attend the transferring-consciousness puja. Initially, it was that I was not allowed to make offerings.) Why was she punished in this way? Because she valued money too much — she even thought that Rinpoche was collecting wealth for himself. Recently, she told the Board of Directors that she had come to realize Rinpoche’s propagation of the Dharma was not for money. She said this after seeing that last time I personally gave over two million for a group of disciples to travel to Beijing, and she went along as well, only then did she think that Rinpoche is not after money, she said this herself. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time!
She was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the treatment her mother arranged for her caused her a lot of discomfort. I assigned her to tell chengyu (idiom) stories, and she felt that Rinpoche still treated her kindly. Logically speaking, for someone who is forbidden to make offerings or to attend the Chod puja, why should I still treat her well? Why did she get breast cancer? Because she and her husband have always been extremely stingy, they felt that just attending the pujas was already giving face, and that they didn’t need to make any offerings — giving 500 or 1,000 as if tossing alms to a beggar, expecting me to transmit the Dharma and save her life! How could I transmit the Dharma to someone like this? Only when she saw me spending over two million on something that clearly brought me no personal benefit did she finally realize that Rinpoche is truly compassionate!
This month alone, I’ve already spent a great deal of money doing virtuous deeds — nearly an eight-digit amount. The reason I’m giving you this empowerment today is that I still hope a few among my disciples may truly wish to cultivate the Bodhisattva Path. But to practice the Bodhisattva Path, you must first make a firm resolve — never allow even the slightest trace of doubt toward the guru. Why did she doubt me? Because she had taken refuge for a long time and saw that Rinpoche seemed to be doing better and better — doing business, this and that — could it be that Rinpoche has collected a lot of money?
The night before last, one of my disciples suddenly passed away. At that moment, I was eating, but I immediately performed Phowa for him. This disciple was just like Disciple Chen, thinking that Rinpoche already has money, so for two consecutive months, he donated one million each month to the Monastery. Was it wrong for him to donate money to the Monastery? From your perspective, absolutely not. But from the guru’s perspective — he was wrong! If I were to make any offering to any Monastery, I would always first ask His Holiness, sometimes I would even hand the money over for His Holiness to manage. Haven’t I said this before? (The Assembly replies: Yes.) But he didn’t listen again. He was afraid to come see me, he hadn’t come for two months, because he knew that if he saw me, he would definitely get scolded. So, of course, I didn’t know that something was going to happen to him.
The night before last, he passed away while taking a shower, I was very sad — not because he died, but because I was saddened that why don’t you all listen? You care so much about money, treating everything like a business transaction with me. Many disciples make offerings to me, and I often donate half — sometimes even more than half — to the Monastery on their behalf, I keep the rest to handle other things, because there are many things I need to take care of, those disciples are wise. The disciple who passed away was a businessman, so he calculated carefully, thinking that Rinpoche seems to be doing well lately; perhaps the Monastery needs money, and so he offered more to the Monastery. But the Monastery’s monthly expenses are decided by me — I’m the one who figure out how to manage them, it has nothing to do with you.
In the Exoteric Buddhism, it is said that donating money to build a monastery will lead to rebirth in the Heavenly Realm, that’s why I performed the Phowa for him. However, when he reaches the Amitabha’s Pure Land, his level is the lowest — because he didn’t listen. Let me take this opportunity to remind everyone: those over fifty years old should never immerse their entire body in hot water while taking a bath. He was the fourth person to pass away like this. His heart was fine. When taking a bath, you must do it in stages, and soaking in hot water must never exceed three minutes, regardless of your age. Especially now that the weather is hot — our normal body temperature is around 38°C, but due to the heat, it can already rise to 39°C or 40°C. If you then soak in hot water, your body temperature will spike even higher, your heart won’t be able to handle it, and the blood flow will stop — that’s how people suddenly pass away.
From the Buddhist perspective, that disciple passed away suddenly because he didn’t pay revernece toward the guru. If he had been truly reverent, the guru would have sensed something: Many disciples were originally fated to die, but because of their deep reverence towards the guru, they were spared. Outwardly, this person seemed like a good man, but moments like these reveal, everyone must be cautious! If you suddenly pass away and have a fate connection with me, I will perform Phowa for you; if not, I will perform the Chod. But what if I’m not here? Don’t harbor the slightest sense of complacency, it’s like many of the male disciples aren’t practicing at all now. Don’t assume that because you’re physically strong, nothing can happen — he was strong too! He was just in his early sixties! On the very day he passed, he had just gone to see the Chinese doctor at noon, who said his pulse was fine— and that same evening, he died.
The reason I’m telling this story today is not to criticize, but to warn you, no one truly knows when their time will come, unless the guru asks about it for you, but I can’t possibly ask for everyone. I’ve often told you: life is impermanent, and anything can change at any moment, why do we practice? Because every single second should be preparation for the moment of our own death. If that disciple who passed away hadn’t had me, I honestly don’t know where he would have ended up. While he was alive, he kept saying he wanted to follow Rinpoche — but if he had truly followed me, his hands wouldn’t have stiffened at death. That shows he still wasn’t following Rinpoche, still didn’t want to die, unable to let go.
You men are just like him—afraid to see me, afraid of being scolded, afraid of losing face, afraid of not knowing what to do if your request for the Dharma is refused. On what basis do you think you deserve to receive the Dharma? Hoping for a peaceful and smooth life? Hoping that Rinpoche will transfer your consciousness? That’s possible too—it all depends on how you act! Today, I’m giving you the Vajrasattva Empowerment so that you understand that practice and the learning of Buddhism follow a clear progression, one must proceed step by step; there is no such thing as instant attainment. It absolutely requires time and obedience to the guru’s teachings, just like how His Holiness trained me—it took great effort and time; it was never achieved overnight.
Yesterday, a disciple who was about to undergo surgery came to see me. I hadn’t scolded her before, but yesterday I finally did. She works in my company and often complains—criticizing the staff, blaming the leaders, yet she still takes her salary. When she scolds the company, who is she actually scolding? Me. I’m the head of the company—so can you say she is reverent towards the guru? No, it’s just like many people who come to the Buddhist Center to attend the pujas, constantly complaining, some even go to the Monastery for a puja and say they want to sit in the back because they’re in a hurry to catch the high-speed rail. The Dharma text clearly says that if you are in a hurry, don’t attend the puja. Propagating the Dharma in Taiwan is very difficult—everyone has their own opinions and refuses to follow what the Buddha taught.
As you can see, there are many boxes on the mandala; they are filled with pomelos, which I bought with my own money. Today, we offer them to the Buddha, and afterwards, each of you attending the puja may take one, an offering to you. (Everyone said in unison: Thank you, Rinpoche!) No need to thank me, but why do I give pomelos? Because I cannot afford things that are too precious, nor would you dare to accept, the latter sentence is more important.
Why do the Cantonese people celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with pomelos? We Cantonese say Shatian pomelos, and since in Cantonese the word for pomelo sounds similar to the word for “to have or to be,” eating pomelos during Mid-Autumn Festival, it means that the family has been reunited. I gift you these pomelos in hope that we may all be reunited in Amitabha’s Pure Land eternally, and let’s not be reunited in this world because it is not good to be reunited in the world. (Everyone said in unison: Thank you, Rinpoche!) We Cantonese people never barbecue during the Mid-Autumn Festival; I don’t understand why it became the trend to barbecue in Taiwan. I don’t know whose invention it was. Therefore, why are there so many earthquakes in Taiwan? Why are there so many disasters? It all began with barbecuing.
I once saved the life of a disciple with Pemphigus, but his whole family has not been diligent at all in practicing Buddhism. (Traces of Liberating Beings No.20 and No.404.) I have told this story before—Pemphigus causes vesicles to grow all over the whole body, and once the vesicles break, they continue to form, and it takes only 7 days from the onset to death. No one has cured this disease in the world; only I have. I told this disciple to practice the Four Extraordinary Foundations of Vajrayana Ngondro, but he said it was too toilsome and refused to practice. Is his mother still here? I have not seen this family for a long time. Do they not have a regular income? (A disciple reported to Rinpoche, ‘They all have regular jobs and stable incomes.) It is all because they are ungrateful, and yet they all cried their hearts out as if it were for real when I saved them.
Rinpoche asked doctor-disciple Hsie, ‘Have you heard of Pemphigus, which I spoke of?’ (Doctor-disciple Hsie replied yes, and said that there are very few lethal diseases in dermatology, and Pemphigus is the most famous one.) Rinpoche asked, ‘If someone were to be cured of the disease, how should he thank the doctor?’ (Doctor-disciple Hsie replied, ‘Reporting to Rinpoche, to thank the doctor with his life would not suffice because getting this disease is excruciating—as if being burned by fire because before one’s chapped skin can regrow itself, liquid begins to ooze out, and one is unable to eat, drink, or breathe because the alveoli are also damaged. The intestines are also damaged. My understanding is that even if we inject 150 cc or 200 cc of liquid into the patient’s body, the liquid that is pumped out afterwards exceeds the amount injected, and the body cannot function properly. We have not been diagnosed with the disease, but we feel pain just seeing others under such circumstances.’)
Rinpoche expounded: On the day I went to see her son, he was all wrapped up like a mummy, with bandages all over his body, and every time they had to change the bandages, he cried like a pig being slaughtered because his skin was peeled off layer by layer. I was very sad, so I helped him. Rinpoche then instructed a disciple: “Tell the three members of this family that they have one month; if they are still not diligent, they need not come in the future, and they can return their vests, renounce their refuge, because these three people are scoundrels! I have never seen such an ungrateful family!
I cured this case, and yet the attending physician wrote a whole dissertation on it. At the time, I even asked the physician whether he agreed to what I proposed to do. He said yes, he’d agree to any method because he had no means left. I used two straightforward things: mineral water and margarine, and I cured his disease. However, they have disappeared now. I have not seen such ungrateful people. They have one month starting today; if they still don’t show themselves, take the initiative to ask them to leave. I told him to practice the Four Extraordinary Foundations of Vajrayana Ngondro, but he refused, so I shall fulfill his wish so that he does not have to do it.
Tomorrow, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, try your best to avoid going near rivers and streams to enjoy the moon, because if someone is barbecuing nearby, it will hurt the dragons (Nagas), and even those who are in the proximity will be ill-fated. On the day I visited this disciple with Pemphigus, I asked him, ‘Did you go with your uncle to barbecue by a stream?’ He said yes. And that was how the dragon (Nagas) got onto him. He might have been reluctant to accept this and wondered why the uncle who brought him to the barbecue was unscathed. Because he did not get Pemphigus, he would not be able to fund me, and by not coming to me, he will not learn Buddhism. His uncle can’t find me, but something unfortunate indeed lies in his future, although I do not know what it is. Now I will begin practicing the Vajrasattva Dharma text.
Rinpoche began to practice the Dharma. Rinpoche’s dignified body and the mandala radiated a golden glow, and the air was filled with wondrous and miraculous fragrance; all attendees felt a sense of incomparable praise. Next was the Mandala Offering Liturgy. Rinpoche donned the Gampoba Dharma hat while the monastic disciples represented the sentient beings in performing the Mandala Offering to the guru.
During the puja, the Tsok Offering and Tea Offering Liturgies were performed, and all attendees received a package of food offerings blessed by Rinpoche and were granted the incomparably wondrous fate to consume food with the guru and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas during the puja.
Before the empowerment, I will expound on six common mistakes that occur quite frequently: first, arrogance. One believes that one has surpassed the presiding guru, who is transmitting and teaching the Dharma extensively. Second, lack of faith. To not generate faith towards the guru and the genuine Dharma, a fault which almost all of you have. Third, not to plead for the Dharma. Not too long for the genuine Dharma, this encompasses all male disciples, including male monastics who have been ordained for many years. Four, to be outwardly distracted. This means that the mind is wandering or distracted by external surroundings, and the mind is not present. Five, to be drawn inwardly. This means to be inclined to doze off. Six, to be wary. This means that deep in your heart, you hope this Dharma will conclude soon so that you can catch your train/bus. You, the attendees, must see the guru as identical to the main yidam.
To receive the empowerment, you must possess the following Avenika (Puja teachings index07) motivations and behaviors. Next, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led the assembly in reciting the Dharma text and bestowed the empowerments of body, mind, and speech, as well as the precious teachings of the Buddha Dharma.
Rinpoche held the white treasure vase filled with Bodhicitta nectar high and bestowed the body empowerment upon the assembly. When performing the Dharma, Rinpoche expressed a dignified and wrathful appearance, and an unique fragrance filled the space, attendees felt warmth in their chests and throughout their bodies, causing their hair to stand on end and tears to stream uncontrollably. After performing the Dharma, Rinpoche expounded that this is the empowerment of the body. Upon hearing of this empowerment, you are authorized to visualize and practice Vajrasattva’s body.
Following this, Rinpoche held his string of prayer beads high and bestowed the speech empowerment, then led the attendees word by word in reciting the Hundred-Syllable Mantra three times. Rinpoche continued to perform the Dharma and led the assembly in reciting the Dharma text, and expounded, ‘Now you have received authorization of speech, upon receiving the empowerment of speech, the obstacles and habits of speech have been purified.’
Rinpoche continued to bestow the empowerment of the mind. During the process of performing the Dharma, Rinpoche asked his attendant whether he felt like a single stroke had punched his chest. He replied, Yes, and so did the entire assembly. The authorization of the mind means the mind of a common being; you must absolutely not employ your ideas in practicing Buddhism, do not hold views, inventions, or conveniences of your own, and you must only do what the guru teaches, and practice step by step. If you do not practice this way, you will never receive the blessings of the guru, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas. Do not think that you can add or subtract anything just because it pleases you; it would be futile. This way, the obstacles and habits of the mind have been purified. Habits are complex, so I will not dwell on them here.
In the following, Rinpoche bestowed the practice and visualization of Vajrasattva’s dual functioning of Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21) and grand karuna of the mind, which is the dual functioning of Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21) and karuna. This means that when a guru practices Dharma, he is always within Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21), while employing the compassionate heart; this is the method of dual cultivation. Before attaining Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21), one could not benefit sentient beings through reciting any mantras, nor could one change anything for oneself. How can one attain Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21)? Not through sitting meditations, reciting sutras, or thinking about it, it’s all useless! Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21)naturally exists in the Dharma realm, and it also exists in our minds. How does Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21) function? Through practicing the Six Paramitas and the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, one will suddenly comprehend Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21) once all fate has matured. When one attains Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21), the power of compassion is not only doubled, but rather tenfold and one hundredfold more.
For instance, I blessed the skin of this child even though her parents had pleaded wrongly, because seeing the child suffer, my compassion rose, and Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21) arose. What arose? It was the fact that I wanted nothing in return—similarly, that disciple with Pemphigus. When I went to bless him, I did not take a single penny; I even paid for transportation. But do you see how they behave now? Had I not been able to practice Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21) and Karuna dually, it was a dying person; if a great Rinpoche were to go, he would have at least talked about the terms with people next to the dying person, but I did not do so! So I will give this family one month. It’s fine if they don’t come; I don’t need this kind of disciple. Therefore, without the dual functioning of Śūnyatā (Puja Teachings Index 21) and karuna, one could not resolve the problems for sentient beings. At that moment, I solved the matter. Of course, he had the good fortune to be spared from death; that is why he met me. I forgot who introduced him. (A disciple reported that disciple Yang introduced him.) Well, disciple Yang has found me some big trouble. Why don’t you reprimand these people for not coming? Do you want to be good friends with them? You should refuse any interactions with them. What is your relationship to them? (A disciple reported that the Pemphigus patient’s mother is disciple Yang’s employee.) How great of me! I even have to take care of your employee, and there’s nothing good in it for me.
Now, to practice and visualize the yidam and recite the mantra, one must make a vow. The way of making this vow is the same as usual; we vow the same way in every Dharma text. Of course, once you make the vow, it is fine if you don’t follow through with it; even if you choose not to recite the vows down there, I wouldn’t know. Why must we make a vow? If you don’t vow, it means, first, you are not prepared to practice this Dharma. Second, you have no respect for the guru at all. Third, you do not have the good fortune to practice this Dharma. It’s alright if you don’t vow, don’t fear, there are over one thousand of you, so I will absolutely not hear you, as I have not attained very powerful divine hearing, so it is okay if you don’t vow; it’s fine if you don’t say it out loud.
Rinpoche led the assembly in reciting the vows three times, and everyone recited along with Rinpoche loudly. Rinpoche expounded: lower your voices; make the people who are not reciting feel ashamed, alright?
This vow was written too compassionately, as the first sentence, knowing that you all have absolutely no heart of offering, pleads the main yidam Vajrasattva to bless you, so that in this life, and in future lives, you may serve and give joy to the guru, which means to serve the guru with the idea of giving joy to the guru. For instance, when you work as volunteers, you are serving the guru, yet each of you does so in a sporadic manner. For example, the disciples in charge of the (food) offerings placed them on the two sides of the mandala. I don’t understand why they put them on either side, perhaps to help me practice my skills so that I can bless on this side for a bit and the other side for a bit. I still don’t understand why they put them this way; they did not think about the guru’s convenience during the blessing. Instead, they thought of their own convenience, thinking that the offerings looked better this way. Similarly, during the Grand Amitabha Puja for Consciousness Trasference, someone decided to move the white carpet because they were not prepared to serve the guru; instead, they thought to get the job done as long as they didn’t get scolded.
Therefore, this sentence—To serve and give joy—is not about giving joy to yourself, but to give joy to the guru, who will see that you have completed a job well, a deed of merit. However, many of you perform the exact opposite and try to guess what I will do next, or what I will be in the future. How can you guess? Only Buddha and my root guru, His Holiness the Drikung Chetsang, can know what I will become in the future. How could you know what my next step will be? It’s simple, come and ask if you don’t know. You all fear losing face when you ask, and instead, you want to do it first, and see who’s the unfortunate one afterwards; you must not behave this way.
Yesterday, a disciple gave me a box of fruit; I am grateful, but also not so grateful towards him. Why wouldn’t he go to my shop to buy something and then offer that to me? In other words, he could have done two things by spending the money once. First, make an offering to me by buying something from my shop, and then offering that item to me. I might have even returned the item to him. Why wouldn’t he do it? I don’t know if it is because he is smart, clever, or capable, but perhaps he thought that Rinpoche enjoyed eating the most expensive fruit. I often visit Japan, so how could I not have had the chance to try such things? You are all the same in not giving the gift a little more thought. Since one is gifting something to another person, one must give something that they will use. Instead of thinking that the gift will make the guru happy, or perhaps the guru might like it. None of you is of the root capacity to learn Vajrayana. Having made so many offerings to His Holiness, I always implore His Holiness first, but you never ask; you always do the deed first. I was stunned when I got the present yesterday because I don’t eat fruit. His Holiness often nagged me for not eating fruit, but in the end, he stopped nagging. Why don’t I eat fruit? Because there is too much sugar, I refrain from eating them since I am very mindful of my figure (the assembly laughs). It’s not to say that you will gain weight by eating fruit; don’t misunderstand my words, but I tend to gain weight easily from eating fruit.
These final sentences: to make offerings to the guru through the three gates. We must understand what it means to make an offering; to make an offering means you are not expecting what you might receive in the future. To make an offering does not mean to give something you do not need, or what is left over. In the past, someone gave me a pile of ridiculous things that they no longer wanted. So, I have ordered: cash only. I will definitely use cash. A while ago, His Holiness received a pile of items and brought them to me. I then explained each one to him, as the person who had gifted them had mentioned that there was a certificate for every item. At one glance, I knew it was all worthless. When the guru received them, he thought they must be very precious, only to find out that all of it was worthless. In today’s society, cash is the most important. Rinpoche does a lot of things daily, and many people whom I barely know have told me, ‘Rinpoche, you really take care of the livelihoods of many people.’ Let’s not talk about the people outside, but I keep the livelihoods of people, including these monastics. Have you done so? Today Rinpoche is not talking about money; do not misunderstand. If we were to talk about money, you should even sell your house to make an offering. For instance, disciple Chen has a house, but she would definitely not sell it. She wants to prove that Rinpoche is not accumulating money through unfair means; only then will she determine her mind to learn Buddhism. She has been fooling around for the past decade and more. Is money really that important? What came of it? What did you get? Did you get wealthy? You and your husband are both so stingy! I don’t feel like scolding anymore.
I shall be your disciple, life after life—it does not mean that you will always follow me around, but rather, since I have taken refuge under His Holiness Chetsang Kyabgong, he will always be my guru, even when I attain fruition level someday, he will still be my guru—it does not mean that I shall follow him around continuously. What is the point of your following me around? I dash and drive so fast, you cannot keep up! But, this sentence is imperative—I shall be your disciple, life after life means that as long as you are the guru’s disciple, the Dharma methods that the guru practices will bless you, since it is the guru’s vow. The guru’s daily wish is that you may have fewer obstacles in the aspects of your practices. But instead, you create many obstacles on your own. A disciple came to apologize for thinking that the puja was happening in the afternoon, and did not come in the morning. I told him to renounce his refuge and not to be my disciple, for he could even forget about the puja! I said to him, It’s clear that you had another matter going on, and yet you pretend that you forgot—it means that you don’t consider the Dharma as something important, and you come to tell lies.
To follow and serve the guru and never be parted; to follow means to rely on but not to depend on; one relies on the Dharma taught by the guru and practices ceaselessly. To serve the guru means that, in all aspects of Buddhism, you should follow the guru’s example continuously; that is what it means to serve the guru.
Look at how few people have registered for the puja in Miaoli; I don’t believe that you don’t have friends and relatives. Some complain that it is too far, they are too busy, they don’t have time, and all of you think it is sufficient to speak to them once and cease to talk about the matter. Many people in Taiwan will go to Tibet and India. Is Miaoli really that far? It’s all your problem! You all know that I built the monastery in Miaoli to benefit sentient beings and help them come into touch with Buddhism, and further take refuge in Buddhism, and yet you stand in their way. Vast numbers of people register to attend when I hold the Amitabha Puja for Consciousness Transference in the hope that by transferring the consciousness of their karmic creditors, their own lives will improve. Other pujas also include consciousness transference; it’s only a matter of whether or not I talk about it. You all treat attending the puja as if going to the buffet, and that is exactly not serving and following the guru.
Knowing that the guru is already almost 79 years old and still continues to dedicate himself to the Dharma activities, if you rely on the guru and serve him, you should do it. But you do not; you make a clear separation from me and keep a far distance from me. Sometimes, when I see some disciples, I cannot even recognize them, because I have never met them before. This is keeping a far separation. Some only attend the puja on Sunday, and are absent the rest of the time. There are so many attendees in the puja, how can I possibly recognize who you are? And your appearance keeps changing, and I have no idea how it changes. It is fine if one has no money to make offerings; there is no charge when you come in on Saturday; I am still able to see you. Every Saturday, what I see are all bunches of female disciples; I have no idea where the male disciples go. Male disciples, don’t you feel embarrassed? You are in such busy, but I don’t see you getting rich.
‘Please dispatch me as you see fit.’ ‘As you see fit’does not mean carelessly or arbitrarily. You all know that I never dispatch you for my personal matters. I only give instructions to a few close disciples who are always by my side; the rest of you are not asked to do any of it. The only thing I ask you to do is to purchase in-store. But this kind of dispatching, you also take something back with you, it is not in vain. In the concerts, your family and friends also enjoy listening. Everyone can pay attention that what so called dispatching is all related to Buddha Dharma, Buddhist Monastery, and Buddhist center, no other things come to you.
Why do you have to make this vow? Because without making the vow, the guru and yidams are very far away from you. When you make the vow and execute it, the guru and yidam are very close to you. It is not that they have a discriminating mind, rather, it is you who push them away due to your rejection. As long as anything that is different from what the guru thinks and does, you keep yourself from the guru; apologies won’t help, because it has been done. Therefore, why do one need to keep repenting? Because you never leave the greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt, especially the envy of those female disciples; the pride of the male disciples; therefore, keep yourself away from the guru. I am not the one who wishes to separate from you, but, you, naturally drift away.
Making this oath is for the sake of cultivation, and it is not for the guru’s benefits. Because what the guru’s thoughts are all about helping sentient beings to leave the suffering sea of reincarnation. As a disciple who has taken refuge and shares the same thoughts as the guru, he or she will be in the sea of merit of the guru. As long as one does something that violates the will and arrangement of the guru, then he or she is separated from the guru. Before you do something, you can ask the guru. But you don’t ask, thinking of hiding behind and acting secretly, and neither the heaven and earth knows, only you know. When things are done, and you are scolded, then you claim that you don’t know. I know about matters concerning the dead, how could I not know about what’s happening among the living.
Dharma Protector Achi will definitely help, let people who do things behind me be revealed. For example, the translation group which hasn’t done anything since the year of 2023, and they think that it would be fine because things are over; Rinpoche didn’t scold, nor was it mentioned by board members in the meeting; nobody cares about it. Strangely, this had been discovered by me. They keep coming to repent, and I say, ‘There is no need to repent to me, you should repent to the sentient beings. Because you don’t know that there might be a foreigner reading the translation suddenly, and he changes himself. The translation group says that it is due to the lack of talented people; I now make use of the talents they do not use, and things are done very well. This shows that they failed to fulfill serving the guru so as to delight the guru. They think that the matters they do every day are called normal; matters of the Buddhist Center and the Buddhist Monastery don’t even count as Side Business — only something to do when they happen to have spare time.
Living so far with no serious problems happen to you, who has been helping? (The assembly replies: Is Rinpoche.) I did not speak—you say it yourself. Therefore, these several sentences of vow are the resolution you must make, for your own sake to make progress on the aspect of Buddha Dharma.
Rinpoche leads the disciples to perform the Dharma Protector Furious Achi Liturgy after performing the Dharma. Next, Rinpoche instructs the ordained disciples to lead the attendees to recite the Long Life Prayer for His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, the Long Life Prayer for His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang, the Long Life Prayer for Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, and the Prayer of An Exhortation to Bring Forth the Bodhicitta Resolve after Rinpoche performs the Liturgy of Furious form of Dharma Protector Achi.
Rinpoche continues to bestow incomparably wondrous Buddha Dharma teachings to the attendees.
Rinpoche asks the doctor Disciple Xie that from the perspective of the medical area, how could one distinguish the good cells and cancer cells in human body. ( Disciple Xie replies: Normal cells will be under a certain control, and they will not outgrow when they reach a certain degree and will not invade other places; they have their own position. But there is no limitation for cancer cells, it will grow continuously, metastasize everywhere; sometimes some part of the tumor grows too large, and the nutrients can’t reach there, the place then rots. But the cell outside will still continue to go outward. A cancer cell is a cell that can not regulate.) How do the cancer cells come from? ( Disciple Xie replies: Rinpoche, you’ve really given me a challenge! I only know that the process of the differentiation of cancer cells is without control.) Therefore, both cancer cells and good cells are all human cells, correct? (Disciple Xie replies: Yes.)
Rinpoche asks another surgical doctor, Disciple Tsai, whether she has an answer or not. ( Disciple Tsai replies: The cancer cell, itself, is the same as other cells, but because of the gene mutation that can’t be repaired, air pollution and other environmental factors or the aspect of diet promote it to change to a cancer cell.) Therefore, you, two doctors, all made a definition that cancer cell mutates from human body cells, but the reason it changes is unknown. ( Both doctors reply at the same time: Yes.)
Several disciples felt their lives had collapsed and been shattered when they were diagnosed with cancer, and started to find ways to deal with cancer cells everywhere. In fact, the cells in the body turn evil, who let them turn evil? The medical area talks about lots of reasons, because of the air and food, but at the end, there’s no definite answer to explain it. But what exactly let the good cells change to the ones that harm ourselves, and to kill our cells? Is what I said correct? ( Both doctors reply: Yes.) In terms of Buddhist concepts, it is because one had done too much evil karma, and after it is done, one didn’t cultivate and repent, nor did one try his best to do virtuous deeds; therefore, cells in the body, no matter good or bad, are not virtuous. Now, the medical area has proved that when a person feels happy and does some virtuous deeds, the chance of having cancer is a bit less. Now, one still has cancer, which means one does not try hard to correct oneself; still thinking to use all possible ways to treat oneself; save a lot of wealth for the treatments. Surgical doctor Disciple Tsai is a skilled surgery master; having the surgery done in a fast way and taking on many cases. She could perform surgery for 20 cases a day, and many of them had cancer. Rinpoche asks Disciple Tsai, ‘ Have you seen any cancer patients who got better after surgery or lived a long life?’’(Disciple Tsai replies: Some patients had successful surgeries, but they passed away not long after.)
From the medical area, you can clearly undrstand that no matter good or bad, cancer cells are things in our body. You think that by removing the cell that the body originally should have, it will not affect other cells and, by doing this, other cells will recover. But the problem here is: Those cells being removed were brothers and sisters with other cells. Human cells start from a single cell division, correct? ( Both doctor replies: Yes.) One bit the brothers and sisters to death, at the end, what will happen? It’s as if you’re keep killing yourself. From my experience, cancer is about not correcting one’s evilness. In modern words, your energy and aura are negative.
I keep urging you to pay revernece towards the guru, it is because the guru is pure and virtuous. Disrespect of the guru, doubting the guru, and failing to do well of what the guru had instructed, meaning you possess evil; having evil does not necessarily mean having cancer, something else might happen. Today, I’m not forcing you to listen to my words, nor thinking that by chanting mantras，and dedicating it to the karmic creditors can overcome cancer. Who is your karmic creditor? Yourself. Do not think that everything will be fine by becoming vegetarian, the only benefit of it is that one gets the chance to start turning the evil to virtuous, but this does not mean the evilsl done in the past can be completely eradicated.
Dharma text states very clearly, after the guru bestows the empowerment, and you do not listen to what the guru speaks, do not follow the vow, performing this yidam, it wouldn’t help, even if you recite ten million times of the Hundred-Syllable Mantra, because you are still evil. I have been telling you that one must execute the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas thoroughly. Because only by doing so, can your virtues continue to accumulate. If one is reluctant to do so, thinking oneself is without mistakes, it is evil. When one thinks one is without mistakes, it is wrong, because we are Buddhist practitioners, all the behaviors, speech, and thoughts are all based on Buddha Dharma, rather than the thoughts of ordinary people. When one feels envy, does not like it, and wants to pick on someone, it is evil; he or she is preparing to get cancer. Because you are turning yourself from good to evil.
Everybody knows that I got cancer when I was around 50 years old. At that time, disciple-Xie suggested me to remove it. I did not listen to the disciple. I live for another 28 years without my body suffering. Therefore, many people, after they get cancer, they try every possible method to deal with the cancer. I am not opposing that one goes to see doctors. I also can’t say that I can cure your cancer. But from the concept of Buddhism, if you listen to the words, completely correct to the virtuous, it will slowly lessen the pain cancer brings to you. Why there were some end-stage cancer patients, the degree of suffering is less than a normal cancer patient would have, after they have faith in the guru. You had seen many situations like this, whether you, disciple-Xie? ( Disciple-Xie replies: Yes, I have seen too many of these. There was an old lady who had liver cancer, no matter how much morphine was injected into her, the pain couldn’t be relieved. She did not take refuge. Rinpoche went to the hospital to bless her. At that time, I stood opposite to Rinpoche. Rinpoche asked me to step aside, and Rinpoche blew a few breaths at her to bless. The second day, she told me, ‘I did not feel pain anymore.’ I had seen too many of these blessings from Rinpoche in the hospital; for instance, some had vomited out blood, after being blessed, they stopped vomiting blood, no pain, without being injected with morphine, and passed away peacefully. These are matters that only Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can do, and Rinpoche accomplishes it.)
There was one time, I went to the hospital and completed the blessing for the patient. There was a madam who stayed on the opposite side of the ward, saw me, and she knelt to implore me; her husband was a Cantonese and was a cook; after he had liver cancer, the ascites was very severe, not living, yet unable to die. The doctor couldn’t do anything. The ascites can’t be removed no matter what is done. I feel pity for her wife. She didn’t know me completely and, yet, implored me. I then bless her husband. On the second day, her husband passed away, and the ascites was also gone. This relies on the dual functioning of Śūnyatā （Puja Teaching Index 21) and Karuna.
Buddha Dharma is very scientific. Now, science also proves that if a man’s heart is virtuous, there will be less illness and pain. With such many illnesses, one’s heart is definitely bad. Do not come and repent to me. I have also been reminding the elderly, not to bend over and squat down, still not listening to my words, thinking that if something happened, then find Rinpoche for help. But Rinpoche only saves you once.
Today, I specifically mention cancer. Because in this age of Dharma Decline, it is easy to eat food and water that is poisonous. It is stated in many Vajrayana Dharma texts that, as long as one has received the empowerment, one is less likely to eat and drink poisonous food and water; even if one does eat it, it won’t have much effect. But the prerequisite is that you have faith in the guru; loyal towards the lineage without second thoughts. Do not listen here and there. I believe that there are still male disciples who read other Rinpoche’s teaching on the website for comparison. What’s there to compare? Do not think that I do not know. To speak frankly, what’s publicly posted on the website is definitely not Vajra. Some young female disciples are also looking at other Rinpoche’s teaching, too; they are all curious about what kind of Dharma I perform in the Vajra(Secret)Hall, so then they look up online. But it is impossible to find out. Therefore, one who uses this type of attitude to learn Buddhism can only receive a little bit of the good fortune in the Human and Heaven Realms in future life; it is impossible to make use of it in this life.
Tibetan Buddhism has a Dharma text written very clearly: a guru who cultivates to possesses very much good fortune and merits will definitely have a Buddhist Monastery in this life. Why did I build a Buddhist Monastery? Because His Holiness wants to help me prove to others that I have cultivated to yield results. Even a reincarnated Rinpoche, no matter how many reincarnations he (she) has, unless, at the beginning, he (she) swears that he (she) does not need a Buddhist monastery in this life, he (she) will have his (her) Buddhist monastery; some Ripoche even manage three Buddhist Monasteries. Buddha Dharma doesn’t rely on words, it is completely the blessing from the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and the guru, so one is able to obtain.
Master Gampopa stated very clearly in the Dharma text: The Kagyu Order is a lineage of blessing. The meaning is the lineage that is blessed by the guru. Master Gampopa will not lie. The hat I wear when I receive Mandala Offering is Gampopa’s Dharma crown.
Since you have decided to take refuge in Buddhism and hope to learn Buddhism in this life, you have to listen to the words. No matter how busy you are, no one is busier than I am. Because I often have some matters that are unexpected show up. Originally, I wanted to rest in October, but some matters came up, so I have to go out again. A year has almost passed, do not disbelieve that death is very close to you. While now, you are still physically strong, Rinpoche still has energy, push yourself harder, telling yourself: the only fortune in this life is Buddha Dharma, others are all fake. Please don’t throw everything to me randomly. If you suddenly take the house to me as an offering, I will also get a headache. Now, houses are not easy to sell, each year one still needs to pay taxes. (everyone laughs.) But the cash offering will definitely be used. Before, there was even a disciple who took a land in Belize to make offerings. Am I going to build a Buddhist monastery there? That place is completely a fish-eating diet; there are no vegetarian meals to eat. This is taking things one doesn’t want to make offerings.
Today, I bestow the empowerment, hoping you, on the path of cultivation, all hindrances can be cleaned; hoping you do not hesitate on the path of cultivation; do not think about what a good life you want to live; press on with courage. In this way, you will definitely be able to obtain the Dharma. Today, I give you a pomelo to eat. The benefits are to let you have something sweet to eat, hoping that everyone can, forever, reunite at the Land of Amitabha; the bad part is, if you eat it, and don’t cultivate… (everyone laughs) I do not speak, it is you laughing. (Ｅveryone says thank you to Rinpoche at the same time.)
After the puja finished, come and take the pomelo. The ordained disciple watches at the side. No one is allowed to pick. Whichever one you take is the one you get. Do not use the habit of picking vegetables and bargaining on the vegetable market. In fact, each of them is all blessed by me. What are you still picking? (Everyone shows their gratitude to Rinpoche together.)
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Updated on October 13, 2025