His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Puja Teachings – December 28, 2025
Ｈis Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche Ascended the Dharma Throne and Expounded on‘ Scroll 32, Chanding Paramita’(Chapter 10, section 2) of The Mahayana Sutra of the Bodhisattva Treasury of the True Dharma Taught by the Buddha, and Gongchig (dgongs gcig, The Single Intention) by Lord Jigten Sumgon.
Sutra:‘If, concerning the wisdom of all three times, there is no obstruction; this is called possessing wisdom. Further, Sariputra, when one can come and go between any Buddha Land at will, it is called supernatural power.’
Many people claim to have supernatural powers, but according to the teachings of the Buddhist sutras, only at this level can it be called supernatural. If, concerning the wisdom of all three times, there is no obstruction. All of the wisdom from the past, present, and future is unobstructed for one, which means that one has reached complete, unobstructed clarity regarding all teachings about wisdom by the various past, present, and future Buddhas. This means that one’s practice in this lifetime has reached the fruition level of the Dharmakaya Bodhisattva, enabling one to know the past, present, and future, for all Buddhas to emerge before one, and for one to comprehend Buddha Dharma’s wisdom completely. Therefore, knowing some minor matter about the world cannot be called possessing supernatural powers; only being in accordance with the teachings of Buddhist sutras can be called possessing supernatural powers. This is called possessing wisdom. Being unobstructed about the wisdom of all three times can be called possessing wisdom.
Further, Sariputra, when one can come and go between any Buddha Land at will, it is called supernatural power.’The sentence means that only if one can come and go between all Buddha Lands just by arising the thought to do so, can it be called possessing supernatural powers. The Amitabha Sutra states that when one sees the Buddha, upon giving rise to the idea, one will be able to come and go between the Buddha Lands in a meal’s time. Meaning, that it is impossible to attain this type of supernatural power when one still possesses this physical body; one must reach Buddha’s Pure Land to be able to do so. Second, it means that one must attain Dharmakaya Bodhisattvahood; then, when the thought arises, one can come and go unobstructedly between any land or any Buddha’s Pure Land.
All the lands among the asaka (which is the whole universe), here land may not all refer to Buddha Lands, but possibly places where sentient beings reside, which is the so-called Milky Way (galaxy); only by knowing all that is ongoing within this space can it be called possessing wisdom.
Sutra: ‘Further, Sariputra, established according to the Dharma, is the designated level. This is called supernatural power.’
Buddha further expounds to Sariputra that establishing according to Dharma means that the designated level, which is one’s fruition level, is established according to Buddha Dharma. The Dharmakaya Bodhisattva judges which fruition level a practitioner belongs to according to the Buddha Dharma instead of the good fortune and merit one exhibits in this life. The Buddhist sutras state very clearly the appearances, powers, and merits of the First to the Sixteenth Ground Bodhisattva; only based on these can one position the fruition level of Bodhisattva, Arhat, or an ordinary human being. In Vajrayana teachings, a Rinpoche cannot name his own fruition level; instead, it must be the highest, most important Dharma-holder in the lineage, usually the Kyabgon of this particular lineage, to bestow Vyākaraṇa and enthronement. Enthronement is the most important; without it, one cannot become a Rinpoche.
Sutra: ‘To observe through the Dharma, it is called wisdom. ’
Only viewing all phenomena through Buddha Dharma can be called wisdom. This means that one doesn’t employ one’s own thoughts, or the habitual thoughts of particular tribes and ethnicities, to view the various phenomena; but rather, one views through Buddha Dharma, which is to observe the actions, thoughts, and karmic fruits through the definitions of Buddhism, only such can be called wisdom. Therefore, one does not employ personal mindsets to judge things. When we recite the Four Immeasurables, the last verse is to relinquish all in equanimity—to abide in equanimity free from attachment and aversion. One does not like someone in particular because of how well they practice, or dislike anyone in particular for how poorly they practice; one does not distinguish in such ways.
Sutra: ‘Further, Sariputra, to employ skills and expediencies to guide and teach among the various worlds, this is called supernatural powers.’
Within the Six Realms of the various worlds, there are different worlds. One employs skills and expediencies to teach and guide sentient beings; this is called supernatural powers.
Sutra: ‘To not be bound by anything from the various worlds, this is called wisdom.’
This means that nothing in the world can tie one down or cause one to become attached to any particular location; this is called wisdom. For example, the Longevity Prayer, which His Holiness composed for me, clearly states that I shall go wherever there is virtuous fate, which embodies this sentence exactly—to not be tied down by anything, nor to be attached to things being a particular way, nor to have to go to this world or any other places in particular. In other words, it is to liberate sentient beings by following fate, and I shall go wherever there is a virtuous fate for learning Buddhism.
Sutra: ‘Further, Sariputra, for all Buddhas to appear and protect the world, that is supernatural power.’
This sentence means that all the Buddhas that have appeared to protect this world are displays of supernatural power. The mention of Buddha here does not mean that the Buddha has to actually appear, but rather the emergence of Buddha Dharma, or the appearance of Buddha’s Nirmankaya (Puja Teachings Index 09), to protect this world, is an act of supernatural power. Some places may be devoid of monastics and gurus but may have a very solemn and dignified statue of Buddha. Sentient beings respect, revere, and prostrate to this Buddha statue, and abide by the precepts; thus, this Buddha statue protects this world, and this is supernatural power.
Sutra: ‘All the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas that appeared; this is called wisdom.’
All the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas that have appeared; this is called wisdom. Why is it that in practicing the Bodhisattva Path, there is mention of all the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas that have appeared? The Amitabha Sutra states that not only do the practitioners of Mahayana Buddhism go to the Western World of Utmost Bliss, but those who have practiced the ways of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, should they change their course to practice Amitabha during the period before death, may go as well. This means that in practicing the paths of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, it does not mean that one cannot switch to learning Mahayana Buddhism, practice the Bodhisattva Path, and the liberation path. Buddhist sutras often urge the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas not to be so attached, and to switch their beliefs to the Mahayana because at most, the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas can only reach the fruition level of an Arahat, who is only able to liberate oneself from life and death, and thereby do not possess the grand compassionate powers (maitri and karuna) of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to liberate other sentient beings from life and death.
Sutra: ‘Further, Sariputra, thus mentioned, are supernatural powers, and the perfect completion of both wisdom and karma. ’
Only the content mentioned above can be called supernatural powers, and the perfect completion of both wisdom and karma.
Sutra: ‘Further, Sariputra, regarding all vexations and scattered thoughts, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva enters ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) to distinguish the heart of cultivation and blesses the wisdom, and even in knowing that the hearts of all sentient beings are tainted and scattered, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva enters ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) to distinguish the causes of their vexations, and he must know how to accumulate and gather (these conditions).’
All great Bodhisattvas, when faced with all vexations and scattered thoughts, should not even have the term scattered. Entering ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) to distinguish the heart of cultivation means that, based on all the vexations of sentient beings, he enters ding (Puja Teachings Index 06) within vexations, to separate the heart which he employs to help sentient beings cultivate. Sentient beings have myriad strange and bizarre vexations that stem from greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. Therefore, the various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas teach us the five types of wisdom, the Buddhas of the Five Directions, which counteract our five poisons. Based on the five poisons, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas distinguish the ways to help sentient beings, so that, in a certain state, they may be able to change and practice Buddhism. Just like the way I continue to berate you, and if you listen, your practice would obviously be different.
Recently, a disciple passed away after getting cancer, and she suffered greatly before dying; another disciple reported back about her, and I said that she did not repent. After the disciple who reported back to me passed on my message to the dying disciple, she repented by speaking to my Dharma portrait, and passed away on the day she repented. Before her passing, she instructed relatives on how to make offerings to me, but the one in charge of her money refused to give, and the rest of the family never came to make offerings. Rinpoche did not chase after them. It isn’t that Rinpoche hopes for or needs this offering; this means that if one wants to make offerings, do it before breathing one’s final breath because very few of one’s family members believe in Buddha, and when they don’t believe in Buddha, they will treat one’s offerings as their own in thinking that making the offering is not important. Only until right before her death, out of fear of pain, she repented, but because she was too late in repenting, even the merit of performing offerings did not emerge. Even if I did transfer her consciousness, she will only be born as a human being at most, and as a human being, she will relive life in the way she did in this incarnation because she did not make offerings; someone will use it up for her because she herself believed that one only had to give upon death, and all of you harbour such thoughts as well.
The wife of another disciple died as well, and no matter how he made offerings, I still refused because it was obvious that they had money, and could have made offerings before death, but why did they wait until after I transferred consciousness? Because one does not give before it has been fulfilled; one only gives when the deed has been completed, and so I refused his offerings. I know that his family is wealthy, and since he is wealthy, he could have done things ahead of time, but instead, he waited until after her death. If one must only give after death, it might cost a fortune. How many times have I told you that in the past, if one wanted to implore a Rinpoche for consciousness transference, one had to make an offering of a batch of gold first, and then invite him to come stay at one’s house, and make offerings to him daily. After the deceased’s passing, the Rinpoche will practice the Dharma, and then, one must make offerings with another batch of gold before sending him back. Have any of you done this? No! I do not ask you to behave this way, but merely to learn to behave this way.
Do not wait till you are about to die, and come throw some money in exchange for a good death, as sometimes it might be too late because your family members are definitely too reluctant to make offerings, and will therefore use it up on your behalf. So, even if you have instructed them, the deed might not be fulfilled; without good fortune, it cannot be done. Today, I am not trying to remind you to make offerings to me earlier as I do not want it, but I’m telling you, when you think your health has declined, do what needs to be done quickly, and even if it is not for Rinpoche, draft up your will ahead of time, you can pay for legal consultants to write and notarize your will so no one will dare touch what belongs to you. This is for your benefit because if your relatives fight over your money, you will definitely get angry.
A long time ago, a female lawyer came to seek an audience with me, and standing behind her was a group of many ghosts, who told me that she was a good person, and that I should urge her not to take on a particular case, helping the men in a household take advantage of the widow and orphans in the same family. These men were trying to rob their inheritance, so the ghosts did not want her to take on the case, as it would make her unfortunate. The moral of this story is: make arrangements for your properties ahead of time, do not think that after death your family members will know what to do with it, there is no such thing, and you must listen to me! You don’t give it to Rinpoche, but you must make proper arrangements for your familial matters. The Buddhist sutras state very clearly that your family members are your prison guards, and when people die in prison, the guards will definitely take all of their things away, nothing will be left behind, and your family members will do the same. Do not think that in the future everyone in your family will die, and you will be the last one alive; this just won’t happen! You all hope to die first, so as to have someone take care of your funerary arrangements.
Another disciple passed away yesterday; she had very little money, but a year ago, she knew she was going to die, so she brought the meager sum of all that she had to make as an offering to Rinpoche, in order to plead for the Phowa. I granted her, and yesterday I practiced the Dharma for her—she did not suffer even the lightest before dying. She was not sick, nor did she go to the hospital. Her daughters came to express their gratitude, but I told them it was unnecessary as it was none of their business; if they were truly grateful, only none of them made offerings to me by selling their houses, but Rinpoche still performed the Dharma for their mother because I promised her. Now, many want to come and plead for the Phowa Dharma, but I do not grant such a request casually. For one, I am old, and practicing the Phowa is incredibly energy-consuming; I need to save energy to continue practicing to help more sentient beings, but not you lot. Second, because without good fortune, it would be useless even if I practiced the Dharma for you; ask yourselves: how much have you done?
Yesterday, a few disciples came to plead for the Four Extraordinary Foundations of Vajrayana Ngondro, but I refused them all. Why didn’t I transmit? I asked them whether they examined their actions, speech, and mind using the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas every night. One said no, another said once in a while, and the last said three to four times a week. But what did I say? (The assembly replies: Every day.) When you took refuge, I told you all that if you don’t listen and follow the Dharma transmitted by the guru, it’s slacking off, and when you slack off, the powers of blessings will be gone, and therefore, I will not transmit the Dharma, didn’t I? (The assembly replies: Yes.) Yet why won’t you believe? If I hadn’t instructed you to examine your actions, speech, and mind using the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas every day, then it would be my fault; however, I have repeated myself many times, yet none of you listen, which means you all think that all of your karma has been cleared. I am a guru who has practiced to the level of the Anuttarayoga-Tantra (Highest Yoga Tantra), but each day, before I practice the Dharma, I still practice the Vajrasattva Dharma because I fear that perhaps some minute karma that I might have neglected, forgotten, might still exist to hinder my practice, and yet why don’t you listen to me in thinking that you are somebody great? And you say the words grateful out loud. I am old now, and I do not want to say anything else to you. I will continue to teach the Buddha Dharma and expound from the Buddhist sutras; I don’t want to continue to berate you all, but you still refuse to listen to the things I teach you!
Yesterday, a disciple brought her son to me, and her son held a red envelope, so I asked, whose money is this? The disciple said it was hers. I told her that, after having taken refuge for so many years, don’t you know that Rinpoche does not accept offerings from believers who have not taken refuge? When it comes to your own kin, you all hope that Rinpoche would change, because your kin make offerings to me, they will yield good fortune, and will be allowed to take refuge. What should I do with you? Why don’t I hold pujas now? Because it’s useless even if I keep holding them, because none of you listen, so what’s the point for me to exhaust myself? Everyone thinks that Buddha Dharma is something that you do when you like it, but which you can ignore when you don’t like it; these are the words of Rinpoche, and to perform parts of what is asked means one has already done it right by Rinpoche. The one thousand or so of you should go home and think, which one of you, before bed each night, actually examines your actions, speech, and mind to see whether in violation of the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas? You all think you’ve done no wrong, but how many times have I told you that each thought and idea that rises is a crime and karma, but no one listens; everyone just wants to live well.
The most important matter in learning Buddhism is to follow the precepts—the Five Precepts and Ten Virtuous Acts—and when you don’t listen to the guru when he teaches, based on what can you call yourselves Buddhist disciples? When you use your own ideas in learning Buddhism, it is futile! Some people come to plead for the Guru Yoga, but I won’t transmit it to them. Many of you believe that when you practice the Guru Yoga, you can reach attainment with Rinpoche, who will protect you. But let me tell you: this is not the meaning of Guru Yoga. The Guru Yoga is about attaining the guru’s merit, practice method, and lineage. What does being in attainment mean? It means that the lineage gurus will help you in your practice, that is, reaching attainment, not that they will protect you. When I was trying to plead for the Guru Yoga, I could not find His Holiness for the entire year, and finally, when I reached him by phone, I implored him; he was in the United States, and only verbally transmitted the Dharma to me, but without the Dharma text, even, I practiced and reached attainment. Now, a few of you have the Dharma text, but are unable to yield results in your practice. Why? You do not respect the guru! Why can’t you generate the Bodhicitta? Last time I told you that Jitien Sugong’s Gongchig (dgongs gcig, The Single Intention) states very clearly that if you want to generate the Bodhicitta, it is important that you first respect and revere the guru. You have done none of this, and think that you are very reverent; when I ask you to examine yourselves each day, and yet you do not, can you call that reverence? It is equivalent to a teacher teaching you study material and requiring you to copy it for a certain number of repetitions, yet you chose not to do so. Would you pass the exam then? Don’t waste your own time, will you? You still have the slightest bit of good fortune to have such a rigorous and strict guru, and yet you still don’t listen.
Do not think that I will ceaselessly protect you—I will only protect you once; everyone employs their own ideas in learning Buddhism. Just like the disciple who gave a red envelope to her son to make as an offering to me; she knew clearly that I do not accept offerings from those who have not taken refuge, and yet she insisted on breaking my rules to satisfy her desires; if I accepted, she would have said that Rinpoche accepted so he must grant permission to take refuge. I have never broken the rules in the past decades. What do you mean by this? Are you my karmic creditors? Everyone must be clear that learning Buddhism is not child’s play, and you can not behave as you will—it’s bad for yourself.
And bless the wisdom; this refers to enter ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) and separate the heart of cultivation, with which one blesses the wisdom, and even in knowing that the hearts of all sentient beings are tainted and scattered, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva enters ding(Puja Teachings Index 06) to distinguish the causes of their vexations, and he must know how to accumulate and gather (these conditions). The passage indicates that a Bodhisattva Mahasattva knows that the hearts of all sentient beings have been tainted, polluted, and are scattered; thus, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, within the state of ding(Puja Teachings Index 06), distinguishes the causes of all sentient beings’ vexations, and thereby helps them cultivate. One must know how to accumulate and gather (these conditions)—one must know how to accumulate and gather these types of conditions to help them. The gathering here is not for the Bodhisattva’s own use, but rather that the Bodhisattva needs to know where the vexations of the sentient beings come from, so, without experiences in cultivation and various kinds of trials in the world, one who only reads the Buddhist sutras cannot understand the vexations of the sentient beings, and will thereby only be able to tell you Buddhist terms, and incapable of helping you resolve your problems.
Recently, a young disciple went to borrow from the loan sharks, while another got sued by someone, and the problem lies in not abiding by the precepts; it’s useless to come and repent to me, nor will I help them, because from youth to adulthood, I have taught you all to abide by the precepts. As we reside in this country, there are laws on how to drive and how to build houses, and we must follow them all; if we go against the law, we will be punished. For instance, I have acted completely in accordance with the law when building the Monastery, and therefore, we were only fined once because they were careless in letting the mud get onto the road, which cost over three hundred thousand (NT) dollars, and I paid for it personally without spending any of the funds from the foundation. To construct such an enormous monastery and to have gone through so much, but to be fined only once is no easy task, which also means that I have ceaselessly supervised the endeavor with Buddha Dharma, and have never been lax. The money that sentient beings donated to us is for building the Monastery, not for paying fines. I could have used the foundation’s funds to pay for the three hundred thousand or so (NT) dollars, and you wouldn’t have known, but this is a matter of precept. Today we speak of the Bodhisattvas who, in order to help you, must know many things—the causes of your vexations, so as to resolve your conditions from the cause.
The two youths got into trouble because their parents did not teach them; instead, they merely asked them to study, do no evil, and not to kill anyone. The other minor matters they disregarded and left to Rinpoche, the Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas to protect. I have asked the person who borrowed from the loan sharks to take off his vest of refuge, as he shall no longer be my disciple. The other person in a legal entanglement has not yet reached a verdict, so I have not yet taken action. They kept these things from me, but I still end up hearing about them, and I do not know why.
Do not assume that you will be blessed and protected even after you have done something illegal under the Glorious Jewel. Those young people, chasing girls or boys atthe Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center—what do you think you are doing! Do you take this place as a dating agency? Those parents also do nothing as long as their children are happy. Then what are you learning the Dharma here for?
Not long ago, two people who were both studying started dating. I asked, ‘Do your parents agree?’ Unbelievably, the parents agreed to let them date publicly! I’m not against relationships between men and women, but the boys should ask themselves: Do you have the ability to support someone? And the girls should ask themselves: If you get pregnant, will you marry him? Has this place turned into some kind of red light area? None of the group leaders is doing anything! Can I keep an eye on so many people by myself? Everyone sneaks around doing things behind my back, thinking nobody will know.
For example, at this recent puja in Japan, there was someone who had already left the Center, changed his/her name, and registered under that new name. Because it was a Japanese name, the people in Japan didn’t know who he/she was. In the end, he/she exposed himself out of nowhere by calling here and telling who he really was, saying he/she knew the Center’s regulations. This shows clearly that Dharma Protector Achi did not allow him/her to come. Do not think that no matter what you do, Dharma Protector Achi will still protect you. Dharma Protector Achi will definitely bring you out into the open. Over these decades propagating the Dharma, I have done right by you. Every single cent you have spent has been worth ten thousand times its value. Yet you still sneak around behind the scenes doing all kinds of things, while parents neither supervise nor educate their children. The Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows states this very clearly: if parents do not teach their children and the children do wrong, the parents must bear responsibility. As for my own children, even if they are unwilling to learn Buddhism, at the very least, they do not dare to do bad things.
Do not think that just because you come to a puja, you are a good person. The mindset with which you come is to seek blessings from Rinpoche, the Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas in order to graduate smoothly, get a boyfriend or girlfriend, have no obstacles in anything, and go smoothly at work. It is fine for you to make such requests—I can do that! But not in this way. If I followed worldly methods, I would stop teaching the Dharma and simply charge you a fee for one act of worship. But I will not do that!
Sutra: ‘Sariputra, this Great Bodhisattva Mahasattva abides in stability through universally accumulating and gathering. This is what is called samāhita.’
Please look up the term samāhita for me. Its meaning is that such a Great Bodhisattva, through universal accumulation and concentration, attains a state of stable abiding. ‘Abiding’ means that the Bodhisattva’s mind is not disturbed by the afflictions of sentient beings but remains settled and stable. This accumulation and gathering is not for their own practice as well, but in order to help sentient beings set foot on the path of cultivation.
Sutra: ‘Furthermore, with regard to all sentient beings, this is called samāhita. The mind is constantly equal—this is called samāhita. The thought is constantly equal—this is called samāhita. Skills are equal—this is called samāhita. Profound inner thoughts are equal—this is called samāhita.’
This term keeps appearing; please help look it up. The thought is constantly equal; profound inner thoughts are equal. Here it is especially emphized the thoughts because all our thinkings, speech, and actions begin from thoughts. A Bodhisattva’s thoughts are equal. What ‘equality’ means here is recognizing that sentient beings, the Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas are equal: all sentient beings possess the conditions to attain Buddhood. Because they have been contaminated, they become lost and reincarnate within the Six Realms. Because the Bodhisattvas have already attained enlightenment and clearly understand where the causes of reincarnation come from, when helping sentient beings, the Bodhisattvas do not generate discriminatory thoughts based on their identity or status, but help with an impartial mind. As long as a sentient being has the fate and the need for help, the Bodhisattvas will give it. For example, yesterday I performed the Phowa for an elderly disciple. She has no money, and her daughter also has no money and would not give any even if she had. Yet Rinpoche still helped her equally, because her faith and reverence toward Rinpoche fulfilled the conditions for receiving help. I did not look at whether she had money; I do not even know whether she has ever made offerings to me. I helped simply because I had made a commitment to do so. And why did I commit? I myself do not know. If I do not commit, no matter how much you implore, it will be useless. There must have been many reasons behind why I made my promise.
Profound inner thoughts are equal. Some forms of equality of thought are only superficial. For example, a person may have read the Prayer of Four Immeasurables and remembers the words, so this kind of equal approach may occasionally appear. But deep within the thoughts, an impartial mind has not truly been established. This is why, among the Five Wisdoms, there is the Wisdom of the Equal Self-Nature: only the wisdom in the depth of the heart is able to generate the Wisdom of the Equal Self-Nature. For example, Rinpoche often helps many sentient beings. Some time ago, animals died near the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Monastery in the Monastery. Disciples randomly found a place and buried them. I scolded them because they looked down on those animals, digging a hole and simply throwing them in. I said, ‘Would it be fine if you were being buried in this way?’ If a person died near the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Monastery, they would call an ambulance, find a funeral home, and follow proper burial procedures. That is precisely the absence of an impartial mind. An impartial mind is very difficult to achieve; those who have not cultivated over many past lives truly cannot do it.
As mentioned earlier, my children are unwilling to learn Buddhism, so I hardly have contact with them. It is not because they are my children that I treat them better. You can see that even if my children go to the Monastery to attend a puja, they sit there just like everyone else, not especially in the front, with no privilege. At most, they come to my room to have a meal with me, and that is all. This is what an impartial mind is. You are not like this; you all think that your own children are the closest.
For example, like the disciple yesterday who brought her child and gave money to her child to make an offering to me, this is precisely the absence of an impartial mind. To her, the child is the most important, so no matter what rules the guru sets, she will use every possible means to fulfill what the child wants. How can people like this learn Buddhism? Why does Rinpoche establish so many rules? It is to train you to develop an impartial mind. Your children, parents, husbands, and wives are all karmic creditors from countless past lives, which is why you come together in this lifetime. If this were said to people who are not Buddhists, they would find it very strange. But because they are our karmic creditors, all the more we must use these relationships to help us cultivate, because they indicate that we did not do well in the past. That is why in this life we have fallen as a lay practitioner, burdened with so many troubles. In this lifetime, one must make a firm resolve. Do not think that just because you are human, you do not need to learn Buddhism, that you can simply come as a believer, not implore to take refuge, and not wear the vest of a refuge disciple. Imploring to take refuge means hoping that in future lives you will no longer reincarnate as a human being. Yet all of your behavior in this life is entirely human behavior. How, then, is it possible for you to go to Amitabha’s Pure Land?
Do not think that simply reciting ‘Amitabha’ means you can go there. Amitabha’s Pure Land is different from the Pure Land of Abhirati of Akshobhya, the Immovable Buddha. Amitabha is very popular in China, and many people recite ‘Amitabha.’ In Amitabha’s Pure Land, cultivation is solitary: every day you remain enclosed within a lotus flower. To go to the Pure Land of Abhirati of Akshobhya, the Immovable Buddha, however, you must cultivate to the fruition level of a Bodhisattva while still alive in this lifetime. If you have family and companions, you will still have them there. That is the difference. Both places have monastics, and both practice the Bodhisattva Path, but the key distinction is that in Amitabha’s Pure Land, once you go there, it is solitary. Therefore, if in this lifetime you cannot let go of everything, it is impossible for you to go to Amitabha’s Pure Land. How could you endure being ‘shut in’? You could not even tolerate one day. If you had a knife on you, you would already have cut the lotus open and run out; without a knife, you would tear it open anyway. (The assembly laughs.)
What you train yourself in during this lifetime determines what happens in the next. The stronger the human behavior is, one will be reborn as a human. The stronger the animal behavior is, one will be reborn as an animal. When the behaviors of the Hungry Ghost Realm dominate, one goes to the Hungry Ghost Realm. Like the wealthy person I mentioned earlier, who refused to make offerings to me before dying: even if in this life I transfer her consciousness so that she does not fall into the Three Evil Realms, I can predict that in some lifetime, she will definitely go to the Hungry Ghost Realm, because she was unwilling to make offerings, and she calculated her offerings. By ‘calculating,’ I mean weighing everything, doing things only if the things benefited themselves, and refusing if they did not. Saying, ‘Thank you, Rinpoche,’ in the mouth, but where was the house? I say this deliberately to play a trick on you. It is not that I want your house; I have returned many houses. But do not calculate your offerings. An offering is simply an offering, made clearly and straightforwardly.
That Rinpoche has been able to attain results through cultivation in this lifetime is due not only to the virtuous root-capacity from past lives, but, more importantly, I truly do not want to be human again. My human behavior exists only for the sake of surviving in this world so that I can continue to propagate the Buddha Dharma. Beyond that, my thoughts and human behaviors are very faint, almost nonexistent. Everyone here has attended concerts before. Apart from monastics, who are not allowed to go, which performance does not include the performers thanking the President (of the Glorious Jewel Group)? I should go! look handsome in my outfit — won’t you applaud when I step onto the stage? Why don’t I want this? Because holding a concert is not for making money. By holding one concert, at least a hundred people receive salaries. With just a few thousand spent, so many people get to share in your kindness. This is how you accumulate virtuous fates. When those on stage thank the President and thank Glorious Jewel, they too create a virtuous fate for the future!
Buying a ticket is also a form of Dānapāramitā (Puja Teachings Index 15)! On the surface, it looks like you are going to enjoy yourselves, but now everyone knows that these concerts are getting better and better. The staff who participate all know that Glorious Jewel never withholds their salaries and always keeps its promises, so they feel at ease working there. When you attend, you also give them the feeling that their work is appreciated, which makes them happy as well. When everyone is happy, your own life naturally becomes happier too. So when some people say that they are learning Buddhism now, so they should not participate in unnecessary things, that is completely nonsense. By that logic, one might as well go live as a monastic in the forest. When speaking of ‘reducing worldly life,’ this refers to your thoughts. But in such a complex commercial society, worldly life is unavoidable. If you lack the ability to create virtuous fates for yourselves, the guru will use various methods to create them for you, allowing you to participate so that, without even realizing it or intending it, you are already doing so.
So in future lives, if you have the opportunity to cultivate again, you will have believers, because those who came to attend the concerts, including the relatives and friends you invited, all felt gratitude. Once there is a sense of gratitude, a virtuous fate is formed between you and them. You keep thinking that the Dharma works as a simple exchange. It does not. It is very complex. That is why it was said earlier that a Bodhisattva must understand the defiled minds of sentient beings and know what methods to use to help them. Helping them invisibly, in ways they do not even realize, is the highest Buddha Dharma. It is not necessary to recite Amitabha every day; if someone does not listen, why keep talking about Amitabha to them?
I have told you a story before; you may have forgotten it. Those who took refuge earlier have heard it, but the younger ones have not. Many years ago, I took a flight to Kunming. At that time, it was a small plane, and because of the turbulence, the flight was extremely bumpy by the time we reached Kunming. Back then, I sat in economy class, three seats to a row. Next to me sat an elderly American couple. At first, they chatted with me a bit, speaking Mandarin even more fluently and accurately than I did. He and his father were Christians who had preached in Yunnan before, so his Mandarin was excellent. He had not returned for many years, and with the country opening up, he wanted to go back and take a look. When we talked about religious views, I said that I was a Buddhist. He immediately stopped. He stopped talking entirely, and we did not even make eye contact again. When the plane was shaking violently over Yunnan, his wife began screaming. No matter how much her husband tried to comfort her, it did not work. I turned to her and said in Mandarin, ‘You believe in Christianity. Your Lord will surely protect you. Don’t worry, nothing will happen.’ She stopped screaming because if she continued, it would have been embarrassing. If I had said to her, ‘Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara will save you, I am a Buddhist,’ she would not have accepted Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. She would have asked, ‘Who? What?’ So I told her, ‘You believe in Christ; Christ will protect you.’
We Buddhists are not rigid or unchanging. As long as sentient beings’ afflictions can be resolved, we use methods that are familiar to them to help them. Just like at this recent puja in Japan, I allowed them to offer tea through the tea ceremony (Chadō) and to play shinobue as a musical offering. Do I need that? No, I do not. But the Japanese feel respected, and so they will continue to come. This is exactly what was mentioned earlier, I need to accumulate many things. In front of me, there are no tricks and cleverness that you can pull off that I have not already seen. Your Rinpoche is different from other practitioners. I did not hide in remote mountains cultivating since childhood; I have lived in the world for such a long time. All those tricks and clevernesses of yours, I have certainly heard of or known about to some extent. Therefore, I hope that when you come here to learn Buddhism, you will obediently listen to the Dharma and not show me what you think you are good at, because what you are good at is all about playing tricks and taking advantage of others. Once I see it, I will deal with you accordingly. And then what would be the point of keeping you here?
This is a place dedicated purely to propagating the Buddha Dharma. I do not demand that you do anything special, but you must listen to the Dharma, and you must use the Dharma to live your daily lives. Do not practice a little today and stop tomorrow; that kind of effort is not strong enough. Just like those people who say they use Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas to examine themselves only three days a week, three days is already an exaggeration. From what I see, at most, they do it once. How can that be cultivation? If you cannot even take in the Dharma that Rinpoche transmits to you orally, you will not take in any other Dharma either. All day long, you just hope to learn more Dharmas, but that is useless. You cannot even abide the Five Precepts and the Ten Meritorious Acts, nor can you be courteous and revervent to your teachers and elders, what Dharma do you think you can possibly learn?
The Three Sources of Felicity of the Pure Land School. The first is to be courteous and reverent (Li Jing) to the teachers and elders. ‘Li’ means observing proper conduct between teacher and disciple; ‘Jing’means having genuine reverence. If you are not courteous and reverent to your teachers and elders, you cannot go to Amitabha’s Pure Land. Why? Because in Amitabha’s Pure Land, Amitabha, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and Bodhisattva Vajrapani teach the Dharma, along with many other Bodhisattvas, all of them are your teachers. If on Earth you are accustomed to not respecting teachers, then naturally, you will not be courteous and reverent to teachers and elders either when you get there. The Ratnakuta Sutra says: what you did not do in past lives will not occur in this life; what you do not do in this life will not occur in future lives; what you do in this life will certainly occur in future lives. That is why I keep urging you to do virtuous deeds and abiding the precepts, because I hope that what happens to you in future lives will all be good and virtuous.
This lifetime of just a few decades passes very quickly. I never expected to still be alive at seventy-eight, but it too will soon pass. While I am still here, you must truly take in what I urge you to do, every virtuous deed, and put it into practice. Do not be half-hearted. Take the disciple from yesterday who gave a red envelope to her son to make an offering on his behalf: that is not being courteous and revering the teachers and elders. It was purely driven by her own desire; she wanted her son to take refuge. In order to satisfy that desire, no matter what the teacher said, she could neither hear it nor understand it. I could have accepted the offering and then told her that it was not yet time for taking refuge. But would I break the rules that I myself have established?
The Glorious Jewel has been propagating the Buddha Dharma for decades and has had very few opportunities to be attacked or criticized. Why? Because of this single principle, I do not block other people’s source of wealth. If someone is not my disciple, I do not accept offerings from them. Naturally, outsiders will not attack me. If I accepted everything, people would feel they are consumed. So I sacrifice myself in order to fulfill and protect all aspects of the Buddha Dharma. Some people come imploring consciousness-transference, and when I feel that there is no fate with them, I let the monastics introduce them to the Ｍajor Buddhist Ｍountains to register for consciousness-transference there. I could also simply say yes and agree to help, but I cannot do that. I practice the Bodhisattva Path, and I have the ability to know clearly whether there is a fate or not. If there is no fate and I still force myself to help, not only will I be unable to help them, but I may instead cause them to create verbal karma, which would be bad. It is better to let them go and try elsewhere to see whether there is a fate. I have introduced many people to other places, haven’t I? (The monastics reply: Yes.) They have all done so as well. If there is a fate, I help; if there is no fate, it is the same no matter who the person is.
For example, in the past, a company helped me with some work. When the boss’s mother passed away, because he did not believe, I told him to go elsewhere to implore consciousness-transference. If I loosened things a little, life would be much easier for me. Like those who came yesterday to implore for the Dharma, I could have just agreed. Why be so strict? Whether they can cultivate successfully is their own business. But I cannot do that, because I am very clear about how I myself attained results through practice. I did not even have any Dharma texts. I attained the Guru Yoga, how? I do not understand Tibetan at all. When His Holiness gave oral transmission, he recited only in Tibetan. Even though I did not understand a single sound, I relied solely on faith and reverence, with no other thoughts. I never thought that by receiving this Dharma I would become better and better. You are exactly the opposite of me. That is why, no matter what Dharma you implore, even if I were willing to transmit it, you would still not be able to achieve attainment through cultivating it.
Lord Jigten Sumgon’s Work Gongchig (dgongs gcig, The Same Intention)
Today I read Jigten Sumgon’s Work Gongchig (dgongs gcig, The Same Intention), and there is a passage that happens to discuss the precepts, which is relevant to you. Jigten Sumgon said that although some hold the view that precepts and restraints are only for bhikkhus and sshamis, and others who abide by specific precepts and restraints, our lineage asserts that all precepts and restraints are formulated for all sentient beings. After taking precepts, we use them to regulate our body, speech, and mind; this is called precepts and restraints. In the Drikung Kagyu lineage, it is held that all precepts and restraints are for the benefit of all sentient beings; that is, every sentient being can abide by them. The Buddha turned the Dharma wheel three times. The Vinaya Piṭaka was the precepts and restraints formulated for his direct disciples. You often hear about the Tripitaka master, a title given to someone highly proficient in the three piṭaka of sutra, vinaya, and abhidharma, like the famous Xuanzang, who was called the Tripiṭaka Master.
The Vinaya Piṭaka means the precepts and restraints. In the past, it was formulated for the disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha, especially for the bhikkhus. If a bhikkhu does not abide by the precepts to take actions, he becomes a saṃghāvaśeṣa (a ruined monk): though he outwardly appears to be monastic, he is defective, it is a downfall (degeneration), a gross transgression (a very serious fault), an repentence, and an evil act (wrongdoing in what one does). Because the precepts for bhikkhus are transmitted to bhikkhus, and not meant for other sentient beings, they are not precepts and restraints formulated for the rest of the world.
Regarding this, Jigten Sumgon expounded the establishment of all precepts; it is identical to the wisdom of our self-nature, which is the original pure wisdom of the Dharma nature. What our self-nature most guards against are the five poisons: greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. All precepts targeted to the greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt, both are the same. Hence, all precepts and restrains are established for the sake of all sentient beings. The very beginning motivation of the Buddha is also for the sake of benefiting sentient beings and the Buddha has the motivation. In the middle, the accumulation of resource, it was also for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. In the end, attaining Buddhahood, it was also for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. This echoes what is taught in the Ratnakuta Sutra: Everything that is done is for the benefit of sentient beings and to attain Buddhahood. In the same way, turning the Dharma wheel is also done for the sake of benefiting sentient beings.
In the Dhammapada, the Bhagavad gave a teaching to Ananda in Jetavana: Do not commit a single evil; perfect all virtuous deeds; discipline one’s mind; this is the teaching of the Buddhas. This was explained at the time of taking refuge and is of the utmost importance to us. It is based on Shakyamuni Buddha’s instruction to Ananda: as long as one refrains from even a single evil act, all virtues will be brought to perfection. What does ‘a single evil’ mean? For example, the few things I scolded just now are all evil, and therefore, virtue is no longer perfected. Why does Rinpoche constantly urge you not to learn Buddhism with human thinking and behavior? Because human thoughts and behaviors are one hundred percent evil. The Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Fundamental Vows says: ‘All our thoughts generate karma and vices.’ Does that mean we should abandon everything? Just like some people say that because they are now learning Buddhism, they no longer care about worldly possessions—this is complete nonsense, a kind of self-righteous pretension! Anything that violates the Five Precepts and the Ten Meritorious Acts is evil. As long as there is a slightest trace of evil remains, no matter how much virtues one does, that virtue is not perfected. Thus, in this lifetime, virtue and evil keep arising one after another. Therefore, to cut off evil, one must practice virtue. And for virtue to be perfect, not even the tiniest evil can be done. Do not think that being lazy, doing things slowly, or waiting until you have time, these are all evils. Do not think that precepts are only to be kept after one learns Buddhism. Jigten Sumgon stated this very clearly: all precepts and restraints are raised for the sake of all sentient beings.
Precepts and restraints are for the use of contol the greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogant, and doubt. Why are the Five Precepts transmitted to you at the time of taking refuge? It is precisely to control your greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogant, and doubt. Just like the two young people who borrowed from loan sharks and broke the law, if they had remembered the Five Precepts, would they still have violated the law or borrow from a loan shark? They simply forgot! Once greed arose, all precepts were put behind. And so, trouble naturally occured. It very easy to get in trouble.
All precepts and restraints are established for the benefit of all sentient beings, and are taught purely for the purpose of discerning and upholding the precepts. It is because we don’t know how to make proper choices, we don’t know whether what we are doing is right or wrong. Why do I urge you to follow the Five Precepts and the Ten Meritorious Acts? Why do I ask you to use The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas to examine yourselves? It is so that you have a method to make a proper choice. By making proper choices according to these teachings, one will not go wrong. If something is still unclear, come and ask. But usually, you don’t ask. You feel that your own interests are the most important!
Yesterday, a disciple came to make an offering and said, ‘This money is not money earned through wrongdoing.’ I did not accept it. He had helped his boss to make false accounts for decades. Now he has cancer, and is about to die; and only then did he recall that more than a year ago, he had received a sum of money from his father. Why is he only thinking of this now? Because now that he is in pain and knows himself is about to die, he hopes to use this money in exchange for something. If one truly had the heart of making an offering, knowing that making false accounts was wrong, he should have offered this money more than a year ago. Why didn’t he take it out then? Because he didn’t think making false accounts was wrong, thinking that it was his boss’s instruction and that himself was not at fault, he merely thought he was earning a little more salary than others. Helping a boss makes false accounts is tax evasion. In Mainland China, that would land you in prison. He could have resigned and refused to do it, but money was more important than precepts, and money was more important than the Buddha Dharma. Now that he has cancer, he suddenly remembers that he once had this money, yet he never once remembered to make an offering. I spoke to him very clearly: his money is not clean, and I will not accept it. Even if he says this money came from his father, I still will not accept it, because there is no genuine heart of making an offering. He is my refuge disciple. I have promised you that as long as you are my refuge disciples, in this lifetime, I will save you from falling into the Three Evil Realms. This is my promise. But whether I accept the offering is on my decision. Do you think I am so easily bought?
The Five Precepts and the Ten Meritorious Acts, and The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas is to let you know how to make proper choices. If you don’t employ it, it means that you are reluctant to give up the greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. Then what is ‘With no obstruction and establishes equal self-nature ’said by the Buddha? This still falls within the scope of restraining and establishing regulation. Using the original wisdom that attains equanimity to eliminate afflictions is called restraining regulation; when merit operates within its corresponding field, this is called establishing regulation. These words correspond to what I just expounded about equal self-nature in the Ratnakuta Ｓutra. Jigten Sumgon’s writing comes from the Ratnakuta Sutra. This is a the center of Drikung Kagyu, so I must expound the Ratnakuta Sutra. Using the original wisdom that attains equanimity; the equal self-nature appears from your primordial wisdom. To eliminate afflictions is called restraining regulation, use the wisdom of equanimity to eliminate afflictions. Do not overly discriminate between what is good and bad, and do not become excessively attached to anything. You must learn to let go. Letting go does not mean rejecting or throwing things away; it means not clinging to them.
Do I love my child? Of course I do! After he was born, I brought him up since he was little, changing his diapers and feeding him. Tell me, do I love him or not? I have truly fulfilled my role as a father. Many of you here are fathers and have never changed your children’s diapers or washed them. Because decades ago, there were no disposable diapers, you had to wash them every day, and you even had to know how to fasten them properly! I can let go with complete equality. If he doesn’t learn Buddhism, then between him and me is only the bond of father and son, and I will let that go! Unlike you, who deliberately gave red envelopes to your son when they came to plead for taking refuge, it is attachment. And followed the attachment, it is suffering! I am not telling you to abandon your sons; rather, if one attaches in such a way, insisting on satisfying every desire of your son, when something happens, tell me, is this suffering or not? It is suffering!
Therefore, cutting off the afflictions that are to be cut off is equality, it is restraining regulation; merit functions within the field, this is called establishing regulation. In other words, when you use the innate wisdom of equanimity to eliminate afflictions, that is restraining regulation, and merit will then operate within the field. When you practice Buddhism, only by cutting of those afflictions through equal self-nature can the merit function within the realm of cultivation, and within the realm of daily life. Otherwise, there will be no merit. Why is it that no matter how much you practice, you still have no merit? It is because you haven’t used equal self-nature to cut off afflictions, and afflictions become more and more. Originally, learning Buddhism is to cut off afflictions, yet you are adding more; hoping that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will do something, hoping that Rinpoche will do something or help you. Aren’t the afflictions of greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt continuously working? If you can cut off the afflictions, then your merit will function within your environment of practice. Just as mentioned previously, organizing a concert is also a form of practice for me..
You may not know this, every time, on the day before a concert, I will go to the venue. To beautified it’s name, I am there to listen to their rehearsal, but in fact, I give each of them a red envelope of NT$2,000, and I bow to every single person to express my thanks. They all receive salaries. Why still give red envelopes, and still bow and say thank you? It is the wisdom of equal self-nature. They contribute their labor and bring happiness to so many people; I must thank them. If I had not cultivated the wisdom of equal self-nature, I still stand there giving red envelopes and say ‘thank you’ to every person? Some of them are dancers in their teens or twenties, and still I say thank you to them. The disciplep-Wang standing beside me saw it very clearly; I am not being artificial. I truly thank every one of them like this, isn’t that so? (Disciple-Wang replies:Yes.) This all comes from the Buddha Dharma. Giving a red envelope to each person brings them good fortune. That is why, after so many years of holding concerts, everything has been safe and peaceful. Yesterday’s earthquake was fortunate not to have happened during a concert. (The assembly applauds.) If it had happened during a concert, just imagine what would have occurred—total chaos. People would tumble from the stage, guitars would crash thunderously, and the drums would fall into disorder. It is all due to the protection of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Therefore, all merit is found within states—it operates right in the environment of daily life. As long as one can cut off afflictions and keep the precepts, even something as simple as giving another person a bite of food is cultivation. Everything we do within our environment is functioning within merit. Do you understand now? Why does Rinpoche hold concerts? All you think about is, ‘Why do disciples still have to buy tickets?’ But what virtue and capacity do you have in this lifetime to be able to cultivate fate with sentient beings? Especially now, when Taiwan is so violent and incidents happen every day; Why don’t you form more virtuous fates with sentient beings?
Jigten Sumgon established this system. No matter what status you hold, both the merit of guarding the precepts and restraints, and the faults of not keeping them will arise. Therefore, as long as it is not pure virtue, these two matters will appear; you will do both. Therefore, His Holiness establishes precepts and restraints for all sentient beings. The so-called ‘Kyabgon’ refers to the holder of a lineage’s Dharma, what Dharma? The precepts and restraints. The precepts come from him. Why is it that when I practice the Guru Yoga, without a Dharma text, I can achieve attainment ? It is because I believe in the guru, respect the guru, and follow this precept; the guru also follows this precept. Thus, I have achieved attainment, whereas you haven’t! Hoping to gain many things for oneself from Dharma texts; hoping one could clearly understand what is being said here.
Let me say it again: when His Holiness bestowed the oral transmission, he spoke in Tibetan and did not explain what was contained in it. After that, he did not speak about it again. So how was I supposed to practice? It was the same when I went into retreat in 2007. His Holiness transmitted Hevajra to me and gave me a few A4 sheets of paper, without explaining how to use what was written in them. So how was I supposed to practice? I believe in one thing only: when the guru transmits the Dharma, it is a transmission. How it is practiced and achieved is something you must do yourself. If you fail to accomplish it, it is because you do not have faith in the guru. It is not the guru’s fault, nor is it because the guru did not explain it to you. For example, with the Amitabha Dharma for Transferring Consciousness, His Holiness simply stood by a window where the sunlight was brighter, recited it once, and said, ‘Take this.’ That was all. So how do you practice it? Through the precepts and restraints.
Of course, I don’t expect you to become Rinpoches in this life. But I hope that in your future lives, every one of you will become a Rinpoche. Then my burden will be greatly lightened, and our Drikung Kagyu lineage will then be able to flourish and spread far and wide. With the way you are now, how could you possibly do it? Even when you come to plead the Dharma, you don’t listen to the words.
Kyabgon, within boundary, a certain domain, using virtuous thoughts to turn the Dharma wheel.
This is spoken by the Buddha to the mountain fairy deities. It is one of the reason that the Dharma King spoke for all sentient beings. The Buddha is the body of the arising fate. Therefore, it is not as a fortune deity and Maheśvara and other creators, this is the second reason. The first reason is what the Buddha explained to the mountain sage: that the Dharma King establishes precepts for all sentient beings. The first reason among them, the Buddha said to the mountain fairy deities that this is one of the reasons that the Dharma King makes the precepts and restraints for all sentient beings. The second reasons is that Buddha is the body of the arising fate, what does this mean? People in the place need Buddha Dharma, so Buddha then attains this fate of Dharmakaya, generating the Dharmakaya of the Buddha. But it is not to be as a fortune deity. Therefore, this is why I scold you not to implore Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and the guru to give you good fortune. Here the sutras scolded. I learned this long ago, I do not know which year I learned it. The Buddha teaches us to follow the precepts and teaches us how to accumulate good fortune for ourselves. He doesn’t bestow merit upon you, nor the Buddha creates us. It is not what being said as a ‘creator’in non-Buddhist religions, nor is it about creating us or bestowing us good fortune and love; that isn’t the case. Therefore, we must first make it clear that for Buddha Dharma, one needs to first learn precepts, and thoroughly follow them; in this way, good fortune and merit will arise.
The Buddha is the body of heart of the great karuna. He doesn’t gather any faults, nor does the Buddha gather any matters that would cause you to reincarnate. He doesn’t abandon diligent heart of learning Buddhism. Vīryapāramitā (Puja Teachings Index 18) doesn’t mean how many times we have recited each day, rather, it is the heart needs to be Vīryapāramitā (Puja Teachings Index 18), constantly demanding ourselves to carry it on; it isn’t improving, but to continuously carrying on. Listen carefully. Crime of fallen doesn’t possess any difference, all is the same. The crime of fallen has no differences. It will not make a difference because of the status you are, all are the same. To be continued next time. Speak, disciples! (The monastic disciples replies: Take the precepts as the guru, the precepts are the ultimate bodhicitta) Then, will the precepts exist without the guru? (The monastic disciples replies: No.)
Don’t think that one believe in the Buddha. Do not think that one receives the precepts which the Buddha made, then possesses the precepts. Without a guru to transmit the precepts, and without a guru to supervise your observance of them, there are no precepts. Those who can follow the precepts automatically are extremely rare. Every Sunday I scold you again and again, hoping that one day I will scold you awake. I don’t want you to be awaken only when you are about to die. I hope you will be awaken while your body is healthy and live in well. What does it mean to be awaken? It means realizing that you have been committing wrongs without even knowing it. Only when one is awaken, then one understands the incomparable wondrousness and greatness of the Buddha Dharma, and its benefits for yourself and for all sentient beings, and one will no longer give up it. Otherwise, you will give up at the slightest wave in daily life, and abandon it again at the smallest disturbance. With precepts, however, you will not give up.
Rinpoche, for over these several decades of learning Buddhism, has experienced many ups and downs and endured many hardships that couldn’t tell others; yet the heart of Vīryapāramitā (Puja Teachings Index 18) has never retrogressed, and the original aspiration has never retrogressed. Just like what Jigten Sumgon taught, if one follows the precepts, all merit functions within the state. Therefore, although my life appears to be that of a lay practitioner, my heart is that of an ordained. Everything I do operates within merit and is done entirely for the sake of sentient beings.
So today, as everyone takes refuge under the Glorious Jewel and as my disciples, everyone must understand that observing the precepts isn’t meant to control you. In our primordial wisdom, it is very clear that these precepts are for our own benefit. Why don’t you realize that the precepts are good for you? It is because your primordial wisdom has been covered by greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt, without feeling it. The guru’s responsibility is to cut away and remove your greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. When greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt diminish, your acquired wisdom will merge with your primordial wisdom, and you will be able to see clearly. Now, you are unable to see clearly because you are still too obstinately persist in going about things the wrong way, believing that living comfortably and having no accidents means you are practicing Buddhism.
No matter how good you are, weren’t you afraid during yesterday’s earthquake? If it weren’t for continuously propagating authentic Dharma in Taipei, that earthquake yesterday would have been disastrous! Everyone was fine, right? (The assembly replies: We were fine.) Not even a single glass was broken! (The assemply replies: No. We are grateful to Rinpoche.) (Everyone applauds.) In the future, when the concert tickets are selling, if everyone keeps nagging, I will simply treat you as ordinary believers, because you don’t understand the guru’s heart and don’t know what the guru is doing. If you are capable, learn from me, handing out red envelopes to more than eighty people, and even bowing and thanking them each time. This is not faking it; it flows out naturally. Those who received them were also happy and felt respected. Therefore, this band didn’t need others to tell them; they did their work automatically and properly. I believed that, as they are professionals, they shouldn’t perform poorly. When I gave them a bit more respect, they naturally respect themselves, and did a great job without flaws, without anything done improperly.
So people are like this; they need to learn to show respect. Where does respect come from? It comes from the precepts. Why did those few disciples fail to respect me? Why did they make offerings only after they passed away? Why do they offer in batches? All due to not following the precepts. They treated the guru as a transaction, giving more when they feel pleased. I am not asking for your wealth, don’t misunderstand it. I am simply teaching you how to make offerings properly. Don’t wait to make an offering only until matters happen, and keep the money hidden somewhere unknown as funeral savings when nothing happens. If you were to pass away penniless, even if you hadn’t made many offerings in your lifetime, at the very least, you have made a small offering, and I will certainly give you some help. Don’t worry all day long about having no money.
How many people have registered for the puja on February 7, 2026? (The disciple in charge reported that there are currently 1,800 registrants and 7 people on the waiting list.) You should inform all your relatives and friends who have registered for the puja that if they can’t attend, don’t cancel at the last minute, because many people are still waiting to sign up. Don’t suddenly say, ‘I can’t catch the train or bus’, ‘I have a cold’, ‘I have a stomachache’, ‘I have a headache’, ‘I have menstrual pain’, or ‘My legs hurt from sitting,’ and so on. Confirm with your relatives and friends that if they truly don’t want to attend, say so in advance. Because once you have registered, we must prepare at least 1,800 boxed meals and many other supplies. If they still cancel at the last minute, then in the future we may have use the way of collecting NT$10,000 for registration and refunding it after attended (The assembly laughs). But I really don’t want to do that.
Everybody embraces liberalism, joining if they feel like it, and not going if they don’t. It is fine. Nothing will happen if you choose not to attend. But the problem lies that you have already registered; canceling at the last minute will prevent those on the waiting list from taking your place. Don’t think that losing just a few people doesn’t matter, then with each absence means one person who genuinely wished to come can no longer do so. Don’t be so selfish. It is already the end of December. Don’t wait until next month to start reminding people; begin today to remind, at least two or three times a week, because you know the people who are coming. Remind them not to cancel at the last minute.
It is not that you can’t cancel—please make this clear. It is not that they are not allowed to not attend, they can choose not to come, but don’t cancel at the last minute on February 6 or February 7. These days, it has become popular for people to say that they missed the morning train or bus. I don’t believe this. From either the south or the north to Miaoli, no train has ever been fully booked—except the ones for us to attend the pujas. Many people would say they have a stomachache or a cold. Do not curse yourselves; simply say that you have other matters and can’t participate.
Say it once again and remind your relatives and friends: once they have registered, they must make every effort to attend. Do not harm those on the waiting list. If you truly cannot attend, it is fine—just cancel in advance. But once you cancel, don’t regret it.
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Updated on January 2, 2026