His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Puja Teachings – March 13, 2022

His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche ascended the Dharma throne, and expounded on “Scroll 19, ‘Immovable Tathagata Assembly’ (Chapter 6, Section 1)” of the Ratnakuta Sutra.

“As Shakyamuni Buddha spoke of matters about Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha, some people who have been practicing Hinayana will say offensively that Shakyamuni Buddha did not expound Mahayana. However, in the early part of this sutra, Mahayana has been spoken of, and Hinayana is also mentioned in the latter part of the sutra. Thus, in the Age of Dharma Decline, there are many occasions of slandering the Buddha or undermining the Dharma by people who have been learning the Dharma. It is like what Mara-papiyan, a demon, once said to Shakyamuni Buddha when he could not obstruct the Buddha attaining Buddhahood, ‘In the Age of Dharma Decline, I will send my descendants as Buddhist disciples, wearing clothes of monastics; they will slander the Dharma or undermine it.’

In the sutra about Immovable Tathagata, it is mentioned very clearly that the Buddha did not distinguish Mahayana from Hinayana. The distinctions are in your affinities and root capacities. In that sutra, Hinayana has not been rejected, nor has Mahayana been mentioned that it has to be practiced on or it is most amazing in practices. Rather, the transmissions of the Dharma are in accordance with sentient beings’ causes, conditions and root capacities. Hence, I often say and ask you this: What kind of the Dharma can laity learn? It is only Mahayana. One is to master one’s practices of it and then continue practicing when one ‘goes’ to the Land of Amitabha. If you are a monastic and if nowadays you like to stay in a closed room to practice continuously, such practices are not on Mahayana definitely. Even if the sutras you have recited are about Mahayana, your mind is not on it when you do your practices.

Shakyamuni Buddha had mentioned earlier that a state of meditation is unfathomable. Why had there been such a fun and interesting saying appearing? Many people will say that when they sit in meditation, they are practicing meditation. In fact, that is a wrong thought. Practicing meditation is not what you think to just sit there motionlessly for half an hour so that you will be better-tempered, or getting a better health or a better mood; this is not what practicing meditation is. Shakyamuni Buddha had spoken of meditation. It is because that we possess a karmic body (a human form) in reality, and we practice with it while there are many of our afflictions, doubts and confusion occurring in the process. Through lifetime after lifetime, we have been accustomed to live our lives using our Eighth Consciousness and principles of experience from our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and consciousness. Contrarily, the Dharma is different from these types of acts.

What is meditation? It is a state of the mind that after one has understood clearly the function of consciousness, through sitting in meditation or attaining a meditative state, one will not utilize one’s consciousness to do practices. When you are in that state – not practicing with your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and consciousness – you will gradually use some method, like the ‘Dharma method of perfect aural clarity’ practiced by Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The effect of this method is that ‘all the hearings in the “hearing factor” are complete,’ which is that the function of peripheral nerves of the ears – used for hearing – has been stopped. In this way, one’s mind will not be stirred or moved by the sounds produced from hearing. The mind will then be used to ‘listen’ to things attentively. This is not achieved by just saying it; it needs, through meditation, purifying each factor in one’s own consciousness gradually. Only if such consciousness has been transformed, can one attain a fruition level in the state of meditation.

Many people think that by just sitting there motionlessly they are practicing meditation. Such a thought is wrong. Before, when I was learning Exoteric Buddhism, I knew very distinctly that in the Age of Dharma Decline, with sentient beings’ root capacities, it is not easy for them to learn meditation. On the contrary, Neo-Confucianism appeared in Song Dynasty, and in an unexpected way, it had done damages to the Dharma. This was because in Neo-Confucianism, people liked to talk about the Dharma; they discussed continuously the words in accordance with the sutras expounded by the Buddha. They had then gradually forgotten the ways of actual practices of the Dharma so that after Song Dynasty, practicing meditation had become popular. At that time, literati and refined people thought that only those who were wise or clever could practice meditation; fools could not. However, they had forgotten that the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, was an illiterate. How could he have become a patriarch then?

Literati were proud of themselves, and they thought because they were literate, or because they understood the Diamond Sutra while reading it, they could practice meditation. Is that sutra a sutra of Zen School? If you think it is, you are wrong again. The Diamond Sutra, in fact, is about prajna – wisdom. The state of meditation is not something from principles of experience of humans; such a state cannot be explained completely. Thus, there is this saying in Zen School: ‘No setting up in words.’ This means when people do sitting-in meditation and enter a meditative state, every one of them feels differently; there are nothings that can be done to describe this to you. In the Dharma, it is mentioned that ‘Like drinking water, only the person who drinks it knows if it is cold or warm.’ Indeed, when one drinks water, only he or she will know if the water is cold or warm. If you say it is very hot, it is not so to another person after this person drinks it. Then again, if you say it is very cold, the person does not think so. Everyone feels differently in such a situation. Why has Zen School changed later that there are only talks with eloquence or in high-sounding phrases but no actual practices? The reason is that practitioners in that School have continuously been exploring for and digging out, through words in the law of life-experience, answers on the so-called meditative states. However, in Zen School, there are no explanations in words about the saying, ‘No setting up in words.’ The Buddha also said, ‘Cannot speak of it.’ This does not mean the Buddha did not expound the Dharma. If that were the case, where would have sutras come from? Rather, the meaning of the Buddha’s saying is that such a state of meditation is unfathomable and cannot be described with spoken languages for you to listen to.

Here is an example. Before, I had once sat in meditation, and entered a meditative state, sitting there for a few hours and hearing nothing; all my sense organs had been disconnected with outside activities, and I just sat there meditatively. Do you think if I had fallen asleep? I had not. If I had, I would have toppled, and I could not have sat there cross-legged. This meant through meditation I had stopped some of my sense organs functioning in my consciousness. There were no such senses left, and what had remained were the processes of life at the lowest level. This kind of situation is very dangerous though. The reason is that if you sit for a long time and if you do not have enough of good fortune, your mind will be ‘sunk’ into murkiness; this is so-called lethargy. Lethargy does not mean that one wants to sleep. Well, if one wants to do that, then the person can just go to sleep! The meaning of lethargy here is that as your mind is with bright light originally, and as you do not have good fortune, you insist upon doing sitting-in meditations with your consciousness; such a sense of attachment will cover your mind, which has bright light, gradually, and this light will be blocked. When the light does not appear, the power of the mind will be ‘sunk’ into oblivion. From the outward look of you, you appear sitting there motionlessly, but the power of your mind is actually gone; that is very dangerous. Inadvertently, you might become a person of living-dead sitting there.

If this obstacle can be passed, the next step is to gradually transform the sense organs functioning in consciousness, and, through this process, the mind will not be controlled by consciousness. Then, after the effectiveness of the mind has been understood clearly, its original, true features will be distinctly perceived. Only in these ways, can the nature of the Dharma or of the Buddha be ‘seen’. Hence, the Buddha said that such a state is unfathomable. It cannot be explained in words by anyone in more than 2,000 years of human cultural history. Since it cannot be explained, what can you do then? There are only two methods: One method is to follow a guru who has the experiences of actual practices, and to practice step by step on what your guru has taught; you cannot rush the practices. You are not persons who have ‘root capacity with sudden insight.’ I am included in that category – I do not have it either. This term, ‘root capacity with sudden insight’ means the person having it is to attain enlightenment immediately. At the present time, there are no such persons, and even if there are, they will not be born in this generation.

The other method is to chant mantras. If you know you do not have the root capacity for learning meditation, then chanting mantras is your way to practice. This is because that if we have chanted mantras continuously and unceasingly, the power of mantras and of blessings from the Buddha and Bodhisattvas can purify our body, speech, and mind. Because of this, later, the functioning of consciousness will not affect our mind; we will then understand our mind and see our nature. Chanting mantras is an expedient Dharma method. Do not think that by chanting mantras you can obtain blessings and protection. If you have not been aspired to practice the Bodhisattva Path or to prepare benefiting a great number of sentient beings later, the chanting of mantras can only let you obtain good fortune of the Human and Heaven Realms, and cannot get you enlightened, definitely. Do not tell me again that the voice of your chanting is better than other people’s. If you say this again, you will be driven out of here. You have not heard the voices of Bodhisattvas’ chanting of mantras, how do you know that your own chanting is good?

Now, on the earth, after so many years have passed, many sounds of mantras being chanted have been changed because people have chanted mantras with different sounds in different places. In the past, the word ‘Om’ (a salutation at the beginning of a verse) had been written as a different word in Chinese sutras, pronounced as ‘An’ but with the same meaning as ‘Om’. You have chanted the Great Compassion Mantra and seen this different word. There is another example here. For ‘suo ha’ or ‘svaha’, (a salutation at the end of mantras), we (Tantric practitioners) chant it as ‘suo ha’, and you chant it as ‘svaha’. When you sound a wooden-fish block, you also chant ‘svaha’ at the same time. Why had it been chanted as ‘svaha’ before? This was because people in Tang Dynasty spoke differently, with different words, from the ways we do now. At the time when the translation on that word was needed in Tang Dynasty, it had become ‘svaha.’ In fact, if it is to be pronounced as ‘suo ha,’ one’s tongue is to be rolled up a bit. Perhaps in Tang Dynasty, there were no sounds needed for tongue being rolled-up, so the ‘va’ was added in the translation, becoming ‘svaha’ with three syllables.

The sound produced from chanting of mantras is not some kind of Brahman sound. Such a sound can only be heard in the Heaven Realm, and humans are unable to chant in Brahman sound. Do not think that if you chant mantras in Sanskrit, the language of India, the sound coming out is Brahman sound, or it is what has been mentioned in the Universal Gate Chapter that ‘Brahman sound and ocean-tide sound are to surpass those sounds of the mundane world.’ Do not speak nonsense again. The Sanskrit of India, when being pronounced, is not Brahman sound. Do not think that if you have learned the ancient Sanskrit language, you will utter the Brahman sound, and then you will be more amazing than others. If you speak such nonsense again, I will drive you out of here. If mantras were in ancient Sanskrit language, Shakyamuni Buddha would have it written in sutras, like, ‘….our Sanskrit of India….’. However, the Buddha had not had it written like that. Thus, do not act what is described in this saying, ‘displaying one’s slight skill before an expert’ – do not be conceited, showing off in front of me and say how amazing you are. If you have capabilities, you can do the same act as I did. I puffed once onto a nectar pill and then gave it to an ordained disciple who was sick. After she had it, her illness was gone. Do not be proud of yourself and do not think that in chanting of mantras you can pronounce the syllables more accurately than others. It is because that a few thousands of years have passed, so many sounds of mantras have changed. How can you know whether your chanting is accurate or not? Only by going through what your guru teaches you, as described next, can you achieve attainments. A Tantric guru is to bestow on you the empowerments, transmit pith instructions on mantras to you, teach you how to visualize, how to have a generation stage and a completion stage on your practices, and how to practice a certain deity. You are not to consider whether your chanting of mantras is good or not. Be sure that you are not proud of yourself.

Why have I expounded specifically the state of meditation today? It is because that many people wish to pursue this state. However, you will not succeed in your pursuit, will not find it, or feel it. You must go through many practices in conducting retreats. If you have not conducted retreats, and if you think doing sitting-in meditation for half an hour every day is fine, you will not attain the state of meditation. All of you need to understand that this is a very important part of learning Buddhism.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, it is like those who slack off and are at the fruition level of srotapanna. They have entered rebirth backward and forward to be born seven times. After that, I will speak of the Dharma to them, and only then can they obtain an auspicious fruition. I have named them “persons of returning-to-birth-seven-times.”’

This quote explains that if one has attained the fruition level of the First Ground and entered rebirth back and forth seven times, meaning being in reincarnation seven times, one will then encounter the Buddha. The Buddha will speak of the Dharma to the person. Only then can the person obtain an auspicious fruition, which is the fruition level of an arhat. This means those who practice Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha are easily slacking off. What do they slack off on? It is in sitting in meditation. Do not think that you are doing practices if you sit in meditation every day. You have not understood that sitting in meditation is not just sitting there thinking nothing or suppressing any afflictions. You consider doing that is to practice meditation. In the four main orders of Esoteric Buddhism, each order has its own special Dharma methods for practicing meditation. For example, in the Kagyu Order, such methods are in Mahamudra. Before practicing Mahamudra, you must complete the methods of Four Uncommon Preliminary Practices. Only after you have done them, can you be transmitted Mahamudra pith instruction. That instruction is to tell you, by your guru, why you are to practice Mahamudra or what the gaining of a fruition level, obtained from these practices, is for. The pith instruction is not teaching you what sutras you are to recite or read or how to examine yourself. This is not the purpose.

Shakyamuni Buddha mentioned this very clearly that on the earth if we practice for gaining the fruition level of an arhat, when we have attained the first level of fruition, we will easily slack off. The reason is that as we have achieved attainments, we think that at the first level of fruition we are different from ordinary people in terms of bodily form. Then we will slack off. ‘Slacking off’ means people do not practice diligently anymore, thinking that they are all right. From what have been described in this sutra quote, such people will enter rebirth back and forth seven times. Being reincarnated seven times is a very painful process. There is no assurance either that they will be monastics in each lifetime in that process. The force of collective karma of the world is too great. Even if one is a monastic when one comes back to this world, its collective karma will affect him or her too. It is like the war in Europe now. It also affects us, and it is collective karma. Do not think that the war will not be coming this way to the area of Taiwan. Now, things here start to get expensive. However, have bosses or proprietors given their workers raises? I already gave my employees raises last year.

If you have been through ‘rebirth backward and forward to be born seven times,’ you will have opportunities meeting the Buddha again, and He will speak of the Dharma to you. Only then can you attain the fruition level of an arhat.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, if there are people who have obtained the fruition level of srotapanna or attained the fruition level of sakrdagamin, of anagamin, and of an arhat, when Immovable Tathagata expounded the Dharma the first time, the second time, the third time, and the fourth time, respectively, these people have not obtained the eradication of various afflictions with one sitting-in meditation. They are named “persons of being lazy.”’

Shakyamuni Buddha said that even in the land of Immovable Tathagata, if there are people who have attained the first, the second, the third, and the fourth level of fruition of an arhat, when Immovable Tathagata expounded the Dharma the first time, the second time, the third time, and the fourth time, respectively, these people cannot have the eradication of, or break away from, all various afflictions with just one sitting-in meditation. That is not possible. If these people think they can gain accomplishments by doing that, they are named ‘persons of being lazy.’ If monastics consider that they can be enlightened by just practicing meditation every day, then they are ‘persons of being lazy.’ This had been scolded by Shakyamuni Buddha, not by me. All monastics think, ‘I do my “homework” every day and I have done my morning and evening prayers each day.’ However, they do not contemplate where their problems are from. They are exactly lazy people. The lay disciples of mine are also people who are lazy. What are they lazy about? They do not contemplate that they have not yet gained a fruition level or have not broken away from reincarnation. They thought they had achieved accomplishments. They are precisely ‘persons of being lazy.’

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, in that land of a Buddha, for those who have obtained the fruition level of srotapanna, when they are present there, they will have the eradication of afflictions. It is not like in this world that people with such a fruition level are to go through rebirth backward and forward to be born seven times.’

Shakyamuni Buddha said that in the land of Immovable Tathagata, things are different there from those on the earth. If one has obtained the first level of fruition, srotapanna, and has been present in that land, one will have all deficiencies – all afflictions – eradicated; these will be stopped to occur in this life. However, on the earth here, this person will be in ‘rebirth backward and forward to be born seven times.’

Sutra: ‘Those who have attained the fruition level of sakrdagamin can then eradicate the boundaries of suffering in present life. It is not like in this world that there are people going through rebirth backward and forward to be born once, and they are named sakrdagamin.’

Those who have attained the second level of fruition, sakrdagamin, can also eradicate all suffering in this life. ‘It is not like in this world that there are people going through rebirth backward and forward to be born once, and they are named sakrdagamin.’ This means on the earth, even if you have attained the fruition level of sakrdagamin, you will need to go through birth and death once.

Sutra: ‘For those who have attained the fruition level of anagamin, when they are present, they will be arhats. It is not like in this world that there are people who will be born toward an upward place. Those who will not come back to this world are named anagamin.’

If those who have attained the fruition level of anagamin and appear in Abhirati, they will attain the fruition level of an arhat immediately. It is not like here in our world that they will be born in the Heaven Realm first, and then ‘go’ to a birth place. The phrase ‘will not come back to this world’ means they have come here in one life only and will not come again. ‘They are named anagamin.’

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, in his land, Immovable Tathagata expounded differences on various deeds and positions of Sravaka, even about steadfast hold of such noble fruitions. If good men and good women can understand these Dharma methods without abiding by various consciousnesses and places of learning, then, at their death, they can abide by places of non-learning and take nirvana.’

There is a mention of ‘good women’ here. It means if a good woman makes a great vow before she dies that she does not want to be in a woman’s form in next life, no matter how many Dharma methods having been mentioned in sutras while she has been practicing in this life, she can have a non-woman’s form in next lifetime. A good woman indicated here does not refer to an ordinary, good woman. Rather, it is one who has made such a vow: ‘I have practiced this Dharma method in this life. I have made a vow that I will not get a woman’s form, but a man’s form, in next lifetime.’ This does not mean that there is a difference between men and women as far as learning Buddhism goes. However, it is mentioned one more time that for practicing to gain the fruition level of an arhat, women will have many physical afflictions that nothing can be done to break them, therefore, it is very difficult for women to gain such a fruition. If women do not want these types of afflictions, they need to implore getting a man’s form.

As we are good men and good women on the earth, we can know this method. Shakyamuni Buddha foreshadowed a topic here; He did not say what the method was. The Buddha only mentioned this to people who have been practicing Hinayana: ‘You know the methods of practices in Hinayana. You know how you are in your practices. You need to make a vow to be reborn there.’ You are not Hinayana practitioners. What we have heard here is just one field of Hinayana. Shakyamuni Buddha did not say how to practice it. In my life, I have not learned Hinayana either. Although I know some names or Buddhist terms in Hinayana, I have not practiced it exclusively. In my life so far, I have not read Agamas Sutra or Saṃyuktāgama Sutra, sutras of Hinayana.

I read sutras differently from the way you do; I do not take the initiative in finding sutras to read. Rather, it depends on where my vows are on, and then I will open a sutra, related to those vows, to read or to teach. Many people like to have extensive knowledge and be well-informed. When they have free time, they will read sutras, and they think that their wisdom can then be unlocked. That is an impossible thing to do. Do not think by reading many different sutras, your wisdom can be unlocked; the Dharma methods to be practiced on that are mentioned in every sutra are different. The phrase, ‘Making vows to learn countless Dharma methods’ refers to practicing the Bodhisattva Path. In Esoteric Buddhism, there are four types of Dharma methods, and they are Subduing, Placating, Increasing, and Vanquishing. All of them are for helping sentient beings. In these methods, they are further divided into four groups of Tantra: Action, Performance, Yoga, and Highest Yoga; then in such groups they can be subdivided into many parts with details. The words ‘making vows to learn’ do not mean after the learning, one will become a Bodhisattva immediately; rather, the learning is for the purpose that one can benefit sentient beings later.

‘….without abiding by various consciousnesses and places of learning….’ When good men and good women are alive, they should know the methods of their practices clearly. They will not abide by all consciousnesses with the functioning of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. When they practice, they will not let their meditation to be fixed in a certain consciousness. Simply speaking, they have already attained realization in Emptiness. They will not be attached to what level they have learned either. For example, some people who have been ordained for a long time will say, ‘I have been ordained for 20 years.’ So what? Some trees have grown for 1,000 years too. Have those trees practiced? Or, ‘I have been ordained for 30 years.’ Would one care? Or, ‘I have moved up from being a shami (novice Buddhist monk) in my childhood.’ What does it matter? The Buddha made a scolding here. Do not think that there are such places of learning, or if you have studied in a Buddhist university or college, you can ascend a Dharma throne to expound the Dharma definitely. Do not think that if one has studied in a Buddhist college, he or she is a Bodhisattva or an arhat. However, in a modern society, a certificate is required to show qualification on everything. What can one do then?

In ancient times, there were these kinds of Buddhist colleges in India and in ‘middle earth’ – China. However, such places were not used for studying, like in reading sutras or books. Rather, the places were for monastics gathering to see if there were things they had done wrong on the Dharma through the teachings of a guru; monastics were not there to do researches. It was unlike what have happened nowadays that there are some Buddhist colleges somewhere, and only if the ordained have read a few sutras, can they be considered monastics. This is where the degree of difficulty of the Dharma is in. The Buddha had said that a state of meditation is unfathomable. How is this explained? If there are no ways to interpret it, people start to play on gimmicks. Learning Buddhism needs to be compassionate, so people have hospitals established or do other good deeds. There are nothings to say against such deeds, but they are not the fundamentals of the Dharma. These things should be handed over to the laity, and are not for monastics to handle. Monastics are to learn Buddhism or practice the Dharma diligently, to lead sentient beings learning Buddhism, and not to do things that have not been taught in sutras.

It is mentioned here that you should not be attached to places of learning. You have heard people talking in these conversations: ‘Which Buddhist college have you graduated from? What level of college degree have you received there? A master’s degree?’ ‘No, I have a Ph.D.’ What does it matter? This is much prevalent now in Buddhist communities though. Someone might say, ‘He has two Ph. Ds and is a very learned person.’ Here, the Buddha taught us not to be attached to places of learning; you even say that you are very knowledgeable. If that is the case, there will be hindrances of knowledge coming to you. I am not telling you not to have knowledge at all; rather, the concept of the Dharma is not about knowledge. The Dharma is to teach us how to practice, not how to study. The more you study, the more serious your hindrances of words will be.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, for places of non-learning, an unreal name of “places of arhats” has been established.’

The term ‘places of arhats’ has been established with an unreal name. What is an ‘unreal name’? It means it is a name for letting practitioners of later generations have a convenient way to get a concept on what kinds of practices they have achieved. It is just like the title of ‘Rinpoche;’ it is an unreal name too. It cannot be used as money to spend or be eaten as food. What is this name for? It is to let you say convincingly that ‘he is a Rinpoche’ and you need to be more obedient to him. Some people might say this, ‘He is a Throne Holder; he is amazing; he is a deity.’ His Holiness is not a deity. Many people think that if they see His Holiness, everything will become better for them. No, it is not like that. He is still a practitioner, and it is only that he is an ‘agent’ of the Dharma or a representative of our Order. I am not saying anything about my guru though; rather, I want to get rid of superstitions from everyone’s mind. His Holiness lives part of his life as a human life too. If you treat him as a deity, and when he drinks some water, you will say, ‘His Holiness has drunk this water, so everyone comes to drink it because it is blessed.’ However, His Holiness changes his habits all the time; say, he may drink tea today and then coffee tomorrow. There are many changes he will make.

All of you need to understand clearly that what Shakyamuni Buddha spoke of here about ‘arhats’ being an unreal name is only a saying for people’s convenience; that is all. It is not about an academic degree, like a Ph.D. or a master’s degree, as you thought, and if one has studied for a few years and then passed some examinations, one will be a Ph.D. Here, it does not mean you have passed the examinations; rather, you need to have attained enlightenment, and only then can the Buddha know whether you have attained it or not. If you have attained enlightenment in being an arhat, your majestic dignity, practices, and all methods of practicing will be different absolutely from what other people have shown. This is not saying that people understand about these differences, but for those who know the situation, just by their one look at you, they know that you are not the same as others. For everyone’s convenience, such a person is called an arhat, therefore, this is also an unreal name that has been established.

Sutra: ‘Speaking of “non-learning” type, an unreal name of “arhats” has been established.’

On ‘Speaking of “non-learning” type….’, will you say that arhats have not learned the Dharma? Yes, they have! Then, is it not contradictory here to indicate that arhats are of ‘non-learning’ type? No, it is not contradictory because if a person has attained the fruition level of an arhat, he or she already understands Emptiness, and what this person had learned before would have just been breaking away his or her own afflictions. So, the person is a ‘non-learning’ type. It is like the last stage of Mahamudra, Non-meditation Yoga. It does not mean one is not to practice this method; rather, it means there is nothing to be practiced on. What do we practice on then? It is not for making us rich, for enabling us chanting many mantras, or for getting our grandchildren obedient or eating vegetarian. Rather, we are to amend our afflictions caused by our karma, good and negative, which has been created in our accumulated past lifetimes. Such amendments are called doing practices; one is not to practice for someone or some people. As we have many afflictions of our own, whom do we practice for? It is mentioned here very clearly by compassionate Shakyamuni Buddha; He told us once again that in your practices of being an arhat, that name is just an unreal name that has been established.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, in that land of Immovable Tathagata, Sravakas have sufficiently possessed purity, and abided by firmness.’

In the land of Immovable Buddha, all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas have obtained the purity of mind. The phrase ‘have possessed sufficiently’ means there are enough of qualifications. Another phrase ‘abided by firmness’ means the mind will be abided by firmness and not be moved by any afflictions.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, this is in the land of Immovable Tathagata that an unreal name of “Sravakas” has been established. The so-called Great Arhats have had the eradication of various afflictions, finished what are needed to be done, abandoned heavy burdens, obtained self-benefits, extirpated various bonds of life, and been liberated by the right teachings.’

The World Honored One mentioned here specifically what Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas have done. In the land of Immovable Buddha, the ‘so-called Great Arhats have had the eradication of’ all their afflictions. The phrase ‘….have had the eradication….’ means all afflictions have been completely removed and will stop to occur, or will not function anymore. The words ‘….finished what are needed to be done….’ refer to the accomplishments of all matters required in practices. Another phrase ‘….abandoned heavy burdens….’ means the heavy burdens of reincarnation have been abandoned; this person will not have any new karma appearing and his or her old karma has already been paid off too. Hence, the heavy burdens of the person can then be abandoned. Why are we not able to abandon things? It is because we do not want to die, we want to live longer, or we want a daughter-in-law listening to us. All these cannot make us let go of our heavy burdens. This is the reason that we have more afflictions from learning Buddhism as we want to utilize the Dharma to fulfill the desires in our minds.

Fulfilling desires in one’s mind can be achieved. If one practices diligently to get the good fortune arisen, one’s wishes will be realized naturally. It is like that first time when His Holiness wanted me to conduct a retreat. He had worried that I might not want to go, so he reminded a good friend of mine, who has now passed away, that, ‘You are to tell your good friend that he must go to this retreat; it will change his life!’ It turned out that, for some reasons, my friend had not told me the message beforehand. Only after I had completed the retreat and returned, did he tell me. Then again, if I had not made my determination to conduct the retreat, I would not have gone to it whether he told me the message or not.

I have conducted retreats in India for 13 times altogether. My way of conducting a retreat has been different from that of others because once I conduct one, I will be in a death-retreat of Tibetan Buddhism directly. A death-retreat is not a retreat to die in; rather, it means that if the practitioner who is in the retreat has not attained accomplishments or has not mastered practices, he or she will not come out of the retreat. Usually, I conducted a retreat lasting one to two months, and for those 13 times of retreats, not including my retreat at Lapchi Snow Mountain, it took me about two years, at least, in conducting them. Thus, my good fortune came from conducting retreats. It is not like what some people think, ‘Because Rinpoche has made offerings with lots of money, his good fortune has then arisen.’ My monetary offerings have let me have the good fortune to conduct retreats. You have made offerings with money too – in amounts that you think being great – so why is your good fortune much less than mine? Do not mix up the two subjects of good fortune and making offerings. Practicing with capabilities needs good fortune; this is so-called cultivating both good fortune and wisdom simultaneously. How will one have good fortune? Besides by making offerings and doing almsgiving, the most important method is conducting retreats. This method is exactly making offerings. It is because that only if one conducts retreats unceasingly, can one purify one’s body, speech, and mind rapidly during the retreats, obtain blessings of the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and the guru, and benefit sentient beings continuously.

This quote means because the heavy burdens have been taken away, one benefits oneself. Such benefits are not what you think that they are to do with good health, longevity, et cetera. Rather, the benefits are there being no reincarnation anymore, breaking away from birth and death, unbinding all bonds of afflictions with none existing again, and being liberated by formal teachings of the Dharma on liberation from reincarnation.

Sutra: ‘These arhats often abide by calm thoughts with eight forms of liberations. Sariputra, in that land of Immovable Tathagata, there are such Sravakas who have sufficiently possessed merits with solemnity.’

All these arhats abide by calm thoughts. The term ‘calm thoughts’ is not meditation. This is because meditation means being motionless in that one is with immovable mind completely. “Calm thoughts’ means one still thinks, contemplating the Dharma taught by the Buddha and getting oneself in thoughts with eight forms of liberations continuously.

Sutra: ‘Furthermore, Sariputra, in that land of a Buddha, there is a staircase made of three treasures in gold, silver, and blue and transparent stones. The staircase is from Jambudvipa to Trayastrimsa Heaven.’

It is mentioned here that in the land of Immovable Buddha, ‘there is a staircase made of three treasures in gold, silver, and blue and transparent stones. The staircase is from Jambudvipa to Trayastrimsa Heaven.’ When coming down from this heaven to here, the earth, there is a staircase to go through. Before, when I saw it (in my visualization), it looked like a bridge; actually, it was a staircase. When I was a child, my father led me to sit in meditation, so I saw the staircase. Going to the heaven is to go up many stairs one by one, which has been proved right in this quote. Coming down is to go by stairs too. So, heavenly beings do not ‘flow’ down, sitting on clouds, in coming to the earth. We cannot see this staircase; it cannot be detected by the naked eye of humans and all instruments. Nevertheless, without the staircase, those fairy deities will be unable to come down; it is not that they can flow down, sitting on clouds. This has been proved in the sutra.

I had been feeling it to be very strange before. Why is it that going up to the heaven needs to go through a staircase? I could not have gotten my doubt answered constantly. Today, it has been explained in the sutra. Thus, I am a strange person too. I had ‘seen’ the staircase first before it is mentioned in the sutra today. That staircase is really very beautiful. I was still a child then so I did not understand these things; I only felt that it was so beautiful that I had never seen such a beautiful thing before. So, I stepped up to the heaven there. Because I was not a heavenly being, I could not enter. There was a vajra there blocking my entrance, saying that I could not go in as I was not someone of that place. Hence, I came down. At least, I could go up there though. How about you? You have been doing sitting in meditation for such a long time. Not to mention stepping on the staircase, you are not even qualified to be on the ground covered with grass around the staircase. So, the staircase does exist; we just cannot see it. Then, the Buddha had spoken of it.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, if those heavenly beings want to see Immovable Tathagata happily and make prostrations and offerings to him, they will take the jeweled staircase and come down to the place of that Buddha. At that time, those heavenly beings, seeing that people of Jambudvipa have sufficiently possessed riches and prosperities, have given rise to affectionate happiness, and said this, “We, as heavenly beings, have good fortune of the Heaven Realm, and people of Jambudvipa have good fortune of the Human Realm. Now, we have seen that their auspicious good fortune is the same as ours. However, in Jambudvipa, there is also an auspicious good fortune that surpasses the good fortune of the Heaven Realm, and that is that Immovable Tathagata has expounded Right Dharma. This is why heavenly beings are often happy in the human world.”’

Those heavenly beings ‘will take the jeweled staircase and come down to the place of that Buddha.’ They have seen the humans on Earth ‘have sufficiently possessed riches and prosperities.’ This means although we, as humans on Earth, have much suffering and less happiness, such a fact does not indicate that everyone suffers. Then again, for people on the earth, on food to eat, places to live in or things to use, these are much better than the conditions in the Three Evil Realms. It was like the situation I was in before. Even though I was so poor that I had no money to buy food, I still had a place to live in. Though I was so poor that I had no money to pay for electricity for air-conditioning, I still made grand prostrations after I had opened the window and sticked out my head to get some breeze. Today, the disciple, who had shared her story before the puja started, said that she had made the required grand prostrations before, and it was as if she was to die from it. I was indeed the one to die like that. At that time, the temperature in the room I was doing grand prostrations in was 40 degrees Celsius. It was too hot to bear so I would open the window to get blown by wind to be cool for a little while, and then to continue making prostrations. When people saw me opening the window, they thought I was about to jump out of it. It was because the room was just too hot.

Humans have good fortune of what they should have, and heavenly beings have seen that the good fortune of humans is about the same as what heavenly beings have. The only difference is that we do not have supernatural powers, and heavenly beings do. Yet, in fact, what we can use or eat are the same as those that heavenly beings can use or eat. However, some people on the earth have ‘also an auspicious good fortune that surpasses the good fortune of the Heaven Realm.’ Thus, the reason that heavenly beings having come to Earth is not that we have made prostrations to them or implored them to come; rather, it is because there is the Dharma here that Immovable Tathagata having been expounded. So, heavenly beings will come. When you go out, and if you see there are people in the sky, do not be afraid because they have come to listen to the Dharma that Immovable Tathagata having been spoken of.

Why do they not go to Abhirati to listen to the Dharma expounded? There is nothing that can be done though. They are not able to go there. If they come down from the Heaven of Desires or the Heaven of Forms, they can do it with the ability they have. However, if they are to go to Abhirati, it will be too far for them. It is like that today, when you are alive, you want to go to the Land of Amitabha; that will certainly not happen. Do not say you have seen that land; it is a ghost you have looked at – an imaginary thing.

It has been mentioned very clearly in sutras that the Western World of Utmost Bliss is away from the earth by 10 trillion lands of Buddhas, meaning 10 trillion Milky Way Galaxies. Even light cannot reach that World. How will you go there then? Without the majestic, miraculous power of the Buddha, you surely cannot go there. Many people think that if they recite the Buddha’s name or sutras or chant mantras, they can go to that World. How will you get there? The 10 trillion lands of Buddhas are 10 trillion Milky Way Galaxies. In sutras, on what the Buddha spoke of, they were getting more and more fun. When you listen to this part of sutra expounded, you need to understand its meanings. Heavenly beings come to the earth, and it is not because of our making prostrations to them. Rather, it is because that there are still people on the earth who will speak of sutras about Immovable Tathagata, and for this reason that heavenly beings envy us and come down listening to such speeches. Hence, they ‘are often happy in the human world.’ They mingle with people here, and after a while they will make friends with you; whatever you ask for they will give you a little of it.

So, if you have understood from listening to the explanations of the meanings in the sutra, you will know that it is not because we are the subjects of that heaven and people there are our dominant rulers, they come down to us. This is not the case. The reason is that they envy us as there is the Dharma here that Immovable Tathagata having been expounded, so they come down to listen to it. However, it might have been that no one speaks of it yet after a very long time. Since they feel that there will be someone who will expound it in the future, they remain here, as it is quite toilsome to come back and forth once again. After they have stayed, there are people of the earth worshiping them gradually as heavenly deities, therefore, temples are built for them. Their stories have come about in these ways. These are mentioned very clearly in sutras.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, if there are people of Jambudvipa who have ascended heavens, they will have no affectionate happiness completely. Why is that? In the human world, Immovable Tathagata has often expounded Right Dharma to benefit us abundantly. However, our good fortune is the same as that of heavens, therefore, the good fortune in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three is inferior to ours.’

Do not implore ascending heavens. Some people have an incorrect thinking that if they cannot go to the Land of Amitabha, then it is not bad either to ascend heavens. However, ascending heavens does not necessarily get one to listen to the Dharma expounded. The Buddha mentioned here that if you ascend heavens, there will be no fun there because ‘in the human world, Immovable Tathagata has often expounded Right Dharma to benefit us abundantly.’ Has Immovable Tathagata really shown his appearance as Immovable Tathagata? No, he has not. Rather, he will appear in many forms in Nirmanakaya (emanation-body) or Sambhogakaya (reward-body) to expound the Dharma. For example, the yidam of the Highest Yoga Tantra in Vajrayana is exactly with a ‘head set’ (the guru of the yidam) of Immovable Tathagata. It turned out – no one had thought of this – that Immovable Tathagata had practiced Tantra. Otherwise, he could not have been a ‘head set’ of yidams in Vajrayana, and in this example, it is in the Highest Yoga Tantra too.

Some people say that there is no Tantra existing. Then, if there is no Tantra, why is Immovable Tathagata a ‘head set’ of yidams in Tantra? It is not that we wrote this down deliberately either. It is just that it has already been in existence since a few thousands of years ago. It is indicated quite clearly here. Although Immovable Tathagata is in Abhirati, his forms in reward-body or emanation-body have still been expounding Right Dharma on the earth. Even though we were not born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three and we do not have supernatural powers, our good fortune is not inferior to heavenly beings there. Thus, their good fortune cannot be compared with ours.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, in that world, humans and those in heavens can get one another to meet by the miraculous power of that Buddha. It is like in this world that people of Jambudvipa can see stars and the moon. Sariputra, it is the same that people in that world can look upward at palaces in heavens that are in upper worlds. Sariputra, these are also Immovable Tathagata’s accomplishments attained on the vows made when he had originally practiced the Bodhisattva Path.’

In the land of Immovable Buddha, ‘humans and those in heavens can’ often ‘get one another to meet by the miraculous power of that Buddha.’ It is like that humans on the earth can often see stars and the moon. If people in that land want to see things above them, they can just look up and will see palaces in heavens. These are ‘Immovable Tathagata’s accomplishments attained on the vows made when he had originally practiced the Bodhisattva Path.’ People on his land can meet and communicate with those in heavens at any time.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, when that Buddha has expounded the Dharma, his voice is heard universally in the trichiliocosm. Among those in the “fourfold assembly of Buddhists” who have been listening to the Dharma spoken of, there are no empty spaces left for attendance.’

When Immovable Tathagata ‘has expounded the Dharma, his voice is heard universally in the trichiliocosm.’ Even though the mentions about Immovable Tathagata have not been widely spoken of by us on the earth, when he ‘has expounded the Dharma, his voice’ can still be heard by people on the earth. Even if we have not formally listened to the Dharma he has expounded, we can still hear his voice. So, his majestic, miraculous power can also more or less affect us. ‘Among those in the “fourfold assembly of Buddhists” who have been listening to the Dharma spoken of, there are no empty spaces left for attendance.’ The ‘fourfold assembly of Buddhists’ refers to Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, Upasakas (male laity), and Upasikas (female laity). There is a huge crowd of people listening to the Dharma spoken of.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, those Sravakas only wish that the Dharma is their food and they think of no other foods. When they listen to the Dharma expounded, they are in stillness wholeheartedly. If they sit or stand, they do not feel tired in the body and the mind.’

The only thought that Sravakas have is wishing that their food is listening to the Dharma expounded. They will not think of eating other foods. Hence, when they listen to the Dharma spoken of, ‘they are in stillness wholeheartedly,’ and they just listen to it. Whether they sit or stand, they do not feel tired. It is like in my situations. I have often said this to you that when His Holiness transmits the Dharma, he speaks in Tibetan. So, how can I understand it since I do not know the language? As my mind has been in stillness, and although I do not understand Tibetan, the transmissions have still gotten into my original essence and my pure mind, and will help me in my future practices just the same.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, Immovable Tathagata has abided in the void and expounded the Dharma to sentient beings. For those Sravakas, if they have, or have not, obtained supernatural powers, by that Buddha’s majestic power, they will all dwell in the void.’

‘Immovable Tathagata has abided in the void and expounded the Dharma to sentient beings.’ Among Sravakas, there might be some having supernatural powers, and some might not have mastered their practices in gaining these powers to such a great extent. However, with the help of ‘that Buddha’s majestic power,’ they can ‘all dwell in the void’ and listen to the Dharma spoken of. In the past, there was a story about Drikung Kagyu Order. At that time, Lord Jigten Sumgon was there. One day, there were soldiers, led by someone, attacking Drikung Thil Monastery. Lord Jigten Sumgon then said to the people in the Monastery, ‘All right. All of you sit well. I will take you flying over to the top of the mountain on the opposite side.’ This was because the top of that mountain could not be reached by climbing. Lord Jigten Sumgon required all of them to be in a state of meditation and not to think about things. Then, he took them flying over there. In the middle of the ‘flight’, one of the people dropped down. He was a cook; he thought suddenly that he had not extinguished the fire in the cookstove. He then fell to his death.

This is not a myth. It is something that all those in Drikung Kagyu Order know about. I have been in Drikung Thil Monastery; you have been there too. There is a mountain opposite this Thil Monastery. In winter, there is no snow on the mountain, and it is very steep that there are no ways for people to climb up. It is exactly the mountain that Lord Jigten Sumgon took those people flying over to.

Sutra: ‘Listening to the essence of the Dharma with three dignities. What are these three? They are dignities in walking, standing, and sitting.’

This is so auspicious. Thus, if you do not sit up straight, I will scold you. This had been spoken of by the Buddha. Although you do not practice Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha, at least when you listen to the Dharma expounded, you need to have these three dignities in your deportments: sitting steadily like a clock, walking lightly with strength like wind, and standing straightly like a pine. However, you stand like bamboos as they are curved. When you sit, your postures are crooked, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. As for your walking, I do not know what it looks like – I do not know how to describe it. What are the uses of three dignities? If you straighten up your body, your chi-channels will have a good energy flow. With that flow, the fluctuation of your heart will be reduced naturally. I do not dare to say that your mind will be in stillness, but it will be less disturbed. If you stoop or hunch your back, it is because you do not have dignities in your deportments. Then you will doze off. On the surface, you seem to be in a state of meditation, but in fact, your mind is disturbed.

Such dignities are not meant to be shown to frighten people; rather, if you have no self-respect, the dignities in your deportments will not appear, and that is tantamount to your disrespect to the Three Jewels. Having such dignities does not mean people will be afraid of you; it means you will respect yourself, sentient beings, your guru, and the Buddha. If you do not even respect yourself, how can you respect the Three Jewels? Then, when you listen to the Dharma expounded, you will tilt your body this way and slant it that way. Before, I performed Dharmas in Bhutan. During one of the performances, I drove a Bhutanese princess out of the puja because she was playing on her cellphone when she sat there in the audience. Did you dare to drive her out? I was not afraid so I asked her to leave. It was because that holding a puja was not giving out a party. Maybe it was popular doing that there. However, that kind of popularity was their business, not mine; I still asked her to get out of the puja then. The outcome was that on the next day, she became so obedient without any mishaps. From that time on, she has not dared to invite me to Bhutan to hold pujas anymore.

When one seeks nothing, one is virtuous. At that time, I did not accept the offerings that people there made to me. When they made those offerings, I asked them to donate the money to the Foundation for doing some good deeds. I did not seek fame, nor did I prepare to go there competing with people on some businesses. I went there only to perform Dharmas. If you, in the audience, do not show dignities, of course I will scold you for your own good. Even Japanese who participated in pujas I held in Japan were afraid of me. During the rituals I was performing, when I saw that those believers had lowered their heads, I would ask the translator to tell them to lift their heads and look at me. Dignities are very important. Do not think that you can behave in these ways when listening to the Dharma expounded: If you like the subjects, you will listen to them explained, and if you do not like listening to them, you will rest your chin on your hands. If you do not have dignities in your deportments, that situation exactly means you do not respect the Three Jewels; if you do not respect the Three Jewels, your mind is naturally not pure. Then, if your mind is not pure, all things contained in the Dharma are irrelevant to you, absolutely.

So, Glorious Jewel disciples must be obedient; it is not that my managing methods towards you are strict. His Holiness said that in my prior lifetime, I was a general to lead soldiers. My strictness really comes from the three dignities in walking, standing, and sitting, which are mentioned in sutras. If a group of people goes out, say, go abroad, with a mess of activities or behaviors among them, are there dignities in the group? If people do what they like to do, are there dignities in these people? No, of course not, in either case. Hence, the three dignities are needed, not just for those, like us, learning Buddhism, but also for people when they conduct themselves in society. Such dignities are even more needed for women especially. Do not think it is fine that when you see someone, you can bend your arm around his or her shoulder. What does it look like? You should not do it. If you are used to this kind of manner, you will think that you are very friendly because you give someone a hug when you see that person, feeling you being quite enthusiastic. Do not do what westerners do, okay? You do not look as one of them – you are a person with black hair, yellow skin, and brown eyes.

Many people have learned the manners of westerners, but there are also many ways westerners hug each other. One way is by pretense – they just hug each other a little. Another way of hugging is to clasp in the arms tightly with parts of two people’s bodies clinging closely. You will do that regardless of the situations. Then, there are no dignities in these manners. If you want to hug or embrace someone, do it privately, all right? Do not consider that you are very zealous or friendly when you behave in those ways. There is no such a thing. Buddhists are to have dignities of Buddhists. As a matter of fact, westerners have their own dignities too. I grew up in Hong Kong since childhood. From the British etiquette, I learned that when men and women shake hands, they are not to hold the other one’s hand tightly; a light touch of the hands is enough. Thus, if a man shakes hands with you tightly, that means either he has some intention on you, or it is the other way round that you have some ‘design’ on him.

If women stretch out their hands for a handshake, a little touch of hands is considered that a handshake has been made. You do it differently though and pretend to show your friendly enthusiasm. If I see you behaving like that, I will certainly get a stick to strike you for your bad manner. Even westerners do not behave this way. Why have you learned to do these things in such ways? So, if you cannot achieve accomplishments to have three dignities in your deportments, you will surely be asked to leave here, the Center. What we have been talking about are precisely these: If you straighten up your body, you will be upright in your mind. With that mind, your chi-channels will absolutely have a good energy flow, and then your afflictions will be reduced.

Sutra: ‘For Sravakas in that generation, if they want to attain nirvana, they are to sit cross-legged, and will then be in extinction of reincarnation.’

This is truly too easy on you. No matter how you have practiced, you will not attain nirvana. Make vows quickly then to be in the land of Immovable Buddha. Provided that you have achieved accomplishments in the first or the second fruition level of Sravaka, when you ‘want to attain nirvana,’ you are to sit in meditation and ‘will then be in extinction of reincarnation.’ Please. Do not implore the enlightenment again. Do you think that you will have mastered your practices if you are enlightened? You should be in the realization of this: ‘I am an idiot,’ which is just like the lyrics in a song. You are an idiot, but did you think you were smart and amazing?

Sutra: ‘At that time, the earth shakes because of it. As they have been in extinction of reincarnation, all heavenly beings have come to make offerings. If there are arhats who will want to be in extinction of reincarnation, there will be fire emerged from their bodies. They will then be burned and cremated on their own. If there are arhats who will be extinct naturally, they will leave no sarira (relics).’

This quote is a lot of fun. It is because that if one does not use the method of Kundalini (practices of chi-channel), one cannot get his or her own body bursting into flame. This kind of body-burning is different from ‘samadhi (meditation) true fire’ mentioned in Taoism. ‘If there are arhats who will be extinct naturally, they will leave no sarira (relics).’ Thus, I will not have relics left in the future when I pass away. I am giving you this prediction first lest you will grab it from one another. When I am gone, I certainly will not leave my relics for you lest you will fight among you to get it. The reason that I will not leave my relics is because Shakyamuni Buddha had said very clearly in sutras about the purpose of His relics having been left to the world. It is to let sentient beings have causes and conditions to learn Buddhism. His relics are not to be used by them to enshrine or making prostrations to Him. In the Ratnakuta Sutra, it is mentioned very distinctly that if you make prostrations to the relics of the Buddha, such an act is inferior to your following a meritorious guru to learn Buddhism and to obtain one sentence or one verse from the teachings of the Dharma. There are greater merits in such learnings than making prostrations to the relics of the Buddha.

Before, the relics of the Buddha had been carried to Taiwan. There are reprimands mentioned in the Ratnakuta Sutra that in the Age of Dharma Decline, people will make profits with such relics; in the processes of their making profits, they will have women getting their hair down on the ground, or get others holding banners, et cetera. What had happened then in Taiwan were entirely the same as what have been described in the sutra. Shakyamuni Buddha had spoken of this more than 2,000 years ago. At the time when those relics were here, some of my disciples had asked me if I would like to go and see the relics. I said ‘no’ as I had read the mention in the sutra that one is not to go. Among you, the monastics present, had any of you been there to see the relics? (All the monastics indicated that they had not.) That meant you had no affinities with people in southern Taiwan. At that time, it was a very big event. You did not go for it and the reason must have been that you belonged to a different Buddhist monastery – called ‘gate of a monastery’ in Taiwan – from people organizing the occasion. Then, if you had participated in it, you were there to praise and support it. In that occasion, all the female disciples of that monastery had their hair down on the ground, letting people step on it. It turned out that these occurrences had been reprimanded by the Buddha a long time ago, described in the Ratnakuta Sutra. I had already mentioned that event a dozen years ago as I had previously read the same circumstances described in the sutra. Among my disciples, those old-timers should have heard of these things.

Hence, Shakyamuni Buddha had given us a great deal of help, letting us have Right Belief. If one has been practicing to be an arhat, and wants ‘to be in extinction of reincarnation,’ not leaving his or her physical body in the mundane world, there will be fire emerged from one’s body. The term ‘be burned and cremated’ means self-cremation. Because one has been practicing to be an arhat, one is naturally not attached to all things. Even for the matter of cremation, such a person does not want to bother other people, and will do it on one’s own. Then, even the ashes will be blown away by wind. I hope I will master my practices to be like this. If, someday, I sit over there and burst into flame, be sure that you do not take a fire extinguisher to spray me. The self-cremation can be done because there is a Dharma method to practice for it in Esoteric Buddhism.

Before, there was a story at the place of the old monk Xu Yun. It was about a monastic in charge of cooking there. This person had retired from the army. After having entered this monastery, he recited the name of Amitabha every day. One day someone suddenly noticed that there was fire in the hut that he lived in. As it was at night and a firelight could not have been there, others in the monastery thought the hut was on fire. They ran over to look and saw that the monastic was sitting in the hut. Then, the old monk Xu Yun went there and looked. He told those people not to stir or move the monastic; they then closed the door and would come back after a few days. When that day came, they were back at the hut. The old monk Xu Yun struck a chime at a bowl-like bell once. The body of that monastic then became ashes totally, and they were blown away by wind. This was what has been mentioned in the sutra as self-destruction.

The Buddha had already spoken of the situations more than 2,000 years ago. Now, if some missiles or satellites have been guided on wrong paths or at wrong targets, such devices can destruct themselves on their own. Then again, such self-destructions have been in existence since a very long time ago. Things stated in the sutra have been more in scientific aspects than the science itself in modern times. The story I just described about the old monk Xu Yun and that monastic is not a myth. Have you, the ordained disciples present, read that section in some writing before? (Those monastics said ‘yes’ that they have read it.) My memory is not bad. So, I am like you, starting off my practices with methods in Exoteric Buddhism. It is just that I have been mastering my practices in Tantra; I have ‘run’ – been in progresses – faster than you have. You have not run.

Sutra: ‘If there are arhats who will “walk” about in the air like five-colored clouds when they have been in extinction of reincarnation, in an instant, they will scatter, disappear, and cease to exist with no remains left. Or, they will abide in the void and fall like timely rain reaching the ground and be eliminated completely.’

It was in the same way when Dharma Protector Achi had been in extinction of reincarnation. She was transformed into five-colored rainbow-light, flying off instantly. When Guru Rinpoche reached his nirvana, the occurrence was in such a way too. Thus, is there no Tantra? It is stated in sutras that there is. If you say that what have been mentioned in sutras are all false, then throw the sutras away! Do not learn Buddhism anymore! Do not make such criticism again that Exoteric Buddhism is real and Esoteric Buddhism is unreal. In fact, in the era of the Buddha, there was no distinction between Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism. These two categories were only differentiated later. The reason is that with different root capacities, there is the need to have different practicing methods and directions. However, the conclusions of these methods and directions have all been spoken of here.

I know the phenomenon of fire emerging from a body and then the body getting burned and cremated on its own. These occurrences have happened in the Drikung Kagyu Order. I saw such an occasion before that there was a guru using the method of Kundalini and his body was consumed entirely by the fire and was cremated. There was such a happening too at the place of the old monk Xu Yun. The body in this kind of the situation is to be transformed into five-colored clouds, and we call it ‘rainbow-light body.’ These occurrences have also been recorded. ‘In an instant, they will scatter, disappear, and cease to exist with no remains left.’ It is just like what is described in the quote. The body is, or ashes are, gone instantly; nothing can be seen. When you read sutras, do not think that they are about Exoteric Buddhism. As a matter of fact, the contents of sutras are what resulting effects will be and be obtained by practicing a certain Dharma method after, and through, the learning of Exoteric Buddhism. This is written here in the sutra.

Sutra: ‘Sariputra, these are also because Immovable Tathagata has been attuned to right equality and right awareness. When he had originally practiced the Bodhisattva Path, he had made such a vow: “If I have achieved attainments in supreme bodhicitta, Sravakas, with the three dignities, will take the act of being in extinction of reincarnation.”’

I have said before that whether one has been doing practices of Zen School or other sects, when one passes away, he or she can be in a sitting or standing position. It is impossible that this person will die in a spread-eagle position, or with the whole body been intubated in a hospital before dying. The situation cannot be in such a way either that the person has been rushed to a hospital for emergency treatments to no avail, and then been sent back to the temple where he or she lives. A posture has then been made on this person to pass away. It will not be like this. It is mentioned very clearly here in the sutra. So, when you are at the time of your death, it can be seen whether your situation has moved a yidam so that the yidam will come to bless you, and let you die with dignities.

I have often said to you that since you are so determined to save face, why do you not practice diligently now? If you do not, when you die you will lose face because you will really be stripped completely and be intubated all over your body. You, female monastics, need to watch out on this especially. Do not think that you have dignities just because you have recited the name of Amitabha a few times. You are to form a habit to incorporate the dignities into every move you make ordinarily, particularly when you listen to the Dharma expounded. It is not like when you are at home or in your huts; those kinds of circumstances are assisting conditions for you. The time to let your three dignities appear is when you listen to your guru expounding the Dharma; that is the time to see whether your three dignities have shown or not. If you have practiced to possess dignities, and even if you cannot use the method of Kundalini to get burned, cremated, and flying off, at least before you pass away, you can save face in that you will not be stripped completely and be intubated all over your body.

How does this come about? It happens because your karma has been paid off and you respect the Three Jewels. Then, your dignities appear, and after that, people will not stir or move you. This is very wonderful. There were some disciples who had passed away believing in their guru absolutely. Their three dignities would show at their death; it was indeed very strange – I did not need to bless them. It was just like my old mother when she was passing away. She only had a nasogastric tube on her, and was not intubated with anything else; she did not have one tube on upper part, or one tube on the lower part, of her body either. These are exactly the results if one usually cultivates the three dignities on one’s own. You cannot be slacking off.

This is especially so for people like you. If you consider that you are a Buddhist practitioner, then, do not slacken your practices. Nevertheless, this does not mean I want to manage you, or control you strictly. That is not the idea here. The concept is about what the Buddha had said very clearly that, at the end of our lives, we wish to die in a ‘good condition.’ Only when we have such a death, can we go to a good place, which is the Land of Amitabha. If we cannot even die in a good circumstance, how can we be reborn there? People do not need to give rise to the sense of hatred! When one is alive, one should show respect to his or her guru absolutely; one cannot slack off on that. If you do, even just a bit, you will not have a chance to ‘die well.’

Hence, we really need to pay attention to this section of the sutra. Although Shakyamuni Buddha was speaking about Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha, the topic was in fact concerning us too. If we cannot reach this state in our practices, it does not matter. At least when we pass away, we will save face a little without being intubated. Now, you just need to rely on yourselves to diligently accumulate a little good fortune for you and eliminate your karma. It is not to depend on me to give you blessings for whatever issues you will have. If a disciple of mine generally respects me on everything, I will, very naturally, teach his or her family members how to do things. This disciple’s dignities will then appear.

Not mentioning something happening a long time ago, I will just talk about the mother of Disciple Pan. When the old lady passed away, neither was she stripped completely, nor was she intubated. It was just like that. She had gone through her life peacefully. Such dignities shown have not been implored by the person when he or she is alive. They are the results if one usually cultivates the dignities on one’s own. So long as you have any tiny bit of sense of doubts about your guru, your dignities will disappear. There were also many of my disciples who had passed away being intubated all over their bodies. So, it is not that I, as your guru, need to manage you; rather, these are all in accordance with what have been mentioned in sutras.

Sutra: ‘“Furthermore, Sariputra, in that World of a Buddha, most of Sravakas have gotten four kinds of fearlessness, and those who have obtained four kinds of supernatural powers are also in greater number than those Sravakas just mentioned. Sariputra, in that land of a Buddha, Sravakas have achieved such attainments and sufficiently possessed merits.” At that time, Sariputra said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, that Immovable Tathagata has been attuned to right equality and right awareness. The merits of Sravakas are in raging blazes, and their attainments are immense.”’

Even the attainments that Sravakas, in the land of Immovable Buddha, have achieved are incredible. According to what have been mentioned in the sutra, that is because Immovable Tathagata’s majestic, miraculous power has helped all sentient beings who have been practicing. Here is the ending of my teachings for today. There is another scroll of the sutra following this one. After that second scroll has been expounded, my introduction of Immovable Tathagata to you will then be finished.

On the next scroll, there is a quote, saying ‘This is why the Dharma method of merits should not have been attached to and practiced on by sentient beings who lack in good fortune.’ Thus, the practicing of this Dharma method cannot be obtained by ordinary sentient beings who lack in good fortune. They cannot even listen to the method expounded, let alone obtaining it. Do not think that because you have listened to it you then want to practice it. How difficult it is to practice this Dharma of Immovable Tathagata. If I speak of it, it will scare you to death. This has been mentioned very clearly here: If you listen obediently, what you have learned or practiced on will change your fate of next lifetime; if you do not listen, you can only go along with your original karma!”

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Updated on April 29, 2023