Now, many places are arranging to hold "Hundred Holy Assemblies" and using this name to name the Dharma assemblies, which is really laughable because everyone has misunderstood what a "Hundred Holy Assembly" is. What you are holding is not a "Hundred Holy Assembly" in the official sense, but rather a kind of Dharma assembly. It is commendable to hold a hundred Dharma assemblies, but it is not valid to hold a "Hundred Holy Assembly" because a "Hundred Holy Assembly" is a specific assembly formed by the presence of holy beings, causes and conditions, location, time, and the power of merit.
First of all, everyone needs to understand what a "Hundred Holy Assembly" is. "Hundred Holy Assembly" is the name of a grand holy Dharma assembly. This is a specific name. A holy assembly refers to a Dharma assembly presided over by a holy being, and it is called a holy assembly. Moreover, a "Hundred Holy Assembly" is a specific assembly formed by specific causes and conditions. It is not called a "Hundred Holy Assembly" just because one has held a hundred Dharma assemblies. If that were the case, wouldn't it be called a "Thousand Holy Assembly" if one were to hold a thousand Dharma assemblies? Some large temples recite morning and evening prayers every day, and each recitation is a Dharma assembly. Some people have participated in thousands of such assemblies, so why don't they qualify to receive the "Empowerment of the Main Deity's Dharma Connection" (which requires meeting the main deity in person and personally declaring the Dharma connection)? The main deity has not even had a single conversation with them yet. This is because although they have held many Dharma assemblies, they do not possess the merit of a "Hundred Holy Assembly"! It is also important to understand that the "Hundred Holy Assembly" was consecrated by the personal presence of the Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, who personally presided over the consecration of the "Hundred Holy Assembly" hall and sacred site. At that time, before Rinpoche consecrated it, there were dark clouds, a dark sky, and a heavy rain. But as soon as the Buddha started performing the rituals, all the dark clouds dispersed, the heavy rain immediately stopped, and it became a cloudless sky. Suddenly, thousands of Vajra Parrots flew from a distance and circled around the consecrated Avalokiteshvara hall. This hall was prepared to enshrine the physical remains of the Venerable Yin Hai. The loud calls of the parrots were deafening, as if the houses and the earth were shaken by their joyous calls. Even the tea on the table was stirred by the parrots' praises, creating ripples. The sound was louder than the sound of dozens of cars honking their horns simultaneously. After circling the hall dozens of times, the thousands of parrots perched on the trees next to the hall. Thousands of parrots, it was truly an unprecedented sight, marking the opening theme of the holy assembly. The hosts of the holy assembly were the Venerable Yin Hai and the Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche. Although the Venerable Yin Hai has passed away, why does he still preside over the holy assembly? As everyone knows, ten days after the Venerable Yin Hai passed away, his body underwent miraculous changes. His bones grew, not only his nails but also his fingers grew longer, and so on. These are sacred signs that break the records of Buddhist history. This is also part of the manifestation of the holy assembly presided over by the Venerable Yin Hai. When the Venerable Yin Hai made offerings to the sacred site, dozens of eagles circled above the holy assembly, approaching only a few floors above everyone, to show the protection of the Great Garuda, the protector of the Buddha, and the crows, the protectors of the Great Black Heaven, also gathered around. The birds sang praises, and every day when the holy assembly began, the eagles and birds would circle and sing praises. This is also part of the manifestation of the holy assembly presided over by the Venerable Yin Hai. What is more important is that the "Hundred Holy Assembly" must be completed in the presence of the Venerable Yin Hai at the site of the assembly!!! There is an inappropriate example. Although the Venerable Yin Hai cannot be compared to the Buddha, we use the holy assembly of the Supreme Buddha as an example to make it easier for everyone to understand. For example, after the Buddha Shakyamuni held the "Vulture Peak Assembly," it was over. It is not that any guru or holy person can hold their own "Vulture Peak Assembly" anywhere. This is because the "Vulture Peak Assembly" is a unique assembly with fixed time, location, Dharma activities, and presiding holy beings. The same applies to the "Hundred Holy Assembly."
Monks, Rinpoches, and gurus organize disciples to recite scriptures, chant mantras, sing praises, make offerings, and dedicate merits. This is meritorious! But it must be clear that this is not a "Hundred Holy Assembly." It can only be called a congratulatory gathering for the meritorious deeds of the Venerable Yin Hai. Such assemblies have nothing to do with the "Hundred Holy Assembly." The Supreme Rinpoche Wangza once announced that increasing the level of the ritual and receiving the "Empowerment of the Main Deity's Dharma Connection" refers to those who have completed a "Hundred Holy Assembly," not those who have participated in the congratulatory gathering for the meritorious deeds of the Venerable Yin Hai. Of course, participating in the congratulatory gathering for the meritorious deeds of the Venerable Yin Hai, engaging in life-saving activities, doing good deeds to help the poor and disaster relief, and sincerely practicing the Dharma are all absolute merits. If you practice well and become a good and kind person, the causes and conditions will naturally be complete, and you will definitely receive the inner secret empowerment! The inner secret empowerment refers to the empowerment master possessing the power to obtain the holy water of Bodhi through practice, which can then be used as the mother water for the empowerment transmission. Otherwise, any excuses are useless. As long as there is no mother water (holy water of Bodhi), it is a false inner secret empowerment. We have a suggestion: if you can take the practice of a hundred Dharma assemblies, use it to engage in life-saving activities, do good deeds, and dedicate the merits, the merits you gain will be even greater!! Of course, this must be done by yourself, in person, and not by others on your behalf.
World Buddhist Association Headquarters
March 5, 2017