Further Explanation of Temple Arrangement and Others#
The Office of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche issued Announcement No. 4 on June 6, 2009, which clearly explains the arrangement of the temple. However, recently, the office has received continuous inquiries from practitioners. Therefore, the office is explaining again: regardless of whether it is a temple, a place for listening to the Dharma, or a personal altar at home, all items used, such as offering tables, offering cups, ritual implements, or mandala plates, should be cleaned and arranged properly according to the law. There is no Buddha or Bodhisattva who has ever stipulated that "the offering cup must be made of gold or silver, and the mandala plate must be large and of high quality," etc. If there is no intention to benefit the public and the mind is impure, even the best offerings will be contaminated by the impurities of the Buddha and Bodhisattva. It should be known that regardless of the materials used for the offerings and ritual implements, including copper, iron, and porcelain, as long as they are sincerely cleaned, it is not the intention of the Buddha and Bodhisattva to be attached to the offerings and offerings of the disciples. As long as we practice for the benefit of sentient beings and offer with a respectful mind, it is the best arrangement for the temple!
For all Buddhist disciples, the most important thing is to study and practice the two main essences that have been published in the "Great Hand Seal of Ultimate Liberation," namely the "Extraordinary Essence of the Perfectly Auspicious Ocean" and the "Supreme Essence of the Bodhi Space and Action Ocean." How to unlock the cycle of rebirth and benefit sentient beings to attain enlightenment, this is the most extraordinary and incomparable establishment of the temple. As for the specific practice of the "Great Hand Seal of Ultimate Liberation," it should be based on the complete ritual prescribed in the "Great Hand Seal of Ultimate Liberation" and establish a corresponding and legitimate temple according to the practice. If the conditions and places are relatively difficult, even a square foot of space can be used to set up a temple. For those who truly practice the "Great Hand Seal of Ultimate Liberation," offerings made of mud have merits hundreds of thousands of times greater than those made of gold by those who do not practice the "Great Hand Seal of Ultimate Liberation." Learning Buddhism emphasizes practice, not superficial appearances. As long as the temple complies with the laws and regulations, it is an extraordinary arrangement. If one does not study and practice these two main essences, even if a large building is used as a temple, one will still end up in the three evil realms. If one follows these two main essences for study and practice, even a small cushion-sized temple will have immeasurable merits and achieve liberation. For example, at the beginning, Rinpoche, who has attained the status of a master with a master's degree, has set up a temple for the practice of the Great Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in a corridor-sized space. However, as far as we know, so far, apart from the middle-earth masters, which venerable, Rinpoche, or Dharma king has his own certification?
We hope that this time you have understood the true meaning of the temple and will no longer be deceived by superstitious and nonsensical individuals.
At the same time, it must be emphasized that the Office of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche has never sold any Dharma texts, ritual implements, offerings, vajra ropes, nectar pills, unending shooting pills, Kajuranda pills, or vajra sand, nor has it ever sold them. The Third Dzogchen Rinpoche has never sold these items either, nor has he borrowed or received any offerings related to these items, whether in China or the United States. It can be said that if you want these things from the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche, he simply does not have them. He only says, "I will bear all the karmic sins of sentient beings, and all the merits of the good deeds I have done are given to you!" As for what you mentioned in your letter about buying something from someone, that is entirely his personal behavior and has nothing to do with the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche and the Office of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche. So far, the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche and the Office of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche have not issued any Dharma audio tapes. All Dharma audio tapes are provided by the International Buddhist Sangha Association to Buddhist temples, institutions, practice centers, and Rinpoche and masters around the world.
Office of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche
September 1, 2010
https://www.hhdcb3office.org/html/information/announcement_no15_2010_09_01.html