The office of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche has issued the following announcement in response to the two questions that have been frequently asked by Buddhist practitioners recently:
First, who is eligible to listen to the Dharma?
The Third Dzogchen Rinpoche teaches that those who sincerely practice Buddhism and follow the teachings of the Buddha without seeking personal gain are qualified to listen to the sacred and pure Dharma teachings. The Dharma teachings are the supreme treasure that enables all sentient beings to abandon evil and achieve goodness. Everyone is eligible to respectfully listen to the Dharma teachings of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche. At the same time, any place where the Dharma is taught should provide convenience for all those who wish to listen to the teachings of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche, and should not hinder anyone from requesting to listen to the Dharma for any reason, such as not having taken refuge, not making offerings, or lacking the necessary conditions. Regardless of the identity or reasons of the person in charge of the Dharma center, if they create obstacles to the practice and study of Buddhism for the benefit of sentient beings, they have already lost the compassion that a practitioner should possess. If such selfish behavior is discovered, anyone can choose to listen to the Dharma teachings elsewhere, rather than following someone who does not care about sentient beings and is selfish.
Second, the arrangement of the shrine
Whether it is a Dharma center or the practitioner's own home, the most important and fundamental aspect of the shrine is to hang a clean copy of the "Dzogchen Rinpoche's Refuge Visualization" in a prominent place at the front of the shrine, and then place a shrine table below it. Alternatively, a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha or Amitabha Buddha can be directly placed on the shrine. If one is practicing the highest liberation hand seal, it is sufficient to only have the "Dzogchen Rinpoche's Refuge Visualization" on the shrine. The "Dzogchen Rinpoche's Refuge Visualization" can be obtained from the International Buddhist Sangha or Dharma Sound Publishing, and the prices vary depending on the size, with 10 USD and 5 USD per copy respectively. If it is not possible to obtain a printed copy, one can directly take a photo of the "Dzogchen Rinpoche's Refuge Visualization" from the precious book "Dzogchen Rinpoche III", enlarge it to a suitable size for the shrine. As for the shrine table, its size can be chosen freely, and one can make general offerings, eight offerings, or mandala offerings according to personal conditions, with a mind of reverence. Apart from this, there are no other specific requirements. This is the most correct arrangement of the shrine, applicable to all Buddhist practitioners.
Only those who have received the personal empowerment and transmission of the Dharma from the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche need to arrange a shrine according to the specific practices they are engaged in. Those who have not personally received the empowerment from the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche do not need a special shrine.
If there are other Buddha or Bodhisattva images on the shrine in addition to the "Dzogchen Rinpoche's Refuge Visualization", these images must be offered and placed on both sides of the "Dzogchen Rinpoche's Refuge Visualization". The tops of these Buddha images should not be higher than the shoulders of the First Dzogchen Rinpoche, as Dzogchen Rinpoche is the original first embodied Buddha and the highest among all Buddhas.
This announcement is hereby made.
Office of the Third Dzogchen Rinpoche
June 6, 2009
https://www.hhdcb3office.org/html/information/announcement_no4_2009_06_06.html