Explanation of the "Third Dijieqiang Buddha" Buddha Name#
On April 3, 2008, the book "The Third Dijieqiang Buddha" published by the Global Buddhist Publishing House and the World Dharma Sound Publishing House held a solemn and grand launching ceremony at the Library of Congress in the United States. The Library of Congress officially collected this book, and people only then learned that the highly respected Master Yiyun Gao and the Great Dharma King Yang'e Yixi Nuo Bu, who had been respected by everyone, were recognized by the leaders or regents of the major Buddhist sects and certified by the living Buddhas. The third incarnation of the Buddha Dijieqiang Buddha, with the Buddha name of the Third Dijieqiang Buddha, from then on, people began to call him "Namo the Third Dijieqiang Buddha". This is similar to before Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, his name was Prince Siddhartha, but after Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, he was called "Namo Shakyamuni Buddha". Therefore, we now say "Namo the Third Dijieqiang Buddha". Especially on December 12, 2012, the United States Senate Resolution No. 614 officially named the Third Dijieqiang Buddha as His Holiness (H.H. the Third Dijieqiang Buddha). Since then, the title of Namo the Third Dijieqiang Buddha has been officially established. Moreover, the Third Dijieqiang Buddha is also the legal name recognized by the government, and the previous names of "Yiyun Gao" and the honorable titles of Master and Great Dharma King no longer exist. However, this news was published before the announcement of the Namo the Third Dijieqiang Buddha's Buddha name, at that time people did not yet know the true identity of the Buddha, so in order to respect the truth of history, we still retain the names used before the official recognition of the Third Dijieqiang Buddha in the news. But everyone should be clear that except for the name of H.H. the Third Dijieqiang Buddha, which is legal, the previous names no longer exist.
Relics and Relic Flowers#
Liberty Times
June 23, 2004, Wednesday, Page 16, Religion Special Page
Relics are sacred objects in Buddhism. Derived from the Sanskrit word Sarira, also translated as Shili, Sheli Luo, Shili Luo, etc. Translated as body, body, body bone, and remains. After the Nirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha, many hard substances like diamonds appeared after cremation, and Buddhists call them relics.
Relics are a kind of crystal, as strong as steel, with various shapes and colorful colors. The Buddhist scriptures record that after the Buddha's Nirvana, King Ashoka of the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha built eighty-four thousand stupas and distributed the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha to be buried in the stupas. For example, Xindu Baoguang Temple in China is one of the locations of Ashoka's relic stupa. Ashoka built nineteen stupas in China. In history, when Huang Chao's rebellion broke through Chang'an, Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty fled to Chengdu in a panic. Emperor Xizong resided in Baoguang Temple in the north of Xindu City. One year, two years passed, and he was unhappy because he could not return to the capital. One night, while he was walking in the temple, he suddenly saw purple light shining from the ruins of an ancient stupa. Emperor Xizong asked in surprise the awakened national teacher Wuda who was accompanying him. Wuda replied, "This is the light emitted by the relics, indicating auspiciousness. Now that Huang Chao's rebellion has been quelled, Your Majesty can return to Chang'an." Emperor Xizong was overjoyed and ordered people to dig, and indeed, a stone box was found in the soil. There were thirteen crystal-clear and radiant relics of the Buddha in the box. Emperor Xizong ordered Wuda to build a thirteen-story stupa and enshrine the relics in the stupa palace, naming it the Pure Light Stupa. The Buddhist temple was still named Baoguang Temple. This is the historical record of the radiance of the relics.
There are several types of relics:
- Vajra relics, also known as flesh relics, are the remains of high monks after their parinirvana, which are either indestructible or shrink and become indestructible vajra relics, known as indestructible sons. For example, the flesh of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng of the Chan sect and the flesh of Master Hanshan are indestructible. Another example is the flesh relic of Gongga Rinpoche, who was originally six feet two inches and three minutes tall, but after his parinirvana, his flesh shrank to one foot five inches and three minutes, becoming a flesh relic. Similarly, the flesh of Zongsa Qinzhe Rinpoche and Pobangka Rinpoche shrank into vajra relics, which are as hard as diamonds from flesh to bones.
- Transformation relics: relics or relic flowers obtained by cremating the bodies of those who have achieved enlightenment. Relics are generally found on the bodies of high monks who have achieved enlightenment, and they come in various shapes such as round, diamond-shaped, and unusual shapes. Relic flowers: There are five colors, like a net, with no hindrance, weaving a net like a diamond net, extremely beautiful. For example, the relic flower transformed from Xuanzang's skull. Peacock green, tianhuang, and white jade are the top-grade colors.
- Dharmakaya relics: all the scriptures, practices, realizations, powers, manifestations of divine powers, and the opening and spreading of holy wisdom passed down by all Buddhas are dharmakaya relics.
- Spiritual bone relics: the remains of finger bones, skulls, teeth, etc., which are hard and without the net-like empty flowers after cremation, are called spiritual bone relics.
- Seed syllable relics: Achievers of the Vajrayana who have achieved the highest level of practice naturally cremate their bodies and emit light, leaving only the seed syllables they usually visualize during meditation, which are called seed syllable relics, also known as rainbow light flying transformation bodies. For example, the Great Master Lianhua Sheng is a rainbow light flying transformation body.
Relics come in various colors. Black relics are the hair relics of the Buddha, red relics are blood relics, and white relics are bone flower relics. Among them, there are also peacock green, golden yellow, small yellow, coffee color, gray, purple, white, transparent, mottled, and other colored relics, all formed by different levels of realization. All the changes in color and size are formed by different levels of realization. To obtain transformation relics, one must have achieved enlightenment through authentic Buddhism.
Relics left by the Buddha are called relics, and those left by bodhisattvas are called indestructible sons. Both are formed by the accumulation of boundless compassion and the achievement of merit. Ordinary people often confuse relic sons with indestructible sons and also call indestructible sons relic sons. Relics are not afraid of softness or hardness, and they protect sentient beings and sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others. Therefore, if they are hit with a hammer on an anvil, the relics will penetrate into the anvil and cannot be removed; if they are taken out with a steel drill, no matter how deep the steel drill is drilled, the anvil will be like mud to the relics, no matter how deep it is drilled, the steel drill cannot remove the relics. This is because the relics are not afraid of hardness. At this time, as long as an egg is placed on the position where the relics are located on the anvil, and the egg is pressed as if to break it, the relics buried in the anvil will immediately jump out on their own, because they are afraid of harming the egg. This is not deceiving the soft.
Relics have five characteristics: 1. The characteristic of distinguishing merit, different people see different colors and brightness of the merit and power of their karma and merit; 2. The characteristic of firmness, indestructible like a diamond, harder than any worldly object; 3. The characteristic of brightness, shining when viewed, bringing joy to the mind. When worshipped, the mind and power resonate, and great radiance is emitted. 4. The characteristic of being born and developing, such as the hair relics of Kangsa Rinpoche; 5. The characteristic of blessedness and virtue, can obtain immeasurable blessings by building stupas for worship, circumambulating, paying respects, lighting lamps, offering flowers, burning incense, repairing, gilding, and decorating.
Who can cultivate relics? Only those who have achieved realization through authentic Buddhism can have relics and indestructible sons, and only those who have achieved great realization can have relic flowers. Those who are not authentic Buddhists cannot have them, and those who have not achieved great realization in authentic Buddhism cannot have relic sons or relic flowers. (Text/ Shangmiao)