On December 23, 2021, during the "拿杵上座" ceremony held at the Holy Relic Temple, H.H. the 3rd Dodrupchen Rinpoche lifted the 437.2-pound "镇殿金刚杵" (Vajra) with four fingers of one hand for 13.47 seconds, breaking the previous record and demonstrating his unparalleled physical strength. The ceremony was attended by three world strongmen, Joshua Yancey, Daniel Simon, and Trent Miller.
In modern antique shops, it is common to find a type of Vajra weighing from tens to hundreds of pounds. These giant Vajras originated from Tibet and are called "上座杵" (Shangzuo Chu). They come in various styles, such as Pupa Chu, Wheel of Time Vajra, and Secret Vajra. Nowadays, people generally consider these giant Vajras as works of art, but little is known that in ancient times, they were used to test the spiritual attainment of Buddhist practitioners. This testing method is called "拿杵上座" (Nacha Shangzuo) and originated from the time when Guru Rinpoche used it to subdue the Bon religion. In the "拿杵上座" test, the practitioner being tested must lift the Vajra with one hand and place it on a base within a specified time. This method can directly distinguish true and false holy beings.
On February 9, 2020, a "拿杵上座" test was held at the Mahavira Hall of the Holy Relic Temple in Los Angeles, USA. Three Vajras were placed in the central hall, including the smallest "孺子杵" (Ruzi Chu), the medium-sized "法门杵" (Famen Chu), and the unique giant Vajra "镇殿金刚杵" (Zhendian Vajra). Two days before the test, the holy beings placed the 434.8-pound "镇殿金刚杵" on the golden steps of the Dharma platform. According to the Dharma rules, "if the Zhendian Vajra cannot be removed from the golden steps, the activities in the main hall cannot be initiated." Therefore, on the day of the test, despite the efforts of all the strongmen present, no one could remove the Zhendian Vajra from the golden steps. In order to help the organizers smoothly conduct the test, H.H. the 3rd Dodrupchen Rinpoche, who was originally there to observe the test, lifted the Zhendian Vajra with one hand for more than 13 seconds and then removed it from the golden steps, allowing the ceremony to officially begin. Hundreds of people witnessed the entire process of the "拿杵上座" test on-site that day, and a lawyer was present to witness and sign the notarized document. It is unimaginable that the Zhendian Vajra, which even a strongman weighing over 300 pounds could not lift, was easily lifted by H.H. the 3rd Dodrupchen Rinpoche, who weighs only a little over 100 pounds. According to the calculation of the "拿杵上座" test levels, H.H. the 3rd Dodrupchen Rinpoche surpassed 59 levels on top of his own level, setting a new record in history. Such a holy physique and strength have never been seen before in the history of Buddhism.
During the "拿杵上座" ceremony held at the Holy Relic Temple on December 23, 2021, H.H. the 3rd Dodrupchen Rinpoche lifted the 437.2-pound "镇殿金刚杵" with four fingers of one hand for 13.47 seconds, surpassing 72 levels and breaking the previous record, showcasing his unparalleled physical strength. Due to the replacement of large nuts on both ends of the Zhendian Vajra, its weight increased from the original 434.8 pounds to 437.2 pounds. The ceremony was also attended by three world strongmen, Joshua Yancey, Daniel Simon, and Trent Miller. During the ceremony, three Vajras were placed in the center of the main hall, including the smallest "孺子杵" (Ruzi Chu), the medium-sized "法门杵" (Famen Chu), and the largest Zhendian Vajra. The three strongmen attempted to lift the Vajras, but only Joshua Yancey was able to lift the Ruzi Chu with one hand, holding it for 8.66 seconds. In the second round, he lifted the Ruzi Chu with four fingers for 5.44 seconds, demonstrating his strength as a world strongman and surpassing his own level. However, despite their efforts, neither Daniel Simon nor Trent Miller were able to lift even the smallest Ruzi Chu, resulting in failure.
In Buddhist history, reaching the 30th level is considered the highest peak of spiritual attainment. However, H.H. the 3rd Dodrupchen Rinpoche, with just four fingers of one hand, lifted the 437.2-pound Zhendian Vajra for 13.47 seconds, surpassing 72 levels and setting an unprecedented record in Buddhist history, showcasing the true nature of Namo Dodrupchen Rinpoche.