The United International World Buddhism Headquarters recently held the "World Peace Dharma Assembly" in Hong Kong, where attending were Acharyas and Dharma teachers. Upon witnessing some Rinpoches and masters holding sacred certificates on the Dharma platform, it was mentioned that xx Rinpoche said: The star wheel on the sacred certificate is not very precise. If a Rinpoche, out of humility, chooses not to accept a two-star or three-star wheel certificate and only accepts a one-star wheel certificate, that is noble behavior and perfectly acceptable. Additionally, there was a Rinpoche who claimed to be the foremost disciple of the Third Dorge Qiang Buddha, who publicly stated that he is a great saint, thus he does not need a sacred certificate; he is inherently a great saint. He also stated: Whether one is a true saint or not can be confirmed if two or three renowned living Buddhas certify and conduct rituals for them, then it is indeed a true saint, and there is no need to hold a sacred certificate. Furthermore, it was said that anyone designated as a saint by the Third Dorge Qiang Buddha is a legitimate saint. Another Rinpoche mentioned: Before learning the Dharma, he could only lift a few dozen pounds, but after learning, he could suddenly lift 200 pounds. Isn't that the miraculous power generated by the Dharma? Why can't he obtain a one-star wheel sacred certificate? Is the power of separating space superior? Can anyone levitate? What does a two-star Sumeru wheel represent? Reports mentioned the chairman of the International Buddhist Sangha Association, Master Shi Longhui, and the monks performing rituals to request the Buddha to bestow nectar and relics. Why is the certificate held a two-star Sumeru wheel seven masters ten certificates of saintly virtue, rather than a sun and moon wheel certificate? There are many different questions, and the aforementioned inquirers hope to understand more about the status differences between Rinpoches, masters, great virtuous ones, and saints, whether a Sumeru wheel saint can invoke the Buddha to bestow nectar, whether a two-star Sumeru wheel signifies profound practice, and the significance of different levels and ranks.
As is well known, during this degenerate age of Buddhism, there are too many fraudulent and evil teachers infiltrating Buddhism, parading as great monks and saints. All those seen claim to be great virtuous ones or saints, even to the extent of claiming to be great Bodhisattvas incarnate. They use this to deceive the public. In terms of Vajrayana, every Rinpoche or Dharma king presents certificates that often claim to be reincarnations of certain revered figures or Bodhisattvas, which has turned an ordinary, unworthy person into a proclaimed saint. From the perspective of exoteric teachings, this master is a great virtuous monk, while that master claims to be brothers with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, creating utter chaos. Those holding legitimate certificates to support their unqualified claims as Dharma kings, revered ones, Rinpoches, and masters are, in fact, complete fakes, lacking even basic morality, devoid of compassion, and only deceiving followers. When it comes to Buddhist studies and teachings, they often resort to quoting texts and piecing together arguments to deceive outsiders. For example, on August 11, 2010, an international television broadcast showed a group of monks from Mount Jiuhua in China, who, in order to burn incense, violently beat the devotees with sticks; their evil acts were horrifying. If this news had not been broadcast, who would have known that these so-called representatives of Buddhist teachings, who usually appear virtuous and exemplary, could be so cruel? Who knows that among the successors of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's temple, who are supposed to be renowned for their compassion and vows, some of the inheritors are actually thugs? Think about it, would Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva beat people with sticks? Therefore, lineage does not represent an individual's actual practice, nor does it represent the true saintly virtue of actual enlightenment. Some may hold high positions and enjoy a world-class reputation, but in reality, they cannot even be considered true practitioners; they are merely false saints cloaked in the guise of holiness, yet unexamined in their virtue. However, these exaggerated fraudulent acts are often associated with renowned lineages, and they frequently claim to impart inner secret teachings and the highest ultimate inner secret empowerments, thus misleading many honest and unthinking Buddhists, causing many good people to fall victim to scams, losing wealth and blessings, and embarking on a path of lifelong entrapment.
Furthermore, especially among some Dharma kings and great living Buddhas who wave the banner of lineage, many are ordinary people. To put it bluntly, many are charlatans, claiming that their great perfection teachings are extraordinary, and that they can easily transform into rainbow bodies. In reality, they are speaking falsehoods. The true great perfection saints are the Fourth Dorge Qiang Buddha, who is the only one holding the highest teachings of great perfection. In the lineage of great perfection, no other Tibetan or Indian Dharma king or Rinpoche can be compared to him. Additionally, some fake Dharma kings claim: What does a little certification or miraculous power count for? I can easily teach you a few mantras and you will succeed. In fact, the person saying this is merely an idiot who can recite scriptures, only able to deceive honest good people. If you don't believe it, invite him to Huazang Temple to test his qualifications with the six types of teachers; he will immediately reveal his true identity as a fraud hidden for decades. If he makes excuses not to come or uses other slander to evade, think about it: why doesn't he use the time he spends evading slander to demonstrate his true abilities in front of the six teachers? If he is a great saint, can he not even meet the most basic requirements of the six teachers? Unfortunately, the fact is that it is impossible; even if you beat him, it won't change because he is a false saint, a true ordinary person, lacking any saintly virtue, only covering his falsehood and fraudulent nature with slander. If you still don't believe it, ask him to teach you a mantra to recite. I tell you, you can recite for decades and not gain a single bit of miraculous power; this is the result of believing a fraud because what he says is deceptive nonsense! Many kind-hearted Buddhists often only see the surface of issues 99% of the time, not looking at the inner truth, which is akin to the experience of the lute maker Gong Zhiqiao. Gong Zhiqiao made a lute from high-quality Paulownia wood, whose sound quality was the best in the world. He presented this lute to the Taichang, who had the palace's best musicians examine it. They said it was a new lute, not ancient, and returned it. After bringing the lute home, Gong Zhiqiao had it repainted, created false cracks, and had an engraver carve ancient inscriptions on it, then buried it in the ground for a year. When he dug it up and took it to the market to sell, a nobleman bought it for a hundred taels of gold and presented it to the court. After the excellent musicians examined it, they praised it as a rare treasure. You see, if one only judges the authenticity and quality from the surface without looking at the inner substance, it is undoubtedly mistaking the good for the bad and the fake for the real. The reasoning behind the fraudulent teachers in Buddhism during this degenerate age is akin to what Liu Bowen wrote about the "good Paulownia." If we only look at the external lineage to determine who is a great living Buddha, great master, or who is the orthodox certified authentic lineage, without using the inner substance of practice and saintly virtue as the standard, then anyone can claim to be the most proficient in Buddhism, reaching the highest standards, claiming to be the reincarnation of Guanyin or Manjushri, or even that they can summon the Buddha to bestow nectar, and even claim that their understanding of the scriptures is no different from that of Shakyamuni Buddha. If one does not discern the truth from the substance and is lost in appearances, then what they learn is also superficial false teachings, and how can they escape the cycle of birth and death?
Therefore, how to help Buddhist disciples understand the differences in levels within Buddhism, distinguishing between the sacred and the ordinary, and thus rely on the true teachings of liberation is a matter of great importance concerning the welfare and wisdom of all sentient beings, determining liberation or downfall. It is precisely for this reason that during the World Peace Dharma Assembly, the "Gospel of the Supreme Treasure" booklet was issued, aimed at allowing everyone to learn in advance the teachings of other ancestors, great monks, Dharma kings, and masters regarding the principles of prajna and emptiness, preparing them to recognize what constitutes the true Dharma of the Tathagata. Only in this way can we minimize the harm caused by evil teachers and ordinary frauds. If one does not prepare in advance, it is equally easy to fall victim to deception.
Some individuals have previously been praised by great saints due to certain relative causes and conditions, but this does not mean that these individuals are great virtuous ones or saints. The Third Dorge Qiang Buddha once taught: "The reason is simple; once one loses sight of the true principles during practice, regardless of the status of the individual, even if they are renowned ancient sages, revered ones, or reincarnated Dharma kings, as long as they are not qualified teachers of the upper or middle paths in this life, they are at risk of regressing and may step into the wrong path, even falling into evil doors. Anyone who practices without falling into the 128 evil and erroneous views, deeply understands the scriptures, and practices according to the Dharma for the benefit of others is a great virtuous one. After establishing a foundation of great virtue, obtaining a sacred certificate signed by the seven teachers and ten witnesses is the definitive proof of saintly virtue. Beyond that, any saint recognized or conferred by a Dharma king, including those certified as reincarnations of previous ancestors, revered ones, or great Dharma kings, as long as they have not undergone examination in this life and have not received a sacred certificate, cannot be confirmed as true saints. As long as this person does not have a sacred certificate issued by the seven teachers and ten witnesses, their identity as a saint is also invalid." The Third Dorge Qiang Buddha also stated: "The six does not represent; the only one is: 1. The lineage does not represent the identity of saintly virtue; 2. Knowledge of Buddhist studies does not represent the identity of saintly virtue; 3. Practicing and studying does not represent the identity of saintly virtue; 4. Certified reincarnation does not represent the identity of saintly virtue; 5. Three teachers and seven certificates do not represent the identity of saintly virtue signed by the seven teachers and ten witnesses; 6. Status and titles do not represent the identity of saintly virtue with proof. The only one is: the one who passes the examination supervised by the seven teachers and ten witnesses is the true saint." There are three other ways to confirm: 1. Publicly practicing in front of the monks, with immediate prophecies, can confirm that the saint is truly named and possesses the wonderful realization of great saintly virtue; 2. Publicly establishing an altar with stones can confirm that the saint is truly a great saint; 3. Through the lawful practice of the middle path by great saints holding two-star or three-star sun and moon wheels, the content of the three documents determined by the selection method can confirm the true identity and situation of the disciples receiving empowerment. For instance, I, the Third Dorge Qiang, should say that my certification in the history of Buddhism is the most orthodox. To date, no previous certified living Buddha holds more certificates than I do. The certificates and congratulatory letters I possess from various sects are the most numerous, and my reincarnation identity is not self-proclaimed; the certified congratulatory titles are also the highest. However, these do not represent that I am a saint because mere certificates and congratulatory letters do not represent the word 'saint'; they only represent that I, a humble person, have learned Buddhism and practiced under the guidance of great virtuous ones. To put it plainly, whether it is certification or congratulation, it does not prove the true identity of saintly virtue; it is of no use to me. I am very grateful for the certificates and congratulatory letters given to me by the great virtuous ones, but I truly do not care about these. What I seek is genuine and comprehensive knowledge of both exoteric and esoteric teachings, highly perfected, to benefit everyone. Therefore, regardless of what saintly virtue is written on the certificate, it can only represent the secular appearance of a living Buddha and cannot represent the inner, genuine reality of saintly virtue. Only the sacred certificate from the seven teachers and ten witnesses can prove what level of saintly virtue it is, and this is unique!!! I do not hold a sacred certificate signed by the seven teachers and ten witnesses, so I am still a humble person. I strongly agree that to determine the sacred and the ordinary, regardless of how high the status of a Dharma king or master is, the only requirement is to accept the examination in front of the seven teachers and ten witnesses, and obtain the sacred certificate signed by seventeen people, to be the final identity of saintly virtue. Otherwise, no matter how remarkable a person, Dharma king, or revered one may be, at most they can only be regarded as a great virtuous one or good teacher. I also want to say that even if you have achieved saintly virtue, even if you are a teacher of saintly virtue, you must put your body, speech, and mind into practice, earnestly practicing the "Great Seal of Liberation" with the "Essence of the Root Guru," "Essence of the Superior Completion," and "Essence of the Supreme Bodhi," and understand the true meaning of my teachings in the "Heart Sutra." This is the truly important thing to do."
Everyone must be particularly cautious; regardless of what kind of great master, great Rinpoche, Dharma king, or revered one a person holds, as long as they consider themselves a saint in daily life or in Dharma affairs, or even if they tacitly accept that they are the reincarnation of a saint but cannot produce a sacred certificate when ascending the Dharma platform, such individuals are either frauds or evil teachers (of course, this is aimed at the examination confirmation of saintly virtue, and there are exceptions for good teachers and great virtuous ones who do not claim to be saints). This is because this is even more fraudulent than claiming to be a Rinpoche without a certificate. A Rinpoche's certification can be established with just one or two great virtuous ones, but the confirmation of saintly virtue cannot be established with the agreement of eight or nine Rinpoches; it must have the supervision of a saint, not just a great virtuous one, and there must be at least seventeen ordained teachers present, among whom three must be saints, and their sacred certificates must have the complete signatures of the seventeen ordained teachers. If you do not believe that someone who claims to be a saint but does not display their certificate is an evil teacher, you will find that this self-proclaimed saint without a certificate certainly lacks saintly virtue, such as not having opened the crown or being unable to raise the inner fire. If you compare this with the "Essence of the Superior Completion" and "Essence of the Supreme Bodhi" of the Third Dorge Qiang Buddha, they are worlds apart. If you ask them a question based on the "Heart Sutra," they will be dumbfounded and their answers will be irrelevant because they do not understand Buddhism at all; they have not even stepped through the threshold. It is precisely for this reason that they cannot achieve saintly virtue or obtain a sacred certificate. Even if they have a sacred certificate, if they are entangled in wrong views and possessed by evil spirits, they will hide their certificates and maliciously insult the Buddha and saints, which is a grave sin. As for those who claim that the star wheels on the sacred certificates can be accepted in fewer numbers, those who say this are completely misleading the public. The number of star wheels, whether it is a Sumeru wheel or a sun and moon wheel, is based on the achievements of the person being examined, obtained through the solemn vows of seventeen individuals. There is not a shred of falsehood. If the number of star wheels changes, whether more or less than the facts, as long as it is untrue, the seven teachers and ten witnesses present at the examination will not vow and sign to guarantee the saintly virtue of that achievement level. This level represents the difference in achievements in saintly virtue and practice. Here is a metaphor, though not entirely accurate, it can help everyone with a reference for understanding: great virtuous ones are equivalent to elementary school level, a one-star Sumeru wheel is equivalent to middle school level, a two-star Sumeru wheel is equivalent to high school level, a three-star Sumeru wheel is equivalent to university level, a one-star sun and moon wheel is equivalent to master's degree level, a two-star sun and moon wheel is equivalent to doctoral degree level, a three-star sun and moon wheel is equivalent to postdoctoral level, a four-star sun and moon wheel is equivalent to academician level, and a five-star sun and moon wheel is equivalent to the highest level. The star wheels of saintly virtue represent levels; different numbers of star wheels indicate completely different levels of saintly virtue and practice. Especially those who do not possess a four-star or five-star sun and moon wheel are not equivalent to the great Bodhisattvas of wonderful realization; these individuals absolutely lack the qualifications to question or respond to the "Great Seal of Liberation." If a saint holding a one-star, two-star, or three-star Sumeru wheel were to question or respond to the "Great Seal of Liberation," that would be absolutely erroneous and heretical. However, these individuals can discuss their experiences and insights from practicing the "Great Seal of Liberation" because any teaching should be correct, while saints do not possess the knowledge and virtue to teach. Even a teacher of saintly virtue with a one-star sun and moon wheel does not have the qualifications to teach the "Great Seal of Liberation," and even a two-star sun and moon wheel teacher of the middle path, who can conduct the selection method for sentient beings, must be particularly cautious to avoid making major mistakes in their teachings, as the saintly virtue of the middle path has not reached this level of spatial world and will not understand the hidden true meanings within. In summary, saintly virtue is the energy that transcends ordinary people. Although one may lift something heavy, it is still limited to the strength of an ordinary person and does not transcend time and space. The miraculous power beyond space is clear and visible to everyone; it is not something that ordinary human strength can achieve. Obtaining a one-star Sumeru wheel signifies the power of transcending the ordinary and entering the sacred. As for a two-star Sumeru wheel, that requires a complete transformation, necessitating the opening of a door at the crown, a mouth two fingers wide, scientifically detectable and visibly different from an ordinary person's skull, due to the transformed saintly virtue, and the consciousness can enter and exit the body, whether through practicing the profound methods of great perfection or entering into samadhi, realizing the nature, or having the mind's wind naturally equalize all appearances, being able to exert external power, or having reached the generation stage of certain Vajrayana practices, entering the completion stage, and exhibiting miraculous functions. There are too many states of achievement to enumerate, but they must meet the standards of saintly virtue to enter the two-star Sumeru wheel. As for the Vajrayana practice of transforming the body into a diamond, that requires the opening of five layers at the crown, including deep cavities in the brain, with a mouth larger than an egg, and seeing the truth of consciousness exiting; entering into the time wheel's empty realm is a very high saintly virtue. However, even so, it does not necessarily mean that one possesses the saintly virtue of a teacher; they may be a master of the master's path or may not possess teacher qualifications, requiring examination by the seven teachers and ten witnesses to determine their position. But at least they are at the three-star Sumeru wheel level. As for practicing the esoteric great perfection teachings, whether the heart center, the great seal of light, the great seal of the Ganges, the path of fruition, or non-practice yoga, or single-minded yoga, etc., the great virtuous ones of the supreme Vajrayana must be clear that regardless of the level of saintly virtue, they must undergo the examination of the seven teachers and ten witnesses to indicate whether their achievements have reached saintly virtue or teacher saintly virtue. This cannot be established by self-proclamation or others' opinions; no great saint has the authority to make such a decision. The Third Dorge Qiang Buddha has clearly stated that unless it is a great saint who practices the Dharma, anyone claiming to be a saint does not hold. Unless it is the seven teachers and ten witnesses supervising the examination, vowing and signing as proof.
To elaborate, the differences in levels within Buddhism are numerous. For example, below the Buddha, Bodhisattvas have twelve grounds, plus higher levels of equal realization Bodhisattvas and wonderful realization Bodhisattvas, and there are four fruits of Arhats. These are all ranks generated from the achievements of saintly virtue. So, how do we discern the levels of these reincarnated Dharma kings, Rinpoches, and masters in real life? Of course, it is primarily necessary to classify them based on their achievements in Buddhist practice. If we were to list them in detail, there would be at least hundreds of different classes and levels. However, here we can only make a simple classification from the perspective of facilitating Buddhist disciples in their practice, roughly summarizing it into twenty levels, creating an ascending table from the lowest to the highest level for easy understanding, using different colors to represent the levels for practitioners to distinguish.
It should be noted that within Buddhism, due to the wide range of levels, degrees, fruits, and statuses involved, as well as the differences between the various sects of Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, and exoteric teachings, it is impossible to list all levels. Therefore, this table inevitably misses many details, such as there may be great virtuous ones or high monks among ordinary laypeople and ordinary monks, and there are also great living Buddhas and Dharma kings among geshes, which are not included. However, this announcement has been determined through the selection of practices and the prophecies of the Dharma protectors, so it will not be wrong! The following table is arranged in ascending order from the lowest to the highest level. The so-called ascending levels refer to the improvement of the practitioner in terms of scriptures, knowledge, practice, and saintly virtue, as well as the upgrades in the status and realization of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats.
Please read this table from bottom to top:
The first level, at the lowest tier, is represented by the purple area, which is the most basic level, that of observing the five precepts and becoming a formal, precept-holding practitioner among lay Buddhists.
The second level is one level above the first level, which is the ordinary ordained practitioners who practice according to the teachings.
The third level is one level above the second level, which is the ordained practitioners who have received the three sets of major precepts and observe them according to the Dharma. The first to third levels are all represented by the purple area, with each area representing a different level of attainment.
The fourth level enters the green area, one level above the third level, which is the abbot of a temple.
The fifth level is one level above the fourth level, becoming the head monk of the temple.
The sixth level is one level above the fifth level, which is a geshe who has studied the corresponding Tripitaka according to the prescribed curriculum and obtained a degree through debate; some geshes are also abbots or khenpos.
The seventh level is one level above the sixth level, which includes higher-level geshes and the highest-level geshes.
The eighth level is one level above the seventh level, which is a khenpo, the leader of the ordained in a temple; some khenpos are also geshes and even the highest-level geshes. Geshe is a degree, while khenpo is a monastic position.
The ninth level is one level above the eighth level, which is a reincarnated Rinpoche with formal secular or ultimate recognition.
The tenth level is one level above the ninth level, which is a Dharma king, the master of a temple or the golden Dharma throne of a sect. The fifth to tenth levels are all represented by the green area.
Among these six levels from the fifth to the tenth, there are truly high monks, great virtuous ones, and good teachers. Besides practicing according to the Dharma themselves, they can guide practitioners in learning Buddhism. However, there are also many who merely possess titles, knowledge, and reputation but do not exhibit the conduct and virtue of high monks or great virtuous ones. Among these, the geshes of the sixth level and the higher-level geshes of the seventh level cannot be generalized; within the geshes, there are Rinpoches, Dharma kings, revered ones, and ordinary practitioners. Some geshes' knowledge and virtue may exceed those of Dharma kings and revered ones, while many geshes may only have obtained the geshe degree. Regardless, in essence, the titles and positions of these six levels do not determine whether they have reached the threshold of great virtue or saintly virtue; this saintly door is a different concept, a different spatial world, completely unrelated to external identities, positions, or statuses. The individuals in these six levels, in terms of their identities and positions, are generally all exemplary teachers, but in reality, they can only teach some knowledge of scriptures. The widely circulated so-called exoteric and esoteric empowerments and teachings are merely hollow theoretical exoteric or exoteric Buddhist teachings and cannot conduct genuine inner empowerments or higher ultimate inner empowerments unless they are teachers of saintly virtue, who possess genuine inner empowerment.
The eleventh level enters the blue area, one level above the tenth level, which is a good teacher.
The twelfth level is one level above the eleventh level, which is a great virtuous one.
The levels of good teachers and great virtuous ones at the eleventh and twelfth levels are independent. This is because when a practitioner's understanding is fundamentally correct, with a certain level of knowledge of scriptures, and they strictly observe the precepts, serving as a model of virtue, they naturally enter the ranks of good teachers and great virtuous ones. This can be a Dharma king or Rinpoche, or a master, abbot, or layperson; in other words, it is not the identity that determines it, but the practice that leads to the level. The eleventh and twelfth levels are represented by the blue area.
The thirteenth level enters the yellow area; as long as one enters this yellow area or higher levels, they have already entered the realm of saintly virtue, meaning they have transcended the ordinary realm and entered the sacred realm. However, this is very difficult to achieve because the achievements in this realm are not something that can be faked. The thirteenth level is one level above the twelfth level, indicating that the practitioner has stepped into the threshold of the saint, referred to as saintly virtue. Although they have just crossed the threshold of saintly virtue, they have entered the sacred realm, and upon verification, they are issued a one-star Sumeru wheel level saintly virtue certificate.
The fourteenth level is one level above the thirteenth level, achieving a higher level than the one-star Sumeru wheel level saintly virtue certificate, which is the two-star Sumeru wheel level saintly virtue certificate, such as that of the chairman of the International Buddhist Sangha Association, the Second Rinpoche Shi Longhui. Some may think: "Master Longhui is too poor, only achieving the two-star Sumeru wheel at the fourteenth level, lacking the capacity for inner empowerment." I have learned the Dharma in Tibet and India; those Dharma kings and masters can not only conduct inner empowerments but also the highest secret empowerments, passing down all the teachings of the secret Vajrayana." You are correct; indeed, some Dharma kings and revered ones in Tibet can conduct inner and secret empowerments, but they cannot open their own crowns, and they remain ordinary beings, unable to raise the inner fire, maintaining the ordinary human body temperature. It is important to clarify that the inner and secret empowerments they learned and conducted are the secular secret teachings of Tibet, not the genuine inner secret empowerments of extraordinary nature from different spatial worlds. As for the secular inner secret teachings and secret empowerments of Tibet, Master Longhui mastered them years ago, reciting the rituals for empowerment as if performing a play. Master Longhui said: The secular secret teachings' inner empowerments are like a toy car in a child's hand; I am over sixty years old and want to drive a real car. If not, I will end up like many great living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism, only knowing the secular secret teachings and inner empowerments, forever falling into the realm of secular secret teachings. How can I achieve the fruit of the mud pill? So, even now, I am still an ordinary physical body, right? Therefore, Master Longhui's level of attainment belongs to the two-star Sumeru wheel saintly virtue, far surpassing the Dharma kings and great living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism.
The fifteenth level is one level above the fourteenth level, achieving a higher level than the two-star Sumeru wheel level saintly virtue certificate, which is the three-star Sumeru wheel level saintly virtue certificate, such as that of the founder of the Macha Gaju lineage, the great master Shira Sengge Badengluo.
Starting from the thirteenth level, these are the levels of saints. Here, the most important issue is that this saint is not self-proclaimed, nor can it be established by one or several great virtuous monks or saints conferring or certifying it. It must be publicly supervised and examined by the seven teachers and ten witnesses in front of a large audience, where everyone witnesses that they meet the actual saintly virtue, which must be obtained through one's genuine and unfalse achievements. This means that seventeen ordained individuals or Rinpoches, Dharma kings, and revered ones have witnessed their compliance with the extraordinary saintly virtue achievements and have made solemn vows and signatures to guarantee that they are saints. Therefore, everyone can understand that if a person's saintly virtue achievement has not reached the level of extraordinary saintly virtue, none of the seventeen individuals would be willing to swear for them, leading to their own downfall into hell. Moreover, among these seventeen examiners, at least three must be saints. Therefore, given such reality, at least for Buddhist disciples relying on learning, these saints are relatively reliable and safe, and will not mislead their lifelong practice of learning. At the same time, these saintly virtues under examination are not fixed to any specific identity; as long as a practitioner's virtue achievement reaches the level of a saint, they are a saint, regardless of whether they are a Rinpoche, master, or layperson. Furthermore, being able to advance to the thirteenth to fifteenth levels, entering the yellow area, indicates that the practitioner's personal practice achievement has reached the threshold of a saint, which is completely different from the achievements of ordinary teachers, Rinpoches, or Dharma kings. One is human, and the other is sacred; saints are relatively rare in this world, but the saintly virtues at these three levels still do not possess the qualifications to conduct genuine inner empowerments, and can only perform the widely known inner empowerments in the Buddhist community, the highest teachings of the profound methods of great perfection, such as the three levels of saintly virtues do not possess the capacity for disciples to perform the diamond dance, conducting genuine inner empowerments, but can only tremble with the power of the diamond on a transparent Dharma platform. The thirteenth to fifteenth levels are represented by the yellow area.
The sixteenth level enters the red area, one level above the fifteenth level. This saintly virtue has departed from the Sumeru wheel realm and entered the sun and moon wheel realm. Entering this realm is indeed rare; not only has the individual achieved saintly virtue, but they have also undergone the examination supervised by the seven teachers and ten witnesses, demonstrating the miraculous power to conduct inner empowerments, proving they possess the saintly teachings to teach disciples. At this point, they are referred to as "master teachers of saintly virtue," capable of conducting genuine inner empowerments, but do not possess the capacity for genuine ultimate inner empowerments. This "master teacher of saintly virtue" holds a one-star sun and moon wheel level [saintly virtue position] certificate, and among ten thousand Dharma teachers and Rinpoches, there may only be one or two, such as the initial Rinpoche, a master teacher of saintly virtue.
The seventeenth level is one level above the sixteenth level, achieving saintly virtue at an even higher level, referred to as "middle path teacher of saintly virtue." A middle path teacher of saintly virtue can conduct ultimate inner empowerments. Middle path teachers of saintly virtue are generally very difficult to find in this world; it can be said that among one hundred thousand Dharma teachers, Rinpoches, and Dharma kings, there may only be one or two. This is truly a rare treasure among treasures. The saintly virtue "middle path teacher of saintly virtue" at the seventeenth level holds a [saintly virtue arrival] certificate marked with a two-star sun and moon wheel level, such as Mo Zhi Rinpoche, a middle path teacher of saintly virtue.
The eighteenth level is one level above the seventeenth level, and the great saintly virtue "middle path teacher of saintly virtue" holds a [saintly virtue arrival] certificate marked with a three-star sun and moon wheel level.
The nineteenth level is one level above the eighteenth level, entering the great saintly virtue "upper realization teacher of saintly virtue." This is the true level of the Bodhisattva of wonderful realization, capable of genuinely presiding over the highest empowerments, enabling disciples to achieve the generation stage on the spot. The great saintly virtue "upper realization teacher of saintly virtue" at the nineteenth level holds a four-star sun and moon wheel level certificate explicitly marked with [Buddha's presence].
The twentieth level is one level above the nineteenth level, representing the highest level of great saintly virtue "upper realization teacher of saintly virtue." Their great compassion, wisdom of Buddhism, Buddhist teachings, saintly virtue, and realization are extraordinary and cannot be expressed in words. They can make prophecies on the spot and fulfill them, conducting the highest empowerment that allows disciples to achieve results, with the teachings they impart surpassing conventional Buddhist teachings by over ten thousand times in speed and effectiveness. Such a great saintly teacher of upper realization must also be supervised by the seven teachers and ten witnesses on-site, with seventeen individuals independently vowing to guarantee and issuing a [Buddha's presence] five-star sun and moon wheel level sacred certificate. Among all five-star sun and moon wheel certificates, it must be specified which Bodhisattva of wonderful realization has reincarnated. Such a wonderful "upper realization teacher of saintly virtue" is indeed harder to find than a needle in a haystack; it can be said that they are rarely seen in the world, such as the true Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and the well-known Tara and Buddha mothers. They are not recognized as true incarnations by mere certification from someone; they must demonstrate their corresponding practice and reveal their true saintly virtue in front of the public and the seven teachers and ten witnesses. From the seventeenth level onward, these saints are the true saints who possess the qualifications of teachers. They primarily teach the Dharma to sentient beings, conduct inner empowerments, and ultimate inner empowerments, leading sentient beings toward the path of liberation. The sixteenth to twentieth levels are all represented by the red area, which is the world of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats. If a great saint with a four-star sun and moon wheel or five-star sun and moon wheel appears in this human world to empower you, the teachings you learn will exceed the merits of conventional Buddhist inner empowerments by over ten thousand times in speed and effectiveness. For example, in just one hour, you can undergo a complete transformation, even your body will change entirely from ordinary to sacred. But this is merely a theoretical explanation of the teachings and levels; encountering such a great saint is nearly impossible. Even the greatest and highest Third Dorge Qiang Buddha has said he cannot do it; without saintly virtue, he can only humbly practice for the benefit of sentient beings. Of course, the Buddha does not recognize himself; we cannot do so either. Therefore, encountering [Buddha's presence] is indeed harder than finding a needle in a haystack.
The division of these twenty levels, although extremely rough, is correct in its classification of ranks. Its purpose is to help practitioners recognize the achievements and levels of teachers in Buddhism, thereby distinguishing between false teachers and evil teachers who masquerade as saints, assisting Buddhists in acquiring correct knowledge and understanding in their practice, and achieving self-benefit and benefit to others, with complete wisdom and blessings, ultimately attaining liberation.
To help everyone better understand the differences in the depths of great virtuous ones and saints, as well as the levels of great saints, the following "Comparison Chart of Great and Small Saints" is provided for easy reference. This chart starts from the twelfth level of great virtue, as those below the twelfth level are not included in this chart due to their low levels of achievement, which do not hold significance for practice.
The level represents the fruit position, status, and realization of the saintly virtue achieved through practice. The titles of all laypeople, Dharma teachers, Rinpoches, Dharma kings, and revered ones, or the size of their reputation and lineage do not represent the depth of the essence of saintly virtue. Regardless of how great a Dharma king, revered one, or great layperson may be, they may not necessarily be a saint; they could be an ordinary person or even a fraud. Conversely, even a small Dharma teacher or layperson may not necessarily be without saintly virtue; they could be a Bodhisattva. Therefore, only the measure of saintly virtue can represent the genuine position of a true saint. Any true saint must undergo the examination of the seven teachers and ten witnesses, achieving the wisdom and saintly virtue of saintly virtue, and be issued a certificate; otherwise, they are false saints or uncertain practitioners.
This "Comparison Chart of Great and Small Saints" consists of five circles (both squares and circles are referred to as circles), from small to large. The larger the circle, the higher the level of saintly virtue; the smaller the circle, the lower the level of saintly virtue. The innermost center is a gray square circle, representing great virtue. Great virtue continues to practice and improve, thus becoming saintly virtue, represented by an orange hexagonal frame. Saintly virtue continues to accumulate merit and improve in saintly virtue, ascending to teacher saintly virtue, at which point it has transformed from square to round. The first circular area inside represents master teachers of saintly virtue, and as they continue to develop, the second circular area represents middle path teachers of saintly virtue. The third circular area above that represents upper realization teachers of saintly virtue.
From this simplified diagram, it can be seen that the orange hexagonal circle representing saintly virtue is larger than the gray square circle representing great virtue. This indicates that the wisdom and saintly virtue of saintly virtue surpass those of great virtue. Whatever great virtue understands and achieves, saintly virtue also understands and achieves, but the portion of wisdom and saintly virtue that saintly virtue achieves surpasses what great virtue has achieved. Therefore, to become a saint, one must first become a great virtuous one. Similarly, the red circular area representing master teachers of saintly virtue is larger than the orange hexagonal circle representing saintly virtue, indicating that whatever saintly virtue understands and achieves, master teachers of saintly virtue also understand and achieve, but the portion of wisdom and saintly virtue that master teachers of saintly virtue achieve surpasses what saintly virtue has achieved. More importantly, master teachers of saintly virtue have entered the category of the six types of teacher saintly virtues, being treasures among people, belonging to legitimate holy teachers. Therefore, in the diagram, they have transformed from square to round. The red circular area representing middle path teachers of saintly virtue is larger than the red circular area representing master teachers of saintly virtue, indicating that whatever master teachers of saintly virtue understand and achieve, middle path teachers of saintly virtue also understand and achieve, but the portion of wisdom and saintly virtue that middle path teachers of saintly virtue achieve surpasses what master teachers of saintly virtue have achieved. The red circular area representing upper realization teachers of saintly virtue is larger than the red circular area representing middle path teachers of saintly virtue, indicating that whatever middle path teachers of saintly virtue understand and achieve, upper realization teachers of saintly virtue also understand and achieve, but the portion of wisdom and saintly virtue that upper realization teachers of saintly virtue achieve surpasses what middle path teachers of saintly virtue have achieved. The outermost glowing circle represents the omniscience of equal realization Bodhisattvas, wonderful realization Bodhisattvas (because wonderful realization Bodhisattvas are ancient Buddhas manifesting), and the immeasurable wisdom of the Buddha, boundless and infinite.
In simple terms, by observing the size of the circles, you can discern the levels of achievement, wisdom, saintly virtue, and realization, and thus avoid being deceived. Everything must be verified by saintly virtue; otherwise, you will inevitably fall victim to deception, as this is the degenerate age. Among ten thousand living Buddhas and Dharma teachers, only a few are legitimate. This organization does not issue announcements for self-interest; everything is to protect the public from deception and to learn the true Dharma, allowing for the early completion of blessings and wisdom, achieving enlightenment!
Comparison Chart of Great and Small Saints
At the same time, the United International World Buddhism Headquarters also takes this opportunity to announce to all virtuous practitioners: All those who possess true saintly virtue and great knowledge, regardless of your sect or identity, are welcome in Buddhism and can come to Huazang Temple located in San Francisco, USA, to be examined for your saintly virtue. There, examinations for saintly virtue and the six types of teacher qualifications have been specially established for everyone. Of course, those who have already undergone the examination of the seven teachers and ten witnesses do not need to be re-examined. All qualified individuals will be issued a sacred certificate according to the established standards.
Here, I want to emphasize a few more points. Some people have accepted many biased and evil theories, thinking that more Dharma kings, great living Buddhas, and renowned Rinpoches waving the banner of lineage can conduct inner empowerments or ultimate inner empowerments, often claiming to practice the ten major Vajrayana teachings, such as the Time Wheel Vajra, the Joyful Vajra, the Hot Vajra, the Single Mother, the Horse Head Vajra, the Great Power Vajra, etc., and practice great perfection and supreme yoga. In reality, many of these, although they have lineage, are hollow and false in practice, merely written language on books and texts, lacking substantial effect. Just as there are Dharma kings who claim to impart the transformation into rainbow light, yet not a single person they teach has transformed into rainbow light, nor can they themselves transform, and the images they project are completely the same as those of ordinary people, without any openings, and they cannot freely move their consciousness, let alone achieve liberation. Therefore, all of these are merely empty words written with ink. How easy is it to conduct ultimate inner empowerments? Take our chairman, Dharma King Lu Dongzan, for example; he practiced the highest teachings of the nine vehicles for sixteen years, the profound methods of great perfection, yet his mind still could not let go of everything. The so-called letting go is merely verbal; ultimately, after two hours of empowerment in the state of practice, he achieved the emptiness of all thoughts. At that moment, whether he wanted to let go or not, he would naturally let go, realizing the unity of the Dharma realm and the rainbow light world, neither coming nor going. He is also a great achiever of the diamond transformation meditation, truly transformed from the ordinary. His skull is entirely different from that of an ordinary person, yet he is still only a master teacher of saintly virtue, having only passed the one-star sun and moon wheel examination. The initial Rinpoche certified by the Maha Dharma King is an achiever of the diamond transformation meditation and a master of the inner fire, and it can be said that currently, there is no second person in all of Tibet. If you think I am speaking nonsense, you can find a second person; go ahead and name them, but unfortunately, you won't be able to find them. The level of the initial Rinpoche can be seen in the recorded footage. This time in Hong Kong, his sacred images and scientific achievement videos were exhibited, showing him practicing Dharma in front of many people, using inner fire to burn many Rinpoches and masters on the spot. Have you ever thought about it? Would those prominent Rinpoches willingly lay down their arms? The initial great living Buddha can indeed be called a rare treasure Dharma king, but unexpectedly, he has only passed the one-star sun and moon wheel master teacher examination and has not yet achieved the middle path teacher of saintly virtue level. Although the circle he occupies is larger than the Sumeru wheel, it is still far inferior to the next level. Many who practice secret teachings have their minds filled with certain Rinpoches, Dharma kings, and great revered ones from Tibet, believing they must be upper realization teachers. They see how orthodox their lineage is, how they are the incarnations of certain great Bodhisattvas, and how they have millions of disciples. This kind of thinking is completely misguided; it can be said that such ideas are fanciful and entirely erroneous. Even the great masters of the Nyingma lineage, such as Shira Zhaba, Shira Jeb, Muya Jiongza, and Xiangge Qiongwa, the four top disciples of the Nyingma lineage, and the founder of the Nyingma school, Shakyajiong, are reincarnations of great ancestors. H.H. Maha Dharma King has not yet passed the upper realization teacher examination. H.H. Maha Dharma King is a disciple of H.H. Fourth Dorge Qiang Buddha, who is also the master of great virtuous ones like Jinmei Pengcuo and the sole holder of the great perfection lineage of Longchen Nyingthig. He is certified by H.H. Zongkang Dharma King of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, H.H. Seva Dharma King, and H.H. Xiangzhu Qiuyang Dharma King, and has undergone ultimate inner secret verification and the examination of the seven teachers and ten witnesses on the golden Dharma throne. This great saintly ancestor, H.H. Maha Dharma King, does not possess such high saintly virtue. If we refer to other Dharma kings, revered ones, Rinpoches, and masters, we can gauge their true worth. H.H. Maha Dharma King said: "I dare to say something that may not sound pleasant, but it is the truth. Everyone should practice diligently; you are not Guanyin, Manjushri, or Tara, and you are not the true body of wonderful realization. The status of upper realization teacher is something you should not even think about. I went to take the examination and received the prophecy; there was no chance, and what I achieved was humility. At least for sixty years, I will not take the examination again, as the reason is simple: without this ability, one can only practice truthfully. The initial Rinpoche told me he wanted to take the middle path teacher of saintly virtue examination, unsure if his virtue level has reached the standard, and asked me to verify for him. I told him: Although you possess inner fire skills and diamond transformation meditation, I must tell you that you are not qualified. What happened when he went to take the examination? The initial Rinpoche now, besides practicing, no longer speaks of wanting to take the middle path teacher of saintly virtue examination." H.H. Maha Dharma King's words are so sincere and pure! This shows that obtaining a one-star Sumeru wheel certificate is already rare and not easy; one should cherish this hard-earned certificate and put it into practice for the benefit of sentient beings. One must understand that a saint is a saint, an ordinary person is an ordinary person, and whatever level one is, that is what it is; the number of star wheels is the number of star wheels, and one cannot impersonate another. Many who become teachers boast that they are the reincarnation of great Bodhisattvas or even the Buddha; this is completely deceptive. In the past, Dan Zeng Nuo Ri also claimed to be the reincarnation of Shakyamuni Buddha, but what he produced was black water karma, and this demonic behavior ultimately faced karmic retribution. There are many Bodhisattvas of wonderful realization, equal realization, and others like Guanyin, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Vajrapani, and Maitreya in this world, but unfortunately, they are all false and not even saints. Their outward appearance is that of great Dharma kings, but their essence is that of living ordinary people. Therefore, everyone must clarify this and remember not to believe in the empty boasts and deceptive words of falsehoods. One must understand that even a Sumeru wheel saint is difficult to obtain, so the sacred certificate is not something without saintly virtue that one can obtain. This organization does not dare to cover for anyone, knowing that life is hard to come by after countless eons. If there is any deception, would it not lead oneself directly into the three evil paths? Therefore, regardless of their lineage or status, any empty title is of no use; everything must be based on genuine practice and true saintly virtue.
Additionally, everyone should pay attention to a detail: all saints who have obtained a sacred certificate must display their certificates when ascending the platform and bow to the Buddha, then bow to the certificate before taking the stage. If a teacher hides their sacred certificate, making excuses to avoid displaying it while taking the Dharma platform, all those who have certificates but do not display them are serious frauds. Although they hold certificates, they have been possessed by evil spirits, thus committing the grave sin of arrogance and insulting the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. One must understand that the sacred certificate is a principle of accountability to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas and to sentient beings. Transparent and selfless behavior is more important than a Dharma teacher dressing up and entering the hall to worship the Buddha. If they are truly saints, they must have severed selfish thoughts and desires. These saints will accept public verification unless they have already regressed from saintly virtue to become ordinary people, in which case they would not dare to accept public verification of their identity. Any saintly virtue must act for the benefit of sentient beings, to reassure practitioners and disciples, instilling confidence and dispelling doubts. This is the behavior of a true teacher. A good teacher will not consider their own achievements but will only aim to benefit sentient beings. Any teacher who has obtained a sacred certificate but does not display it, bow to the Buddha, or bow to the certificate before taking the stage is related to self-attachment and ordinary views. Therefore, if your teacher is such a filthy and arrogant person, hiding their own interests, you should quickly leave; otherwise, you will share in their dark karma and will not have the opportunity to receive ultimate inner empowerments. Achieving liberation will be impossible because you knowingly follow the wrong teacher and do not leave, sharing the same karma. No teacher of saintly virtue would dare to empower you (of course, good teachers and great virtuous ones without sacred certificates do not claim to be saints or declare themselves as reincarnations of ancient sages, but truly selflessly benefit sentient beings, practicing according to the teachings, without arrogance, are good teachers and should be respected).
United International World Buddhism Headquarters
November 18, 2012