I am once again focusing on setting up and supporting Xuanfa Dharma Centers where people can learn the dharma of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and Shakyamuni Buddha. Normally, it is required that you have at least ten people who want to listen to dharma discourses before you can receive your own set of dharma discourses. Since there are only a few translated discourses and many Western people have little knowledge of Buddhism, we need to start differently. First you must read and understand H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III: A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma and What Is Cultivation? That is your foundation. You should also read or listen to preliminary translations of the other texts that we will use at our new Hesperia center listed below and as many dharma discourses as you can by His Holiness. This will give you more confidence and help with your own cultivation. The Chinese model is to have prospective followers of the Buddha listen to dharma discourses many times and we should do that, too, when we have them in English. But we do have many ways to help others learn Buddhism and gain liberation. We must use what we have. I can report that by reading and sharing even the preliminary translations of critical dharma texts, I have reached others and we have new English (and a few Spanish) speaking students. You will soon have these texts as well.
Then, you can reach out to family, friends, coworkers et al to talk about Buddhism. Show them the “Big Blue Book” about H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and explain what you have experienced from following the Buddha. Make it personal. If you find any who are interested, you have the basis for starting a dharma center where you and your group will listen to discourses and/or read together and discuss the various dharma texts. We can have group internet conference sessions, if you need help.
If you have not already done so, you should take refuge and start your “homework” which you will find in your refuge certificate and learn from your refuge master. After you progress, you should then be ready to become a Master of Dharma Listening. You will need to take a 90-minute exam that I or any other master who has been so authorized by the International Buddhism Sangha Association (IBSA) can administer. When you pass that exam you will be registered, pay appropriate fees and receive a certificate and robes from the IBSA.
If you wish to be affiliated with the Xuanfa Institute group of dharma centers, you may so request. As a Xuanfa center, I will keep you informed of appropriate Dharma Assemblies, the availability of dharma discourses, classes, retreats, and other events and arrange periodic meetings with the Buddha Master whenever possible. IBSA usually works through groups like Xuanfa rather than individual centers, but that may also contact you directly. Since it is a somewhat complicated process to acquire new discourses, you may ask the Xuanfa Institute to pick up new discourses for you as well. I would like to hold training seminars, either at Sanger Temple or via internet, to explore how to hold classes at your center.
CLICK for article on “Who is H.H. Dorje Buddha and What Is His Relationship to Shakyamuni Buddha?”
CLICK for link to What Is Cultivation?
CLICK for link to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III: A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma.
CLICK for dharma program proposed for Xuanfa Dharma Center at Hesperia. This program focuses on how to use the various dharma texts. This will be augmented by dharma discourses as they become available.
CLICK for IBSA contact information.
CLICK for list of Xuanfa Dharma Centers.
Add comment