In terms of empowerment, the difference between the “Holy Fire Offering of Buddha-Dharma” and the “Common Fire Offering of Buddha-Dharma” is like that between the sky and the ground, or like comparing a stone to a big mountain. The “Holy Fire Offering of Buddha-Dharma” is very rare and difficult to encounter in the entire world. Wang Zha Shang Zun and two other great holy virtuous ones spoke about their own experiences. During the last 100 years or so, this dharma was practiced in Tibet by the famous Master Pabongka and Kangsa Rinpoche. One of the great holy virtuous ones at the level of Golden Button Grade 2 said that he had practiced this dharma but did not achieve any success. He felt that his cultivated power from accomplishment was still not sufficient and more effort was needed. It was not seen during the last 20 years or so that any great holy virtuous one, great dharma king, or great dharma master ever practiced this dharma successfully.
In the Holy Fire Offering, in addition to the fact that the Demon-Subduing Vajra will touch the fire mandala in person, there is separately a Vajra demon-subduing bowl, which activates three utilization inside regarding: 1) the sins, hindrances, and dark karmas of living beings; 2) stubborn, inferior, and malicious demons; and 3) secretly presenting a petition to a Bodhisattva.
The first is to have the cultivators’ dark karmas and severe sins pressed into the bowl. The second is to have the stubborn, inferior, and malicious demons apprehended and confined in the bowl at the same time. The third segment of the dharma is to “secretly present a petition to a Bodhisattva.” At this time, the flame at the fire mandala will instantly turn the bodies of the demons and the dark karmas into ashes, so that all sins, karmas, and hindrances will be eliminated. At that time, there will be extremely strong foul smells from cremating the dark karmas and severe sins as well as the corpses of the demons. Meanwhile, the souls of the demons will be received and gathered by the Bodhisattva with universal enlightenment or marvelous enlightenment in charge of “secretly presenting a petition to a Bodhisattva” and will be brought to the Buddha-land so they will cultivate their correct fruits there. At that time, the attendees of the fire offering will smell tremendously strong foul odors from the demon bodies burning inside the bowl.
Except the dharma for Buddha-bestowed nectar, the dharma of Holy Demon-Subduing Fire Offering is the strongest great dharma among all dharmas for subduing demons and eliminating living beings’ sins, hindrances, and dark karmas. This dharma is an upper-class great dharma that can subdue various demons and eliminate severe sins of the five turbidities. This dharma is at the same level as the dharmas of “openly presenting a petition to a Bodhisattva” and “affinity of the dharma with the yidam” and is definitely not what the inquirer perceives. In comparison, the dharmas of ordinary fire offering are not worthy of mentioning.
The best news of good fortune to be celebrated is that this year, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III agreed to the simultaneous beseeching requests from eminent monastics and great virtuous ones and will practice the dharma of demon-subduing fire offering once. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “I know I am a common person, a humble one. You all requested over and over again, but I can only follow the ritual from ancient time to chant according to the dharma, to do as much as I can. Please understand if I do not practice the dharma successfully.”
DHARMA KING GAR TONGSTAN: Your inquiry asked: Several years ago, Dharma King Gar Tongstan already wrote to the Jue Xing Temple in Taiwan, stating clearly that he could not serve as their abbot because he did not have the time to wait for them to build the temple. This year, he again expressed that he would not be able to attend the foundation-laying ceremony of the Ancient Buddha Temple because he was going to pass away in a perfectly liberated state. We would like to ask when Dharma King Gar Tongstan will pass away in a perfectly liberated state.
Reply: Today, two directors of the board of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters (WBAH) went to ask the dharma king, mentioning that some people asked about when he will pass away in a perfectly liberated state. Dharma King Gar Tongstan said that he accomplished the freedom from birth and death by practicing the yidam dharma of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and that he will practice as fast as he can the last session of the dharma. Then he will write a document about his decision to pass away in a perfectly liberated state before doing so and will not delay.
One of the two directors asked about what will be written in the document about his decision to pass away in a perfectly liberated state. While laughing happily, the dharma king said to us, “What do you think will be written there? How could it be interesting if told explicitly now?”
The two directors both tried to persuade him to stay to propagate the dharma and save living beings. The dharma king said, “With the Buddha Master staying in the world, what use can be made from one who has my realization? Human life is simply a dream. One will leave sooner or later. When causes and conditions gather and combine, existence is manifested illusorily. When the conditions come to an end, one will leave. That will be it. I will not stay! Dharma masters, you should earnestly follow the Buddha Master to learn and practice!” Dharma King Gar Tongstan also said, “My freedom from birth and death is decided by me. I can go whenever I want to. This is different from holy virtuous one Zhao Yusheng who had to rely on the Bodhisattva to be received at a defined time.”
Inquiry Center of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters
September 14, 2018
NOTE: The Five Turbidities are listed as 1.) the defilement of views, when incorrect, perverse thoughts and ideas are predominant; 2.) the defilement of passions, when all kinds of transgressions are exalted; 3.) the defilement of the human condition, when people are usually dissatisfied and unhappy; 4.) the defilement of the life-span, when the human life-span as a whole decreases; and 5.) the defilement of the world-age, when war and natural disasters are rife. This footnote was not included in the WBAH announcement, but taken from the Chinese Buddhist Encyclopedia.
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