Radiating light throughout the Three Times,
He can manifest Himself instantaneously.
Disciples of Buddha should constantly cry out
for His pure light which magnifies virtue and wisdom.
In the past His Realization was prophesied by Shakyamuni Buddha,
and by Amitabha Buddha He was entrusted with the mission of salvation.
Maitreya Bodhisattva bestowed on Him the Red Crown,
and Guru Padmasambhava taught Him the Tantra.
We pray You never abandon
Your vast vows to liberate us all.
Thus as You embrace and enfold us with protection and care,
empower us to more quickly attain realization.  

Namo Mahavairocana Buddha 

Namo Buddhalocana
Namo Padmakumara
Namo Living Buddha Lian-sheng
Namo the True Buddha Assembly, all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Mahasattvas everywhere throughout the Three Times.

Recite the Sacred Edict three times:

The Western True Buddha Assembly, Maha Twin Lotus Ponds, the Eighteen Mahapadmakumaras, the Holy Revered One Robed in White, the Holy Red Crown Vajra Master, the Secret Master of the Realm of Vajra-mantra, the Great Enlightened Founder of Ling Xian True Buddha School: the Illustrious Tantrika Sheng-yen Lu.

Incense Praise:

The censer is now lit, suffusing the Dharma Realm, and from afar the scent is inhaled by the True Buddha Assembly. Auspicious are the gathering clouds, as we now request, with sincere and earnest hearts, that all Buddhas manifest.

Namo cloud canopy of fragrance, Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas. (3 times)

Chant 3 times:

Namo True Buddha Assembly, all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas.

As for “Radiating light throughout the Three Times,” this year during the Bardo Deliverance Ceremony many individuals were able to capture Light on their photographs. The phrase “Three Times” refers to the past, the present, and the future.

To “manifest Himself instantaneously” means there is no gap in time whatsoever. These emanation bodies are boundless and immediately present.

“Disciples of Buddha should constantly cry out” — this means that students should practice unceasingly. It does not call for endless plaintive weeping or strenuous yelling. A real practitioner regards each moment as his last and cultivates ceaselessly. Through moment-to moment application the practitioner will remain pure and tranquil. And in this way Pure Light will pour down continuously, thus increasing one’s merit and wisdom until Perfection is reached.

In the past, Shakyamuni Buddha identified Padmakumara as a Buddha-to-be. That is, he prophesied that Padmakumara would one day engender the bodhicitta, deliver the sentient beings, and attain Buddhahood.

Amitabha Buddha also entrusted Padmakumara with the work of salvation.

Maitreya Bodhisattva placed a red crown on Padmakumara, and furthermore Guru Padmasambhava taught Padmakumara the secret yogas to benefit beings.

Bearing in mind these authentic lineage transmissions, you, as avowed Buddhists, must not give up your commitments, nor forget the many vows associated with refuge. This means constantly upholding these commitments together with bodhicitta.

Since Padmakumara vowed to lead beings to liberation, we call upon His commitment. Upon liberation, one should endeavor in the same way to liberate others.

When one beseeches Padmakumara for universal liberation, He will protect and lead that person to Himself. In particular one prays for the empowerment of Padmakumara in order to attain Realization quickly.

“Namo Mahavairocana Buddha, Namo Buddhalocana, Namo Padmakumara, Namo Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Namo the True Buddha Assembly, all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Mahasattvas everywhere throughout the Three Times. “

This last section of the “Supplication” identifies the inner lineage of which Mahavairocana Buddha is the root. “Mahasattvas” refers to great Bodhisattvas. Our lineage is extremely significant.

This begins with the Central Buddha who is also the Primordial Buddha: Vairocana. First Vairocana Buddha manifests as Buddhalocana [Buddha Eyes Buddha Mother]. Then the two eyes of Buddhalocana manifest as the two Maha [Great] Twin Lotus Ponds. Then the Light of the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds manifests as the Padmakumaras.

Today I as Grand Master hold this great lineage that includes the True Buddha Assembly, all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Mahasattvas everywhere throughout the Three Times.

Next comes the “Sacred Edict.” It is quite long and would cover an entire business card. That is why I rarely print any; those I have were printed by students. I have never given out any such cards and anyway a book would be required to contain all the titles involved.

“The Western True Buddha Assembly, Maha Twin Lotus Ponds” — The assembly of the Western Amitabha Buddha is vast, just like the ocean. Within it are two very large lotus ponds and within those ponds there are eighteen great Padmakumaras (Lotus Bodhisattvas) including the Honored One Robed in White.

I rarely wear white clothes, though my hair has indeed turned white. The “Holy Red Crown” refers to my coronation by Maitreya Bodhisattva; the crown has on each side a sacred banner. “Vajra Master” refers to a master who, having realized the “Vajra-heart,” is unexcelled. This is what the Holy Red Crown Vajra Master means.

“The Secret Master of the realm of Vajra Mantra” — refers to my present manifestation, as being the Vajrasattva (of the Hundred Syllable Mantra), which is the same as the Vajra-heart.

Why do I hold this sacred name? Through having realized the Vajra-heart. To carry forward Vajrasattva’s mission of perpetuating the Dharma and saving beings, I have come to lead the Vajra-mantra-realm.

[As part of this work] I am bringing forth key practice texts. First, True Buddha Dharma: The Actual Practice. Second, True Buddha Dharma: The High Level Practice. Third, True Buddha Dharma: The Inner Commentary. The fourth, which is in progress, is True Buddha Dharma: Post-meditation Practice.

These books disclose about the Mysteries, of which I am the Secret Master. They express the most secret and most mysterious, which are the Buddha of Buddhas and the Dharma of all Dharmas.

And what does “Great Enlightened” signify? That one can penetrate all phenomena. Having realized oneness with the Infinite Universal Light, everything is completely understood.

Who is the “Founder”? The initial lineage holder, not those who comes afterwards. By convention the lineage founder is termed the First (not the “Zero-th”).

Many people have brought me questions regarding lineage transmission, because they have never had contact with a lineage founder. The other tantric sects or non-Buddhist schools are headed by lineage holders of, they say, “the twelfth, the eighteenth, or even later” teaching generations.

One Buddhist student asked, “Is your lineage real in the same way as that of a twelfth generation lineage holder?”

I in turn asked him, “Who precedes the Twelfth? If you go back eleven generations from the twelfth, then what is that called?”

“That must be the First!” he responded.

I nodded and said, “Then that is the same as [myself] the Grand Master.”

He then exclaimed, “But that lineage passes from human teacher to human student! Who is the teacher prior to you?”

So I handed the question back to him:

Go and ask that very question of the Twelfth and current lineage holder you mentioned. Who gave lineage to their founder? Clearly the answer is the same. In both cases the lineage originates in [void] Primordial Being. To say that a [tantric] lineage passes exclusively from human teacher to human student is nonsense because any such transmission can only originate in the Beyond!

Some say that the Buddha-to-be Shakyamuni incarnated in the time and place of Buddha Dipamkara, who thereupon identified him as the next founding Buddha. [Eons later] under the Bodhi tree Shakyamuni liberated his true nature and thus re-established the timeless Buddhadharma in the context of a different age.

In just this way Shakyamuni Buddha identified and prophesied Grand Master’s Buddhahood, and Maitreya Bodhisattva placed a [subtle] red crown upon Grand Master, thus initiating the True Buddha Lineage.

Upon hearing this, the student finally understood: Grand Master is a Founding Buddha.

So I say: You who are of the second generation are far closer to the original lineage than those of the eighteenth […or some other] generation. You beat them all… The lineage originates in Primordial Being. Only then is it transmitted from manifest teacher to student, as for instance from Grand Master to you. But the origin is transcendent.

Next I shall explain “Illustrious Tantrika [tantric practitioner].”

[In ignorance] some say, “Grand Master has no secret teachings!” But in that case, there would be no reason for anyone to study and practice under my guidance. In fact I hold a treasury of secret transmissions.

While seeking the Dharma I encountered great hardship. Some of these yogas required that I make pilgrimages to the mountain peaks, and I have truly exchanged my life for these teachings. But this matter is extremely secret.

Those who have followed me more than ten years are well aware of my vision quests in the mountains. Whenever it was clear that I was preparing for such a quest to encounter the celestial beings, these students asked to come. I in turn would take them only into the foothills to pick lychees and “dragon-eye” berries. After eating the berries, we would leave. That was the “secret.”

My spiritual cultivation high in the mountains [of Taiwan] was absolutely private. It was never meant for others to know how or at what cost I practiced. The sole point is that in fact I have mastered the spiritual disciplines. It is not for you to examine in detail!

This then is the meaning of “Illustrious Tantrika” — one who practices the Inner Way.

Next is the Incense Praise. We sing this every time, as you know. Because you have offered the incense in this way, the scent rises far above, suffusing the whole Dharma Realm. Subsequently, all these offerings are received by the True Buddha Assembly. Your incense offerings fill up the sky like the auspicious gathering clouds. In response to the earnest and sincere request in your hearts, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifest completely. What is “cloud canopy of fragrance“? That means your offerings, like the fragrant clouds, are pervading the sky like a canopy.

“Namo” means taking refuge in all the great Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the True Buddha Assembly.

We’ll stop here today.

Om Mani Padme Hum