Through Cultivating Practices of the Seven Kalachakra Empowerments, Achieve 7th Level Bodhisattva's Stage of Attainment

時輪金剛七灌頂　成就七地菩薩果位 

Grand Master Lu's Dharma Talk at the Kalachakra ceremony at Chicago Lei Zang Temple on November 11, 2006

Honored guests of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Chicago, acharyas/vajra masters, senior reverends, reverends, dharma assistants, heads of the attending TBS chapters, and fellow school members, good afternoon.

The Kalachakra Dharma Assembly Generates Extraordinary Response from Nature

Regarding nature's response to the Kalachakra Dharma Assembly, generally speaking, whenever we transmit Heruka Tantras, there would be thunder, lightning, sudden howling winds, extremely heavy rains, etc. There have also been instances of heavy snow and hail. These are nature's response to the transmission of Heruka Tantras.

Yesterday, it was very difficult coming into Chicago by air. When we arrived, the airport had closed because of the inclement weather and our plane was diverted to a nearby airport. After landing, the plane needed to be refueled. When the fuel truck came, they could not get the hose to connect. It took them an hour to get it to work. This was because the plane was a 757, and this small airport only has fuel trucks that service 737s. Okay, they finally managed to form a connection and refueled the plane. Yet, the refueling hose could not be disconnected when our plane was ready to take-off. So, we waited and waited on the plane, tired, hungry, and cold. I thought to myself, I guess I have to sleep on this plane tonight. I thought maybe we should just cancel the Kalachakra Empowerment ceremony held by Chicago Lei Zang Temple tomorrow. Actually, I was really concerned deep down inside, especially with all the thunder, fierce winds, pouring rain, and lightning! Finally, I told Kalachakra Deity, if this hose situation does not get resolved right now, I am not going.

All of a sudden, I heard this big "deng" sound and looked. With several people pulling on it, the hose finally came off. Using a 737 fuel-truck to refuel a 757 plane? This kind of thing goes on? Anyway, we finally did get here and landed in Chicago. Thus, the gathering affinities were strong enough, enabling this dharma ceremony to take place, and this ceremony is a manifestation of affinity.

Kalachakra represents the five great elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and space. Shakyamuni Buddha transformed into Kalachakra on the lotus flower throne. Today, everyone will receive seven empowerments, seven Kalachakra empowerments. When you receive empowerments for the Kalachakra Tantra, it is equivalent to receiving Shakyamuni Buddha's empowerment. They are the same. This is because Kalachakra is a manifestation/Nirmanakaya of Shakyamuni Buddha. Kalachakra's Shambhala Pure Land is equivalent to Shakyamuni Buddha's Pure Land. So, the practices of this tantra are extraordinary. When practices of this tantra are transmitted, many extraordinary natural phenomena would occur, such as flashes of lightning and roars of thunder, when there shouldn't be any. Although Chicago is known as the Windy City, this kind of sustained strong wind gust is still unusual. Just like this pouring rain and hail, they are all nature's extraordinary response.

The True Buddha School's Kalachakra Tantra comes from Great Lineages

Now, I will explain the meaning of these seven empowerments. Every time I transmit the Kalachakra Tantra, my talk is different. This is because you would have a multi-volume book series if you try to compile all of the practices of Kalachakra Tantra, thus it is not possible to teach the entire tantra in a short time. Therefore, I only teach a section at a time. When I hold the next Kalachakra assembly, I will teach another section.

You should know that before transmitting the Kalachakra Tantra, you must invoke the Kalachakra of the Universe. Invite him to enter the Kalachakra mandala, and then empower all the students through the mandala. Together, this procedure is the "three stages of visualization." You start with the Kalachakra of the universe, then the Kalachakra of the shrine mandala, and then Kalachakra giving empowerment through the acharya/vajra master/lama to everyone. These three stages are absolutely necessary.

When they used to transmit the Kalachakra Tantra in Tibet, they would recite the scripture, recite the Kalachakra Tantra scripture, and root Tantra scripture several times, piously inviting Kalachakra's presence. These recitations often took seven or forty-nine days, and then they would give teaching on the precepts, follow up by teaching on the practices. First, they would cover the significance of the empowerment. Subsequently, they would explain the precepts and rules pertaining to this tantra. In the third part, they would give instructions on the practices for Generation Stage cultivation. In the fourth section, they would give instructions on the practices for Completion Stage. These instructions take a long time, and after all of the instructions have been given, then the empowerments would be conferred.

Tracing our True Buddha School's lineage, we must pay homage to Reverend Liao-Ming (Nyingmapa), His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa (Kaygupa), Acharya Sakya Zheng-kong (Sakyapa), and Acharya Thubten Daryge (Gelugpa). They are the four sources of our True Buddha Tantric Practices.

Acharya Sakya Zheng-kong, a patriarch of our True Buddha School lineage, received transmission of the Kalachakra Tantra from the Ninth Panchen Lama. The Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama are the highest-ranking Tibetan Lamas. Our Kalachakra Tantra came from the Ninth Panchen Lama, who transmitted it to Acharya Sakya Zheng-kong, who subsequently transmitted these practices to Acharya Lian-sheng, who is now transmitting one of practices to you. This Kalachakra lineage transmission came from one of the highest-ranking Tibetan lamas.

We have another Kalachakra lineage transmission. Vajrayana Buddhism has also been transmitted to Mongolia through Tibet. Phagspa Lama, who was from the same school as Vajra Acharya Sakya Zheng-kong, introduced Tibetan Buddhism into Mongolia and [as Kublai Khan's Imperial Preceptor,] was Mongolia's National Preceptor. Mongolia's highest-ranking Living-Buddha was Jebtsundamba Khutughtu. Then, there are two Mongolian Living-Buddhas who ranked behind him. They are Chankya Khutughtu and Kanjurwa Khutughtu (note: Chankya Khutughtu’s title has also been variously written in Romanized Chinese as Zhangjia Hutukhtu and Chang-chia Hutukhtu). Kanjurwa Khutughtu transmitted the Kalachakra Tantra to Thubten Nyima, Thubten "Dali," and Thubten Dargye. Then, it was transmitted to me by Acharya Thubten Dargye. This is the Mongolian transmission. Therefore, True Buddha School's Kalachakra Tantra has two great lineages transmissions. One is Tibetan and the other is Mongolian.

Seven Empowerments of Kalachakra Tantra

Today, I will explain the seven Kalachakra empowerments that you will receive when you walk under the prayer flags. The first empowerment you will receive is the "Birth Empowerment." Why is it called Birth Empowerment? This is like being a newborn baby. After you receive the first empowerment, you are reborn. This is the new beginning of your wisdom life. In this sense, you become a baby, a very clean baby.

At this time, we use Vase Empowerment to cleanse you, cleansing your body. Then, you will receive the second empowerment. Kalachakra coronates you with a crown. This is the Crown Empowerment. What is this Crown Empowerment? This empowerment signifies that you will become a Buddha in the future, grow up to become a Buddha, so the Heruka bestow an emblem on you, which is this crown empowerment.

For the third empowerment, you receive the Ribbon Empowerment, giving you a ribbon. What does this ribbon signify? It means you are very dignified. You, the new baby, are wearing the Buddha's crown and are very dignified. With the addition of the ribbon on your body, the crown becomes an even more dignified crown.

The fourth empowerment is the Vajra Bell and Scepter Empowerment, symbolizing that you are purified. The bell produces a purified sound (Grandmaster demonstrated by ringing the Vajra bell). This is a vajra bell. When you achieve accomplishment, everything you utter (speech) is purified. This is the Vajra Bell Empowerment. What about the vajra scepter? This vajra scepter symbolizes permanent immutability; your resolve and aspiration to achieve Buddhahood is firm and unwavering.

The fifth empowerment is the Name Empowerment. The Name Empowerment is for giving you a new title. For example, Tony, the head of Chicago Lei Zang Temple Chapter can be called Tony Vajra in the future, giving him the name of Tony Vajra. Tony is an English name; his current profession is selling ice cream. So, the name of Ice Cream Vajra is also very good! His ice cream enables sentient beings to have refreshed hearts. This is bestowing a vajra title, which signifies giving Name Empowerment. You can also be called Lianhua so-and-so vajra. After you receive this empowerment, you have a vajra title. Lian so-and-so Vajra or Lianhua so-and-so Vajra, it is all okay. You all have a Vajra title, so you would all become Kalachakra in the future.

There is also a Wish-Fulfillment Empowerment. What is this Wish-Fulfillment Empowerment? As a new baby with Wish-Fulfillment Empowerment, you will grow up without misfortune. No misfortune is the best, and everyone wants that. In this human world, there are conflicts and disasters everywhere. From when I started spreading the dharma at the age of 26 to this very day, I have faced countless adversities and challenges of all kinds, and they come without a pause. They have never ceased and there have been too many for me to count. But to this very day, I have never been taken to a police station; no police has given me any problems. At the age of 62, I have never entered a courtroom. No court has given me any problems. Nor was I ever jailed -- I haven't even been taken into a police station, so how could I be put in jail. I have faced many problems and challenges! But after receiving the Wish-Fulfillment Empowerment, these troubles will dissipate. This is the power of the Wish-Fulfillment Empowerment - as soon as troubles arise, they are turned back. So, you will receive this empowerment shortly, and even when problems arise, they would dissipate.

The seventh empowerment is the Permission Empowerment. The Permission Empowerment means that you have received the seven empowerments needed to start cultivating the Generation Stage practice of the Kalachakra Tantra. These are the meanings of the seven empowerments. They start with your new birth through Kalachakra, to permitting you to cultivate the Kalachakra Tantra. You must receive these seven empowerments before commencing the Generation Stage practice of Kalachakra Tantra.

Cultivating the Kalachakra Tantra will Generate Auspicious Responses

In this life, Grandmaster Lu has taught many practices. The Kalachakra Tantra is one of the most precious teachings that I have transmitted. The Kalachakra Tantra is one transmitted by Shakyamuni Buddha himself.

Earlier, I mentioned that I have encountered many misfortunes and challenges. Each of them dissipated through the blessings of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, devas, and dharma protectors. They condensed all these misfortunes on me and then dissipated them.

Many of my students have seen their root guru (Grandmaster Lu) in auspicious dreams. This is the result of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas radiating light upon me. Then, the light of my body shines upon all sentient beings and all students of True Buddha School. Thus, things will be auspicious for you during the day, at night, and in your dreams as well. Things will be auspicious for you during all six-time periods of the day. There are twenty-four hours a day. Four times six is twenty-four. A day is divided up into six time periods. In these six time periods, in these twenty-four hours, everything is fortunate, and everything during this time is auspicious.

So, for those who cultivate this Kalachakra practice, they will receive auspicious results. For example, those of you who have illnesses, unexpected emergencies, medical emergencies, or various strange illnesses or pains, when you receive the Kalachakra empowerments, [you will see improvements]. Like last time when I was conducting the Kalachakra initiation at Seattle Lei Zang Temple, I made an announcement. I said that the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond would bless you. A person among you would win a big monetary prize and have great wealth immediately! I said [one of] you would have wealth immediately. Did you believe me? Not one person dared to say a word. They were all very quiet.

The people in the audience were thinking, immediate wealth, can there really be such a thing in this world? Actually, at that time, two of my students had already won the Mega Millions lottery, winning $55 million USD.

They were sitting at the side of the book repository in Seattle Lei Zang Temple. I had thought about asking them to come forward as witnesses and living proof, but they were afraid. Why would they be afraid? You have to know that winning the lottery brings its own headaches. Your relatives, friends, people from your hometown, people that you know, people that you don't know, they all come to ask for money. Some of them would say that they owe money! They are sick! They all come asking for help, pleading for your help. You can't handle all of them, so they were afraid to come forward.

Originally, they wanted to come forward. They thought about coming forward on the second day during the homa ceremony, but the affinity just wasn't there and they didn't come forward.

Later, you will receive the empowerment for Golden Mother of the Jade Pond's Seven Great Practices. One of them is the Instant Wealth Practice. This time, I'm afraid to make any announcement that someone will win. You have to see if you have the affinity and have accumulated sufficient blessings.

But, you should think about this! After receiving the Golden Mother's Instant Wealth empowerment, Lianhua Somay and his wife pleaded with Golden Mother of the Jade Pond every day, every single day. Their pleas were so constant that Golden Mother of the Jade Pond couldn't take it anymore. She said if they keep on pleading, then she wouldn't be able to sleep. So, she gave them a very auspicious sign in their dreams. They both had visions of Bodhisattvas appearing, radiating light upon them and blessing them. Then, they saw Grandmaster Lu appear to give them blessing, and also blessed them with rainbow light. So, they were full of confidence and bought their tickets, and they won $55 million US dollars. At that time, I thought to myself, I was the one who empowered them for the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond's Instant Wealth Practice. They won, why didn't I win?

But, Grandmaster Lu personally doesn't have any desires for material possessions and seek nothing. I have never bought a lottery ticket. This Mega Millions lottery is one of the biggest lotteries in the world! It pools money from several US states for a big jackpot. However, I have never brought a ticket before, because I don't seek anything. In a moment, I will be giving this empowerment. Let's hope we'll see some miracles. If one of you wins a big jackpot, you can hide in the basement of Chicago Lei Zang Temple. This is the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond's "Ah syllable visualization -- Instant Wealth Practice." Then, there are the rest of Golden Mother of the Jade Pond's Seven Great Practices empowerments. The first Golden Mother of the Jade Pond empowerment encompasses these two empowerments.

Life is Sublimely Wondrous; Tolerance is the Key to a Stable Family

Life is very sublimely wondrous. When blessings come to you, you can't run away from it, even if you wanted to. When Golden Mother of the Jade Pond came looking for me, I couldn't have gotten away even if I had wanted to. At the time, I was a pious Christian working at the Topography Survey Unit stationed at Nanmenqiao. One day, my mother wanted to pay respect to the gods at the local temple and asked me to go with her. I thought to myself, since she invited me, I would go. I wasn't going to pay my respect or eat any fruits used for offering. I was just a bystander accompanying my mother.

After we entered the temple, an elderly female Daoist priestess, Priestess Qian Dai, started to call out for me. She called out, "Is there a person named Sheng-yen Lu?"

Puzzled, I asked: "What do you want me for?" She said, "Come over here and you will find out." She told me to kneel down, so I knelt down.

Wow! As soon as I knelt down, my Divine Eye was opened by the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. The priestess then informed me that Golden Mother of the Jade Pond had instructed her to ask me to come forward and awaken/ferry over sentient beings. I answered, "How would I know how to do that?" She told me to join my palms in respect and I would know. So, I joined my palms and immediately my inner spirit was awakened and my body started to vibrate. My Divine Eye was opened and I could hear the Golden Mother.

Then, priestess told my mom, "Your son has Buddha's bones!" (A folk terminology for having strong affinity with the Buddha). My mother was deeply afraid (Grandmaster Lu imitated the stunned disappointment and concern on his mother's face and spoke in a shaken voice), "Buddha's bone … ! If he has Buddha's bones, then he is going to become a monk, how can he get married?"

Priestess Qian-dai quickly tried to alleviate my mom's concerns. "He is allowed to get married."

This Buddha's bone can get married. Then, my mother let out a sigh of relief. At least, there would be a son who can pass on the family name. This way, her mind was put at ease.

Then, priestess Qian-dai asked my mom if she remembers anything special about me when I was born. My mother couldn't think of anything at the time. She was very young and gave birth to me when she was 18. I was her first child, so she didn't have any experience giving birth, nor did she think anything was particularly out of the ordinary when I was born. But in the back of her mind, she kept thinking about this question for many days. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Some months later, it came to her all of a sudden. When this child was born, he was completely covered head-to-toe by white, cotton-like fibers. It was like a white cloth covering my entire body. Wow! Then, I was just like Prince Nezha!

When Prince Nezha (Third Prince Nezha, a Daoist deity) was born, he came out in a round ball. He emerged only after the round ball broke up. In my case, I was born tightly wrapped in a white fiber-like cloth. After I was born, they used mineral oil to rub-off these fibers. It took my relatives a long time to wipe it off a bit at a time. Then, I was out in this world. This is something from my birth that's unlike other people.

Last Saturday at Seattle Lei Zang Temple, I mentioned this little tidbit about how I was born with this white fiber-like material that needed to be washed-off. This was a very unusual sign. So, I was born with Buddha's bone and was told that I can get married. Of course, this is all very good.

Actually, I didn't want to get married. I will be frank about this. By the time I was thirty years old, I still had not gotten married. Then, a co-worker at the map-making center was gossiping about me behind my back. I was playing basketball at the time. All of sudden I heard my co-workers whispering, Sheng-yen Lu "must have a problem." He is thirty years old and still not married. After I heard that, I almost exploded. What kind of problem do they think I have? I don't have any problems. What business is it of theirs whether or not I get married, right? They said I have some kind of problem, but I clearly don't have any problems. Yet, how do I explain that I don't have any problems. I am not married and was already thirty. Everyone is gossiping behind my back, saying that I must have problem. At least I had some girlfriends. The now Master Lian-xiang was actually ranked last on my list. But I thought she lived the closest to me, so I should just marry the one that is closest to me. If I don't get married, people would say that I have a problem. So, I was going to get married to prove to them that there was no problem, so then I got married.

Actually, the marriage has been pretty good. Up to now, our relationship is still pretty good. This shows the depth of our "tolerance" cultivation, the practice of tolerance. So earlier, when I was officiating over the marriage ceremony, I gave the two new couples blessings. I told them, living with another person is sometimes very complicated. Each side must be willing to take a step back, must have the willingness to be tolerant, so please don't always insist on getting things your way. Don't be stubborn.

Actually, marriages all start off with love. When it starts off, there is love. Master Lian-xiang also said, there was love starting off. However, romantic love is like chewing sugar cane -- after chewing it for a while, the sweet taste is gone. Keep chewing, and the sugar cane becomes flavorless. You want to spit it out, but you can't do that. Keeping it in your mouth isn't something you want to do either. It is like chewing bubble gum, it starts sweet and eventually it loses its flavor. When there is no more of that sweet feeling, what do you do?

This is a question of responsibility. You have to educate and raise your children and shift your own focus and hobbies, and then that kind of problem won't arise. You should find happiness in your children and take care of your responsibility to educate and raise them.

So I am telling everyone, if you already have children, then this is an issue of responsibility. A stable and happy family helps to raise and educate children properly, whereas a broken home will harm the children. This is an issue of responsibility.

In the end, it is a matter of conscience, a matter of moral and ethical responsibility, and it becomes tolerance. So I advise you, if you have children, please learn to be tolerant and patient. If you don't have children, then I don't want to be involved, and I also can't resolve that kind of situation. If you have children, you have an ethical and moral responsibility. You have to have conscience and moral values, and you have to be tolerant. You have to work with each other, be tolerant of each other, and then the relationship can last a long time. Just like when we receive this Wish-Fulfillment Empowerment. Within the practice of this empowerment you'll receive, it teaches you something. Why are you able to achieve wish fulfillment? You have a conscience and do the right things -- you do good deeds and not bad deeds. You have a conscience and moral values. Thus, you're in a position to receive the blessings from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, giving you empowerment, so your family will be blessed.

As for being afflicted with disease, have I been sick? Yes! I have also gotten sick. I had developed some tumors before, and one kept growing, reaching the size of an egg. I rubbed on it with my hands, and I kept chanting mantras, reciting Buddha names and chanting mantras. It started to get smaller, and gradually it disappeared. What did I visualize? I visualized that tumor as a beehive. The bees kept leaving the hive. I did this every day and the tumor got smaller and smaller. Now, it is gone. I had two tumors, one was on my leg, and one was on my shoulder. The tumor on the leg became as big as a chicken egg. Later, it was gone and the skin became normal, as smooth as it was before. You can't even see any sign that there was a tumor there before. It never grew back. The tumor on the back of my shoulder, it was hard when I rubbed against it. It got bigger and bigger. Later, I kept pressing on it and it got smaller and smaller. I kept pressing on it and I kept chanting. I kept chanting Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. I chanted, "Wearing the Phoenix Crown, holding a Celestial peach, holding a dust broom, Great Celestially venerated Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. Hum, Hum, Hum." I chanted it three times. These tumors are gone. They became flat and both tumors disappeared. People asked me if I was practicing "Kui-Hua-Bao-Dian" (reference to the secret manual for ultimate martial power in a Jing Yong's Martial Arts Fantasy Novel. In the novel, practitioner would become effeminate). (Audience roars with laughter). No, it was Golden Mother of the Jade Pond. I was cultivating one of Golden Mother of the Jade Pond's Seven Great Practices. By cultivating the practice, the two tumors disappeared.

The Kalachakra Practice Places Great Importance on Upholding the Precepts

The seven empowerments of Kalachakra are extremely precious. After you receive these seven empowerments, you are permitted to cultivate the Kalachakra practice. Also, it is certain that you will wear the Five Buddha Crown in the future. I am not saying that you are now an acharya/vajra master. I am not saying that as soon as you go home, you can start wearing the Five Buddha Crown. Grandmaster is talking about the Crown Empowerment! I am wearing the Five Buddha Crown. You can't see it. It is a formless Five Buddha Crown. Everybody can see that the vajra acharyas are all wearing Five Buddha Crowns. They are wearing the physical Five Buddha Crown. Wearing the physical Five-Buddhas-Crown does not necessarily symbolize that they have achieved siddhi. Those who wear the formless Five Buddha Crown, they have certainly achieved siddhi. Vajra acharyas, you can't think that since you wear the physical Five Buddha Crown, you can set your conscience aside. That is wrong. Isn't that right? You still have to have conscience and moral integrity. Only if you have a conscience and moral integrity can you accomplish all tasks before you, and ferry sentient beings to the shore of liberation. Then, you can achieve siddhi. From now on, you are coronated with the formless Five Buddha Crown. That is the Crown Empowerment. I also cleansed you. Those of you with karmic hindrances, after you receive these seven empowerments, they will be removed. This is the Vase Empowerment. This empowerment with holy water cleanses you, washes away your hindrances and gives you a new birth. The past is in the past. They are all removed. You have been coronated with the Five Buddha Crown, with ribbons added to your adornments, like they are wearing the ribbon, signs, and wearing rings.

Grandmaster is wearing two rings, and they are not being worn for adornment. Instead they symbolize precepts, practice good deeds and stop committing bad deeds. These rings symbolize your conviction to abide by the precepts. There are many rules in the Kalachakra Tantra, and I will discuss them in the future. When I start to teach the rules and regulations, the atmosphere will be like when the Dalai Lama was holding a Kalachakra initiation ceremony in Southern India. When he taught the rules and prohibitions, it was just him talking by himself. Everyone else fell asleep because it was just too boring. The rules and prohibitions are really boring, but they are also extremely important, so you can't fall asleep. I heard that from Vajra Master/Acharya Lian-zhi and the people who were with her attending the Dalai Lama's Kalachakra initiation ceremony. They said all the lamas were sleeping like this. All the lamas were like this. This is because the rules and prohibitions are extremely boring. It took several days to cover all of it, so they all fell asleep. This ring was given to me by Vajra Master/Acharya Lian-ning. This other ring was given to me by a senior reverend. This watch, the watch shouldn't count! This watch was also a gift from one of my students. Everything that I am wearing was given to me by my students -- even my underwear and boxers were gifts - so then I dedicate my entire body to my students. Don't True Buddha School students request for some strands of my hairs? Next they asked for my facial hairs. I don't have any hairs, as I shave them everyday and there's so little. You blow on it just a bit, and they are gone. I am out of options, so I shave some of my other body hairs and give it to them. All my body hairs have been shaved. Even my leg hairs are shaved. If they want to check DNA, don't use hairs. I gave all my hairs to my students. I wear these rings to signify that I abide by precepts. You all can wear rings in the future.

So, the Kalachakra Practice has a large section on rules and prohibitions. You start explaining the seven empowerments. Then, you give teachings on the rules and regulations. Then, you explain the Generation Stage, and how to achieve samadhi. Then, you teach the Completion Stage. All the Buddha-dharma is taught in this manner. If we don't abide by the precepts, then there is no conscience or moral integrity. Then, even though you have received these empowerments, the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and formless beings (gods and ghosts) all know that you don't abide by precepts. Since you don't abide by precepts, they won't give you any blessings. Those who just received the Bodhisattva precepts, you have to pay attention! You received the Five Precepts, Bodhisattva Precepts. Bodhisattva Precepts are difficult to uphold. Since you received Bodhisattva Precepts, you better read the writings on these precepts carefully. If you genuinely abide by these precepts, then you can wear rings signifying that you abide by these precepts. If you don't abide by these precepts, you can also wear rings, but then the rings wouldn't symbolize that you are abiding by precepts; it would be just for people to look at.

Those Who Receive Kalachakra Initiation Will Have Their Wish Fulfilled

Today, everyone heard the explanation on the seven empowerments, from the Birth Empowerment to the Permission Empowerment. In actuality, these seven empowerments guide you toward the stage of the Seventh Level Bodhisattva. From birth in the First Level and continuing until you reach the Seventh Level, Duramgama (Travelling far away). Then, you become a Seventh Level Bodhisattva. Then, when you attain siddhi in the Kalachakra Generation Stage cultivation, you enter the Tenth Level of Bodhisattvahood. With siddhi in the Kalachakra Completion Stage cultivation, you reach the Thirteenth Level of Bodhisattvahood. The Thirteenth Level is becoming Kalachakra Heruka, achieving Buddhahood. Everyone must carefully remember the meaning of these empowerments. After receiving empowerments from Birth to Permission empowerment, you can start cultivating Kalachakra practice (transmitted today). Although you might not actually cultivate the Kalachakra practice, your conviction toward enlightenment will strengthen because you received these empowerments. In seven lifetimes, you certainly will achieve Buddhahood. When you receive the Kalachakra empowerments, as long as you aspire/generate bodhicitta, and have conscience and moral value, you will be able to awaken sentient beings. Then, all of your misfortunes certainly will vanish. When you receive Kalachakra initiation, those illnesses that afflict you, as long as you aspire bodhicitta and willingly mend your ways and become a good person - stop being bad and become a good person - your illnesses will certainly leave you. If you aspire great bodhicitta, to awaken sentient beings, to help build centers to care for the elderly, orphanages; helping handicapped and disabled people, building Lei Zang Temples; you want to achieve siddhi in Buddha-dharma, to help sentient beings; as long as you aspire bodhicitta, then you will receive blessing from heavens. So today, you receive this teaching, receive these Kalachakra empowerments, it will fulfill all your wishes. When you receive your empowerment, if you have any wishes, just say it, think about it when you receive the empowerment. I wish my illness to be cured, for a miracle to happen. Once I had a student who told me, "Grandmaster, I don't just have one wish, I have one hundred wishes. But the empowerment goes by so quickly that I don't have time to think of all of them. What do I do?" It is okay. When you go home, if you have a shrine, you tell all your wishes to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in your shrine. I have received the seven Kalachakra empowerments, I have these wishes. Tell them all to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I hope through today's Kalachakra empowerments, everyone will experience miracles, and wishes are granted and fulfilled.

Om Mani Padme Hum

Chinese Transcription by Emily Wang
Translated by Lianhua Zhi-wei 
Edited by Jason Yu

Source: http://www.tbtts.org/translation_work/DT/DT.06.11.11.ENG.html 

Last edited June 11, 2009