True Buddha Foundation Notice
《True Buddha Foundation Right Discipline Directive No. 0001》


Subject: Basic knowledge the general public should have when seeking treatment from medical personnel or providers of folk medicine for physical or psychological illnesses or discomfort

Explanation:
Engaging in medical treatment without legal medical qualification is illegal and violates the rights of others.Those parties engaging in such activity assume responsibility for civil damages and criminal punishment. Parties who have medical credentials but are not licensed and fraudulently engage in medical practice will still be held civilly and criminally responsible for their actions. Those who provide so-called folk treatments such as acupressure, massage, moxibustion, cupping, and so forth must also have a certificate of professional training and government issued permit to engage in this profession. Otherwise, such individuals will be subject to legal liability.
Whether or not True Buddha School ordained Dharma propagating personnel (including masters, senior reverends, reverends, etc.) have valid medical licensure, certification or a permit, it is illegal for them to engage in any medical or folk treatment profession after ordainment and they should immediately desist from practicing any kind of medical treatment. This illegality extends to treating others with knowledge gained from self-learning. All Dharma spreading personnel must exercise serious self-discipline and self-respect. The general public should also be aware that if they have physical or mental illnesses, they should seek treatment from qualified medical or folk treatment professionals. To avoid any mistakes or errors, one should never follow blindly.
Medical knowledge is one of the five types of knowledge for practitioners emphasized in Vajrayana so they can guide sentient beings on how to avoid suffering caused by either physical or mental illness. However, practitioners should stay focused on continuously inspiring and enlightening sentient beings to help them achieve optimum physical and mental condition. Therefore, Dharma propagating personnel should not practice medical or folk treatments as a vehicle for saving sentient beings, and it goes without saying that they should never illegally prescribe or provide medicine to treat symptoms they have ''diagnosed''.
To avoid physical, psychological, and spiritual damage, as well as financial losses, the True Buddha Foundation is calling on everyone to boycott all illegal medical conduct and folk treatments. When illegal activity is discovered, to forestall potential legal problems, one should not tolerate it and should legally collect all evidence of such activity and provide it to relevant judicial authorities. In the event TBS Dharma spreading personnel engage in such illegal activity and this activity is proven through investigation, the TBF Supervisory Department will impose discipline commensurate with the severity of the illegal conduct.
Best Regards,
True Buddha Foundation
Nov. 15, 2019






Translated by True Buddha Translation Team
Translator: Henry Wolf
Editors: DJ Chang