2013-05-27
Implementation of Rules Governing Selection of Assistant Dharma Instructor for the Year of 2013
In accordance with True Buddha School`s bylaws , whereby the current detailed set of rules is hence implemented:

1. Registration date: The registration form has to be mailed in starting this day till August 31, which must be postmarked by the date the registration form is physically received at TBF Office in Seattle. No late registration form is accepted beyond the aforesaid deadline.

2. Mailing address:
True Buddha Foundation Office of Seattle
17110 NE 40th Court, Redmond, WA 98052
United States of America

3. Methods of registration:
If a True Buddha tantric headquarter is available within the applicant locality (e.g. Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia): The applicant has to send in all three (3) documents called Registration Documents as listed under provision No. 5 of the current detailed set of rules implemented, to a local True Buddha tantric headquarter before the 10th day of August in order to be considered for eligibility. The True Buddha tantric headquarter at issue will then collate and organize all the paperwork and forward it to True Buddha Foundation Office in Seattle, U.S.A. no later than the 31st day of August.

If a True Buddha tantric headquarter is not available within the locality of the applicant, he or she has to submit all three (3) documents listed under Provision No. 5 of The current detailed set of rules implemented, totaling three (3) documents. The three documents must be received at True Buddha Foundation Office in Seattle no later than the 31st day of August.

4. Eligibility Conditions for Registration:

4.1 Applicant must be at least 21 years of age.
4.2 Applicant must be a layperson and has taken refuge in Grand Master Lian-Sheng for at least 3 years; facial features must be sound; must be physically healthy; be a non-smoker; be a non-drinker; be a non-gambler; be free of any unwholesome predisposition; and, has no criminal records.
4.3 Has no family ties and free of any financial debt.
4.4 Must be proficient in the Four-Preliminary Practice, Eight Principal Deities Practice, Simplified Karma Tantra Practice, and so on.
4.5 A Letter of Recommendation must be conferred upon by a True Buddha School`s Temple, Chapter or Cultivation Group, thereby the applicant is vested with suitibility and being recommended to True Buddha Foundation for participation in the testing procedure of the selection process. Upon passing the given tests, the applicant shall be qualified as True Buddha Assistant Dharma Instructor. However, the Letter of Recommendation is deemed invalid if it is issued by an Acharya Master or Reverend Dharma Instructor (other than the Temple, Chapter or Cultivation Group aforementioned).
4.6 A maximum of only two (2) applicants may be recommended by each and every True Buddha Temple, Chapter or Cultivation Group in the selection process of Assistant Dharma Instructors.
4.7 The applicant`s accomplishments in tantrayana endeavor ( all four feats below must be completed):
4.7.1 Completed one million recitations of Padmakumara Heart Mantra
4.7.2 Completed one thousand recitations of The High King Avalokitesvara Mantra.
4.7.3 Completed ten thousand recitations of the Hundred Syllable Mantra
4.7.4 Completed two hundred times of the Repentence Tantra Practice

5. Registration documents:

5.1 Application form for candidate Assistant Dharma Instructor (to be filled out completely and attach a 2" x 2" frontal facial photo). The unfilled application form can be downloaded from True Buddha School web site at: http://tbsn.org/chinese2/fileslist.php?classid=5
5.2 Rules and formats pertained to the Letter of Recommendation issued by the applicant`s chapter:
5.2.1 The letter issued by the True Buddha School chapter at issue must be official stationary.
5.2.2 The top margin of the letter must bear the full official letterhead of the chapter at issue.
5.2.3 The main content of the letter beneath the letterhead should contain commendation message issued by the administrative staff of the chapter. The commendation message must be issued under the resolution of consensus agreement among the administrative staff.
5.2.4 The bottom segment of the letter must bear the official seal of the chapter, as well as the signatures of the administrative staff who have agreed consensually to vouch for the applicant of interest.
5.3 A questionnaire for Assistant Dharma Instructor applicants. (The blank questionnaire can be downloaded from TBSN website at: http://tbsn.org/chinese2/fileslist.php?classid=5

6. Qualification assessment:
The applicant will register in accordance with provision number 1) through 5) listed in this Implementation of Current Detailed Set of Rules,whose eligibility shall be assessed by consensus of the core council within True Buddha Foundation. Upon approval of eligibility to partake of the test, the applicant shall be given a pass to take the test, a test study manual detailing the contents of material to be covered on the test, and a test schedule.

7. Testing dates: November 11th, 12th and 13th totaling three (3) days (including two days of tutorial class on November 11th and 12th for Assistant Dharma Instructors).

8. Testing site: Taiwan Lei Tsang Tze in Taiwan (Republic of China).

9. Choice of language available: Chinese, English or Indonesian (choose one).

10.

10.1 Sutras:
10.1.1 Recite from memory the contents of True Buddha Sutra, and, write from memory the contents of High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.
10.1.2 Understand the essentials of True Buddha Sutra and Heart Sutra.
10.2 Extent to which dissemination of Dharma can be carried out:
(for details please refer to the section for Assistant Dharma Instructors on Table of Contents of the Scopes of Dharma Dissemination Activities as Applied to Different Rankings of True Buddha School Missionaries).
10.2.1 Conducting cultivation sessions:
Four Preliminary Practices, Root Guru (Padmakumara) Yoga, Eight Principal Deity Practices, Repentence Practice, Boundary Protection Practice, Simplified Karma Tantra Practice, Ritualistic Practice Dedicated to Sacred Birthdays of Buddhas & Deities, Ganachakra Puja Offering Practice and so on.
10.2.2 Conducting Dharma Services:
Funeral Recitation and Liberation of the Living Ceremony.
10.2.3 Bestowing Blessings:
Consecration Ceremony, Cleansing Ceremony, Ground Breaking Ceremony, Bless the Great Compassion Dharani Water with Incense, Blessing Objects with Vajra Scepter and Vajra Bell, Drawing Talismans & Amulets in Ancient Chinese Rune, and so on.
10.2.4 Conducting Dharma Ceremonies (Pujas):
Fire Offering Ceremony, Water Offering Ceremony, True Buddha Treasure Repentence Ceremony, Great Compassion Dharani Repentence Ceremony, Water Repentence, Pure Land Repentence, Medicine Buddha Repentence.
10.2.5 Seminars:
Buddhist Chant with Instruments, Five Precepts, Fourteen Root Tantric Vows, Fifty Stanzas of Guru Devotion, Refuge Certificate, Seven Chakra Exercise
10.3 Basic Test Preparation Study Material for Dharma Lecturers and Assistant Dharma Instructors (will be provided to the test participants by True Buddha Foundation)

11. Test score distribution: Written test-50%, Buddhist Chant with Instruments-20%, Interview-30%

12. Special notes for Assistant Dharma Instructors:

12.1 A certificate issued to a Assistant Dharma Instructor is good for three (3) years only.
12.2 True Buddha Foundation shall retest and re-assess the Assistant Dharma Instructor once every three (3) years. The holder of higher scores shall be privileged to renew his/her position countless times.
12.3 The Assistant Dharma Instructor must be commissioned only in the chapter from where his or her letter of recommendation was originally issued; missionary service at any other chapter is not permitted.

1.