On January 2, 2016, Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu presided over the Kalachakra homa ceremony and gave a dharma talk about the Great Perfection. Moreover, besides performing bardo deliverance for recently deceased disciples and a reverend, he also delivered the eight True Buddha disciples who recently died in a fire catastrophe in Miaoli! Living Buddha Lian-sheng admonished all disciples that the principal deity for the smoke offering practice is Four-armed Guanyin, and the True Buddha Tantric Dharma should not be arbitrarily changed, altered, or amended. The purpose of the smoke offering practice is to provide assistance to one's karmic creditors. Unless one is a highly accomplished adept, one must not perform the smoke offering practice in a cemetery.

【Reported by Master Liandian in Nantou, Translated by Yun Pennington, Translation Accuracy Edited by DJ Chang, English Proficiency Edited by Phyllis Kao and Henry Wolf】

On January 2, 2016, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu presided over a Kalachakra homa ceremony at Taiwan Lei Tsang Temple followed a dharma teaching on the Great Perfection.

Immediately following the homa there was a speech by special guest Secretary Qin, who showed his respect to Living Buddha Lian-sheng Grandmaster Lu, as well as to all masters and disciples. Secretary Qin especially admired Grandmaster's great vow ''to deliver sentient beings even it causes Grandmaster's flesh and bones to be smashed to pieces.'' Secretary Qin expressed his hope that everyone will follow Grandmaster's teaching by working together, kindling wisdom, and helping Taiwan move forward to a better and brighter future.

Subsequently, Living Buddha Lian-sheng mentioned that the True Buddha School is a sanctuary of democracy. We welcome everyone regardless of political affiliation and we do not have any political stance.

The elections are coming up soon in Taiwan; I hope everyone will vote wisely, cast a sacred ballot, and elect an able and intelligent leader who will truly work for the people.

Living Buddha Lian-sheng will go to Macau to propagate Buddhist teachings at Rushi Chapter. Additionally, Grandmaster talked about what happened during this past week ?

In fact, during the Golden Mother homa at Rainbow Temple right before Grandmaster's return to Taiwan, Golden Mother had given signs and indications to Grandmaster that he would encounter two major calamities and three small disasters. This meant that Grandmaster Lu would face some disturbances in the near future.

And just last Sunday, eight True Buddha School disciples were burned to death in a fire. Immediately after he was notified of the tragedy, Grandmaster performed a bardo deliverance for these disciples at his home ?When speaking of this event, Grandmaster could not help but choke up with tears. Grandmaster asked Master Lianzhe to ensure that the victims' families will be taken care of in the aftermath of this tragedy.

Concerning all the above, Living Buddha Lian-sheng explained as follows: a saint, whose mind is bright, pure, and enlightened, will not be influenced by any circumstances whatsoever. As long as one entirely forgets one's ''self'' and lets go of all attachments, one will be able to survive any difficulties! One is then able to ''be natural!'' And today's homa deity is Kalachakra who, by rolling a giant time wheel over everything, obliterates all things completely.
At times, of course, there are circumstances which evoke feelings of sadness. However, overall, these feelings of sadness do not affect Grandmaster Lu's radiant enlightenment!

If someone were to ask Grandmaster Lu what his view is regarding the metal house fire in Miaoli?
Grandmaster Lu answers, ''In a pure and enlightened mind there is nothing which can be distressing, and there is nothing in the world that really matters!''

If someone were to ask, ''Since Grandmaster Lu has supernatural power, why didn't he foresee that the eight disciples would encounter the fire?''
Grandmaster says, ''I already knew.'' That's why I was singing the song last weekend during the homa ceremony. The lyric was ''Amitabha! Just like a fire torch which ignites the entire desert…'' This was a reminder to all to ''be careful of fire and candles!'' We must take extra precautions toward all natural disasters which can cause great damage or loss of life, such as floods, earthquakes, fires, or hurricanes.

Grandmaster is very cautious. He always makes sure that the gas is turned off before going out. After every practice, he makes sure the candles are blown out before leaving the altar.
Grandmaster also reminded all disciples about safety in driving and while riding in tour buses. Understanding how to prevent accidents is of utmost importance.

If someone were to ask, ''Since Grandmaster already had foreknowledge that the disciples were going to encounter difficulty, why was he unable to alter the course of these events?''
Grandmaster Lu answers, ''Buddha has three impossibilities: converting those with no affinity; changing fixed karma; and saving all sentient beings.''

These ''impossibilities'' have nothing to do with Buddha's supernatural power! Grandmaster also provided a few examples:
Shakyamuni Buddha had migraine headaches which were the result of cause and effect. In addition, Shakyamuni Buddha predicted the Sakya clan's difficulties. Even though Shakyamuni Buddha wanted to save his clan, in the end the Sakya clan still became a pool of bloody water.

Living Buddha Lian-sheng told everyone: So-called ''Life and death is predestined. Whether one is poor or rich depends on heaven.'' are circumstances which do not come about just by themselves, or through others, or through the collective actions of many. Things are fated or destined to happen! This is the most important and essential meaning of Kalachakra.

Everything about sentient beings will pass. We need to understand the Three Seals of the Dharma: all phenomena are impermanent; all phenomena are without inherent existence; and Nirvana is perfect tranquility! One is considered a disciple of Buddha if one practices in accordance with the Three Seals of the Dharma. Otherwise, one is a heretic.
If one can practice in keeping with the Three Seals of the Dharma, one will be able to reach self-mastery and be natural, which is the Great Perfection. By conquering the self-grasping ignorance and performing good deeds unconditionally one will attain freedom from afflictions.

We must all rely on ourselves. The value of human existence is found through helping others as much as we possibly can.
As practitioners we must ourselves attain enlightenment and then enlighten others. By learning self-mastery and being natural we will become radiant and perfect.
Grandmaster Lu's mind is bright and pure. His mind is not affected by any kind of failure nor does it give rise to any afflictions.This mind is the true and authentic Great Perfection!

We must understand how to ''choose.''
In Buddhism, the Mahamudra and the Great Perfection help us to reach self-mastery and be natural; this is the Wisdom of the Tathagata!

In addition, Living Buddha Lian-sheng emphasized: ''Do not arbitrarily alter the True Buddha Tantric Dharma!'' When we follow the instructions and practice with integrity, then the practices will help us. However, if one arbitrarily changes the dharma practices, the dharma practices will, on the contrary, bring about disasters!

In the True Buddha School's smoke offering practice one makes offerings to one's karmic creditors. The smoke offering can be practiced at one's shrine or on a balcony at home. The smoke offering practice cannot, however, be practiced in a cemetery unless one is a great adept with significant dharma power. One must be able to transform food offerings into sufficient food for all the orphaned souls and wild ghosts. By making a smoke offering openly in a cemetery an ordinary practitioner can easily invoke fearsome ghosts and anger supernatural beings. The situation may then become very difficult because, as the saying goes, ''It's easier to invite the devil in than to send him away''...

Finally, Living Buddha Lian-sheng told a joke about ''cause and effect'' to teach and instruct all disciples: We must know that there is a cause and there is an effect. We, as Buddhist practitioners, must be honest with nothing to hide, have our feet on the ground, be open and poised, and be infinitely and boundlessly radiant. This is the Great Perfection!

Living Buddha Lian-sheng bestowed upon everyone the empowerment of the Kalachakra Uncommon Practices (which include: True Vajrakila Practice, Nine Stage Meditation Practice, True Meaning of Kalachakra Practice, Shield Protection Practice, Sun and Moon Disc Practice, Vajra Chain Practice, and the Precepts of Kalachakra).

The ceremony ended auspiciously and perfectly.

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10.