Heretical First Cause Doctrine—Xiao Pingshi's "Personality Cult Movement"

Publication Date: 2006-01-01 Views: 13,944 Views

Da Zhao

As the saying goes: "Good people are bullied, just as good horses are ridden." In this era of societal transformation, this has become particularly prominent! The compassion of Buddhism is repeatedly insulted, which is even more striking! After reading the two or three dozen books authored by Taiwan's Xiao Pingshi, including Formless Nianfo, The Cultivation Stages of Nianfo Samādhi, The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye—A Collection of Dharma Protection, An Analysis of the True Reality of Life, A Simple Method for Differentiating True and False Awakening, The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land, The True Tathāgatagarbha, How to Enter the Nianfo Dharma Gate, The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, The Crisis of Buddhism, Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, Self and Non-Self, Crazy Tantra and True Tantra (Volumes 1-4), The Mani Jewel Collection of the Chan School (Gongan Commentaries Volumes 1-5), Detailed Explanation of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (Volumes 1-6), as well as the concurrently published The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, The Voice of Compassion, etc., I am filled with deep emotion! Initially, just looking at the surface narrative, the explanation of terms, and even the doctrinal investigation revealed significant problems. I always felt it was very awkward, especially sensing the author's inexplicable, strong desire for self-expression, never forgetting the "self" anywhere, packaging the "self" everywhere, which is truly incompatible with the spirit of the Buddhadharma. Later, I gradually saw that all good things were linked to the author himself, and all bad things were linked to the great contemporary Buddhist masters. Apart from what the author said, there was no Buddhadharma left to learn or practice; apart from the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association founded by the author, there was essentially no place that was a genuine Buddhist practice center. This also contradicts the myriad virtues and solemnity of the Buddhadharma. Later still, I finally saw clearly that behind the cover of Buddhist terminology and doctrine lay deeply hidden his own heretical view of a "First Cause," revealing his cunning fox's tail—truly causing profound harm to Buddhism! Taking a step further, I fully understood that this was a "personality cult movement" stemming from the decline of the human spirit, yet it stole Buddhist terminology and doctrine to serve as his divine altar for deceiving the world. Is this not a tragedy for Buddhism? Thus, I lament contemporary Buddhism: externally, it suffers the Falun Gong cult stealing the emblem of the Dharma wheel and running rampant; internally, it suffers the heretical doctrine of the First Cause, using Buddhist terminology and doctrine as a cover to slander the Dharma and divide the Sangha! The magnificent Buddhism, the magnificent wondrous Dharma, the magnificent Sangha jewel, vast and solemn, a beacon for the world, has been subjected to such humiliation by heretics and cults. Thinking of this in the quiet night, alas, how sorrowful! The Falun Gong cult is like a thief entering the courtyard, merely stealing the decorations (emblems); a single alert cry from the family would make them flee. The heretical doctrine of the First Cause, however, is like entering the main hall and stealing the treasures from the safe (Buddhist doctrines and terminology); even if driven out of the house, the place is already left in shambles! What can be done? What can be done!

The methods of modern thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated, their plagiarism more insidious, and the harm more severe! The fatal point lies in Xiao Pingshi's narratives: the language basically conforms to the meaning of the Buddhadharma. Not only is it difficult for beginners in Buddhism to distinguish its authenticity, but even long-time practitioners can easily be misled by his beautifully crafted descriptions. There are even some in academic circles who say he is "quite insightful," unaware that at the most critical, fundamental point, it is the conduct of a heretic. He also flaunts "True Dharma" everywhere and proposes "Dharma meaning analysis" everywhere. Now, from his works, we will expose his heretical facade masked by the "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles" by focusing on key points such as his "First Cause" heretical thought, the "personality cult movement" arising from the decline of the human spirit, his "ingratitude" in betraying teachers and ancestors, and his "slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha" through linguistic manipulation, thereby restoring the purity of our Buddhism!

I. The Heretical Thought of the "First Cause"

The so-called heretics of the First Cause are those who advocate that the cause for the establishment of all things in the world belongs to a single cause. In the Deva Bodhisattva's Treatise Explaining the Nirvāṇa Theories of Non-Buddhists and Hīnayāna within the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, twenty types of non-Buddhists are pointed out, each seeking the first cause of the universe and all things, offering their own explanations. Among them, the fourth, the Vedic theorists; the fifth, the Īśāna theorists; the ninth, the Female Kin theorists; the twelfth, the Mādhara theorists; the fourteenth, the Sāṃkhya theorists; the fifteenth, the Maheśvara theorists; and the twentieth, the Aṇḍa theorists, although differing in their specifics, all belong to the category of First Cause heretics. They all believe that the arising of all dharmas has a "First Cause," that there is always a source that "can produce" all things, and that all things are derived from one source. For example, the assertion of the fifth heretic, the Īśāna theorist: "That which is formless yet can produce all animate and inanimate things is called nirvāṇa." (T32, 157a) The assertion of the fourteenth heretic, the Sāṃkhya theorist: "Truly knowing that [all] arises from Prakṛti and returns to Prakṛti enables liberation from all birth and death and attainment of nirvāṇa. Thus, from Prakṛti arise all sentient beings. Therefore, the heretical Sāṃkhya teaches that Prakṛti is permanent, can produce all dharmas, and is the cause of nirvāṇa." (T32, 157c) This is the heretical erroneous view of "mistaking a non-cause for a cause"—the "First Cause"!

Closely related to the erroneous view that a "First Cause" produces all things is "monism," which also constitutes many schools of Indian philosophy. For example, Vedic philosophy asserts that the essence of the universe is Brahman, and the essence of the individual subject is Ātman; these two essential principles are identical—this is "Brahman and Ātman are one" (brahma-ātmaikya). Expressing the essential content of this monism is not easy, hence the emergence of concepts like reality (sat), consciousness (cit), and bliss (ānanda). However, this kind of absolute essential monism struggles to explain the occurrence of various phenomenal realms, such as the material natural world, suffering, evil, and various phenomena of human existence. Dualism, which posits a distinction between the spiritual principle (Purusha/Self) and the material principle (Prakṛti/Nature), emerged to address such issues. All the above theories have their internal contradictions, belong to heretical erroneous views, and are refuted by the Buddhadharma.

Within the Buddhadharma, whether Hīnayāna or Mahāyāna, there is absolutely no such heretical erroneous view of a "First Cause" or monism. As the Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya, Volume 6 states: "It is definitively untrue that dharmas arise from a single cause." (T29, 36b) The Avataṃsaka Sūtra, Volume 30 says: "Those children of the Buddha thus know that the nature of all dharmas is eternally empty and quiescent; not a single dharma can create anything; they are identical to all Buddhas in realizing non-self." The Gāthā on the Transmission of the Dharma by the Seven Buddhas, attributed to Kāśyapa Buddha, says: "The nature of all sentient beings is pure; from the beginning, it is unborn and indestructible." The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, Volume 3 states: "If the effect were to arise before the conditions converged, this would be incorrect. An effect separate from causes and conditions would be called causeless. Therefore, your assertion that the effect arises before the conditions converge is incorrect. Question: What fault is there if the cause ceases and transforms into the effect? Answer: If the cause transforms into the effect, the cause reaches the effect. Then the cause that arose previously, having arisen, arises again." (T30, 26c) Patriarch Bodhidharma's Six Gates of Shaoshi: Treatise on the Bloodline also says: "Question: If one does not see the nature, can one attain Buddhahood by reciting the Buddha's name, chanting sutras, practicing generosity, upholding precepts, being diligent, and widely performing meritorious deeds? Answer: No. Question: Why not? Answer: If there is the slightest dharma that can be attained, it is conditioned dharma (saṃskṛta-dharma), it is cause and effect, it involves receiving retribution, it is the dharma of saṃsāra, and one cannot escape birth and death. How can one attain the path to Buddhahood! Attaining Buddhahood requires seeing the nature. If one does not see the nature, talk of cause and effect, etc., is the dharma of heretics. If one is a Buddha, one does not practice the dharma of heretics. A Buddha is a person of no karma, no cause and effect. If there is the slightest dharma that can be attained, it is all slandering the Buddha. How could one attain it? If there is any attachment to one mind, one capacity, one understanding, one view, the Buddha does not permit it at all. The Buddha has no upholding or violating [precepts]; the mind-nature is fundamentally empty, neither defiled nor pure. All dharmas are uncultivated and unverified, without cause or effect." (T48, 374a) It also says: "Buddha is also called Dharmakāya, also called the fundamental mind. This mind has no form or characteristic, no cause or effect, no muscles or bones; it is like empty space, ungraspable, unlike obstructing matter, unlike heretics." (T48, 376a)

In summary, in the various sutras and treatises of Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, there is definitively no erroneous theory of a "First Cause" that can produce all dharmas. Because all dharmas arise from the convergence of myriad conditions, like illusions, like transformations; from the beginning, they are unborn and unceasing. True Suchness (tathatā), the nature of Dharma (dharmatā), the Tathāgatagarbha, and all dharmas of birth-and-death and afflictions (kleśa) are like water and waves—they are entirely mutually identical and entirely mutually inclusive. Arising is total arising, ceasing is total ceasing. They arise right where they are and cease wherever they are. Apart from waves, no water can be spoken of; apart from water, no waves can be found. One cannot say that water is the first cause of waves, nor can one say that waves are "derived" from water. Water and waves cannot form a dichotomy of producer and produced. The true reality (tathātā) of all dharmas is originally Thusness (tathā); the true nature of Thusness is also Thusness; the phenomena of dependent origination are also Thusness. As it is said: "All dharmas have such characteristics, such nature, such essence, such power, such function, such causes, such conditions, such effects, such retribution, such beginning-and-end ultimately equal." (T9, 5c) As the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Volume 2 says: "All fleeting dust, all illusory forms, arise right where they are and cease wherever they are. Illusion and delusion are called characteristics (lakṣaṇa); their nature is truly the wondrously awakened luminous essence (myo-jaku-myō-tai). So it is, down to the five aggregates (skandha), the six sense bases (āyatana), from the twelve sense fields (āyatana) to the eighteen realms (dhātu). Through the convergence of causes and conditions, they falsely seem to arise; through the separation of causes and conditions, they are falsely named as ceasing. Fundamentally unable to know that arising, ceasing, going, and coming are originally the Tathāgatagarbha, the eternally abiding wondrous clarity (myō-myō), unmoving, pervasive, and complete wondrous true nature of Thusness (myō-shin-nyo-shō). Within the true eternal nature (shō-shin-jō-chū), seeking for going, coming, delusion, awakening, death, and birth yields absolutely nothing." (T19, 114a) Likewise, the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra says: "Ordinary beings lack wisdom; the Storehouse Consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) is like a great ocean; karmic characteristics (karma-lakṣaṇa) are like waves; understanding proceeds by analogy based on this." It also says: "Just as the ocean water transforms, giving rise to various waves; so too the seven consciousnesses, arising together in conjunction with the mind (manas)." Such is the fundamental correct view of Buddhadharma, incompatible with non-Buddhist views, the ultimate meaning of the Buddhist worldview and view of life, and indeed the very lifeblood of Mahāyāna Buddhism!

However, Xiao Pingshi sets up "dependently arisen dharmas" (pratītyasamutpanna-dharma) in opposition to the "true reality of the Tathāgatagarbha Ālayavijñāna," akin to setting "ocean water and waves" in opposition. He treats dependently arisen dharmas as "derivatives" of the true reality, and the true nature of Thusness (tathatā) as the "generative cause" of dependently arisen dharmas. He believes: The Tathāgatagarbha Ālayavijñāna is the "First Cause" of the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe and all things, and dependently arisen dharmas are "derived" from the Tathāgatagarbha Ālayavijñāna. He says:

"After your True Suchness gives rise to the aggregates (skandha), sense fields (āyatana), and realms (dhātu), it then cooperates with the aggregates, sense fields, and realms to give rise to all dharmas." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 39)

"Because you realize your own True Suchness, the Eighth Consciousness, and from this Eighth Consciousness observe Its purity and freedom, Its continuity throughout all time, Its ability to give rise to all dharmas, and that the eighteen realms are entirely produced by It." (Self and Non-Self, p. 39)

"Although this physical body is not the true 'I', it is not completely unrelated to the 'true I', because it is produced by that 'true I'—your physical body is created by your Eighth Consciousness." (Self and Non-Self, p. 41)

"Therefore, all worldly and transmundane dharmas arise solely from the eight consciousnesses (mind-kings, citta-rāja); hence it is said, 'All dharmas are consciousness-only'." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 216)

"Thus it is said, Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition are not separate from all dharmas produced by the eight consciousnesses (mind-kings); and after these dharmas are resolved back into the eight consciousnesses (mind-kings), they must further be resolved back into the root of the eight consciousnesses—the Eighth Consciousness, Ālaya." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 217)

"Apart from the eighteen realms, there is a separate self-existent mind which is the cause of the eighteen realms." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 82)

"The cause of the dependent origination and dependent cessation of all dharmas—the true reality of the Storehouse Consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna)." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 54)

In Xiao Pingshi's view, the terms "give rise to" (chusheng), "able to give rise to" (neng sheng), "produced by" (suo sheng), "produced" (sheng chulai), "created by" (suo chuangzao), etc., all denote a relationship of "producer and produced in opposition." The Eighth Consciousness is the "creator of all things," thus leading to the absurd conclusion that the Eighth Consciousness is the "First Cause." And the "cause" mentioned here explicitly refers to the "First Cause"! Just as his favored disciple explains:

The Taoist principle of Taiji (太極) is correct in terms of worldly dharmas, but incorrect in the cognition of the fundamental reality of the Dharma realm. Fellow practitioners can look at the text description written by Teacher Xiao on the book cover: "Taiji is mere speculation, the root is truly the True Consciousness; Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities (liangyi), all dharmas arise from this. Within non-self, there is a self; within the self, there is no self; Nirvāṇa leaves only the True Consciousness, self and non-self are both eliminated." Taoism takes the Wuji Taiji (無極太極, Limitless Ultimate) as the root, deriving the theory of the eight trigrams (bagua). The principle it describes regarding the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe is correct, but it does not know the First Cause—it does not know that the Tathāgatagarbha is the true root—it does not know that the so-called Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha. From the verse written by Teacher Xiao, you should be able to understand the reasoning. If a practitioner of Buddhadharma can thoroughly awaken to the principle of the ultimate truth's (paramārtha-satya) True Consciousness—the Tathāgatagarbha—then henceforth, regarding worldly and transmundane dharmas: from the liberation path (vimokṣa-mārga) of conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) to the Buddha-Bodhi path (buddha-bodhi-mārga) of ultimate truth, one can thoroughly penetrate them, let alone the relative principles of existence in the world. (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, pp. 22-23)

This passage completely reveals Xiao Pingshi's "First Cause" heretical erroneous view, leaving no room for denial! At this point, we suddenly realize that his constant invocation of the "True Tathāgatagarbha" aims precisely at having found the origin of the universe and all dharmas. From this origin as the First Cause arise all dependently arisen dharmas. This is exactly the assertion of the fifth heretic, the Īśāna theorist, mentioned earlier: "That which is formless yet can produce all animate and inanimate things." (T32, 157a) Furthermore, it blatantly echoes the heretical doctrines of Taoism. The claims that "Taoism takes the Wuji Taiji as the root," "the Tathāgatagarbha is the true root," and "Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha," and even openly stating: "The Taoist principle of Taiji is correct in terms of worldly dharmas," and "Taoism takes the Wuji Taiji as the root, deriving the theory of the eight trigrams; the principle it describes regarding the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe is correct." This completely disregards the perfect explanation of the arising and ceasing phenomena of the universe in Buddhadharma—"All dharmas arise from causes and conditions, all dharmas cease through causes and conditions" (ye dharma hetuprabhava...)—insisting instead on imposing a "First Cause" onto the "Tathāgatagarbha" and the "true reality of dharmas," arbitrarily replacing and trampling upon the ultimate truth of Buddhadharma! What is his intention? If he admires the heretical "principle of Taiji" and the fallacy of the "First Cause" so much, why not simply become a declared heretic? Why must he articulate Buddhist terminology and doctrine so "insightfully"? Why still brand himself as a Buddhist "True Good Knowing Advisor" (satkalyāṇamitra), representing the "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles"? There are intrinsic reasons for this, which will be evidenced later!

Even Xiao Pingshi himself admits this is a heretical erroneous view, stating: "Distance oneself from the heretical erroneous view of falsely establishing a First Cause of the universe." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 32) Yet, all his own writings plagiarize the terminology and doctrines of the Three Vehicles of Buddhadharma, focusing particularly on the "Tathāgatagarbha" and "Ālayavijñāna," where his effort "cannot be said to be lacking"! However, concerning the correct meaning of the Tathāgatagarbha and Ālayavijñāna in Buddhadharma, he only understands the superficial meaning of the words or their imagined connotations. In all descriptions concerning "Tathāgatagarbha," "Ālayavijñāna," "true reality," etc., at first glance, they seem error-free (in reality, this is due to his mastery of linguistic games, as will be demonstrated below). Yet, their essence is the heretical doctrine of understanding True Suchness and true reality as a "First Cause," truly "missing the mark by a thousand miles." Why is this so? Because his so-called "personal realization of the Tathāgatagarbha" comes from "speculation" (yixiang), as stated in the verse on the cover of his Self and Non-Self: "Taiji is mere speculation, the root is truly the True Consciousness; Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities, all dharmas arise from this." His disciple explains: "Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha." Since Taiji is the Tathāgatagarbha, and Taiji belongs to speculation, then the Tathāgatagarbha naturally, like Taiji, also comes from speculation. But he insists, "the root is truly the True Consciousness," meaning "the Tathāgatagarbha is the true root." Therefore, the Tathāgatagarbha becomes the "First Cause," and from this First Cause arise ignorance (avidyā), the two polarities (liangyi, perhaps yin and yang or subject-object duality), and subsequently all dharmas. Looking closely again, he says, "Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities, all dharmas arise from this." Here, "ignorance" becomes the Taoist "Taiji," because "the Taoist principle of Taiji is correct in terms of worldly dharmas," yet "Wuji Taiji is actually the Tathāgatagarbha." Thus, ignorance, Taiji, and Tathāgatagarbha all become the "First Cause" that "can give rise to" all dharmas. And his so-called Buddhist "ultimate truth" (paramārtha-satya), "True Suchness" (tathatā), "Ālayavijñāna," etc., are all similar or equivalent to the Tathāgatagarbha, naturally all becoming the "First Cause" from which "all dharmas arise." Therefore, on the cover of Self and Non-Self, he directly uses the heretical Taiji diagram to represent the relationship between self and non-self. Truly "unheard of"! Absolutely absurd to the extreme!!

Thus, Xiao Pingshi uses the Mahāyāna True Dharma as a cover to propagate his own "First Cause" heretical erroneous view, repeatedly slandering ancient and modern Buddhist masters as "eternalistic heretics" (śāśvata-vāda), while his own statements represent true "eternalistic heresy." This clearly demonstrates his tactic of "the thief crying 'stop thief'!" Why? Because "Ignorance gives rise to the two polarities, all dharmas arise from this" is a heretical doctrine; because a First Cause producing all things is not Buddhadharma; because the First Cause being the Tathāgatagarbha is not the correct principle; because the First Cause being the true reality is not the correct view; because the First Cause being the Ālayavijñāna is not the theory of Consciousness-Only (Vijñapti-mātratā); because a First Cause producing dependently arisen dharmas is not the truth; because it is not the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya) of Buddhadharma; because it is not the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) of Buddhadharma; because it is not the Bodhi path of Buddhadharma; because it is not the liberation path of the Two Vehicles; because it is not the Buddhist worldview; because it is not the Buddhist view of life; because it is not the Buddhist theory of liberation; because it is not the direct perception (pratyakṣa) or valid cognition (pramāṇa) of Buddhadharma; because the "First Cause" contradicts all principles of Buddhadharma. Based on this, it is judged that Xiao Pingshi's "First Cause" is indeed a heretical erroneous view!

He constantly boasts of his "personal realization of the Tathāgatagarbha," "seeing the Buddha-nature with his own eyes," being a "True Good Knowing Advisor," all signifying that he has personally realized the "First Cause," the root source of the universe and all things. He establishes his arguments based on this First Cause, yet uses terms like Tathāgatagarbha and Buddha-nature as synonyms for the First Cause. This originates from his own contemplative "speculation," completely deviating from all Buddhist sutras and the Buddhadharma itself, while still plagiarizing Buddhist scriptures by interpreting them out of context to serve as his cover. The so-called seeing the path (darśana-mārga) of his followers also stems from their pride in believing they have "found the First Cause of the universe and all dharmas—the Tathāgatagarbha/Buddha-nature," consequently feeling they have transcended ordinary beings and become sages or bodhisattvas. Although they understand or conform to the heretical principle of the First Cause, feeling "boundless benefit and endless gratitude," they have never even dreamed of the Buddha's true Dharma. Therefore, using this heretical doctrine of the "First Cause" to measure the Tripiṭaka and the teachings of the Five Vehicles, wherever they are ignorant or fail to comprehend, or where the texts do not conform to the literal narrative of the "First Cause," or cannot serve as a cover for his "First Cause" erroneous view, they are uniformly slandered as "forged Buddhist sutras" or "unawakened or mistakenly awakened"! He openly provokes and maliciously slanders all aspects of the Three Jewels, the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and the sacred teachings of Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, thus showing no belief in cause and effect, no fear of painful retribution, and widely creating the evil karma of slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha. Yet he himself and his followers remain confidently boastful and delusional, each claiming to have seen the path, realized the path, and awakened to the Bodhi path!

If you, Xiao Pingshi, are still a man whose conscience is not entirely lost, you should honestly and completely overturn your "First Cause" fallacy, lead your disciples out of the erroneous path of slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha, stand up and respectfully and earnestly repent to the Three Jewels of the ten directions and three times. Henceforth, cease creating boundless evil karma, cease harming the Dharma-body and wisdom-life of the masses, cease confusing the vast Buddhist faithful, whether already believing or not. The Buddhadharma is compassionate and universally liberates those with affinity! This is sincerely hoped for!! If, however, you continue to ignore the correct view of the Buddhadharma and cling to heretical erroneous doctrines, or use even more cunning sophistry to usurp Buddhist terminology as a shield for your "First Cause" erroneous view, then not only will it be a case of "one blind person leading many blind people, pulling each other into the fiery pit," but also "destroying the venerable Three Jewels, plunging the world into prolonged darkness!" The terrifying nature of the consequences is hinted at, warned against, advised against with heartfelt pleas, and described chillingly throughout your own books, Xiao Pingshi! You ought to reflect on this yourself! Further elaboration here is unnecessary.

However, what saddens us is that Xiao Pingshi will likely not change his stance on the "First Cause" heresy. Why? Because his view-delusion (dṛṣṭi-moha) of "self-view" (ātma-dṛṣṭi) has not been severed. He believes he has found the origin of the universe, verified the real existence of the "First Cause," disregarded the law of cause and effect in dependent origination, plagiarized the rich and perfect terminology and doctrines of Buddhist cultivation and realization, and coupled this with superhuman linguistic gaming skills. He has already formed his own "unique" style of preaching, gradually attracting kind-hearted and easily deceived people, engaging in a foolish "personality cult movement"! Therefore, he is unlikely to realize his error and return. Since his actual actions have severely damaged the purity and solemnity of Buddhism, directly impacting the propagation of the True Dharma in the world, it is necessary for us to make a clear assessment of his "personality cult movement" to clarify the insults suffered by ancient and modern masters and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and restore the sacred purity and solemnity of our Buddhist Three Jewels.

II. The "Personality Cult Movement" Stemming from the Decline of the Human Spirit

"Personality cult movements" are common phenomena in history. Whether it's a cult organization or the emergence of a heretical path, this specific type of man-made "god-making" is unavoidable. Generally, human personality cult movements possess five characteristics and three causes. The five characteristics are: self-deification, self-centeredness, apparent compliance with hidden opposition, enticement and bewitchment, and mental control. The three causes are: self-inflation, pursuit of profit, and the decline of the human spirit. After reading Xiao Pingshi's works, we quickly discover that he fully embodies these five characteristics and three causes. Given his frantic attacks and blasphemy against ancient and modern masters and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, we must rationally analyze these five characteristics and three causes, present evidence of this personality cult movement, and expose the hidden and overt aspects of his slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha.

1. Five Characteristics of Xiao Pingshi's Personality Cult Movement:

First, Self-Deification: This is the primary characteristic of all personality cult movements. Either they claim direct communication with deities, declare themselves executors of divine will, boast of superhuman abilities to lead mortals into the divine realm, or directly proclaim themselves Buddhas, sage-level Bodhisattvas, saints, saviors, etc. These features are blatantly evident in Xiao Pingshi's works! Besides constantly branding himself as a truly awakened "True Good Knowing Advisor" and a "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member" (mahāyāna-ārya-saṅgha), his various writings consistently portray him as a Bodhisattva on the first ground (bhūmi) or higher. He often boasts of knowing countless past lives, saying, for instance: "In recent years, often in meditative concentration (samādhi), I have seen the pure practices of propagating the Dharma in past lives, as well as the erroneous creation of karma by slandering the Dharma countless eons ago and receiving retribution, etc." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 2), and "seeing my future lives, also mostly as a householder, rarely as a monastic" (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 92). Such statements are ubiquitous, presenting himself as a sage "able to know the past and future," even knowing the karma creation and retribution from "countless eons ago." Under the guise of these two self-deifying tactics—being a "sage-level Bodhisattva" and "knowing past and future"—his followers come to revere him as a saint, praising him as "the awakened monastic body from the past two thousand-plus years, now manifesting in this second life as an awakened householder body." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 141) They shamelessly claim, "His manifestation in lay form in this life was arranged by the Buddha." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 140) Thus, the goal of self-deification is achieved! Similar claims are too numerous to count, visible everywhere. We cite these merely as evidence of his clear "self-deification" characteristic. Setting aside whether he possesses such "divine powers," given the actual substance of his aforementioned "First Cause" heresy, where attachment to self (ātma-grāha) and self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) are fundamentally unbroken, he is merely an afflicted sentient being in saṃsāra, at best considered a heretic confusing both Buddhadharma and worldly dharma. How can he call himself a Buddhist sage who has seen the path and realized the path? This also proves his claims are purely self-deifying great delusions (mahā-mṛṣā-vāda), utterly unworthy of belief. Furthermore, if his coming into this world was "arranged by the Buddha," wouldn't the Buddha become an "omnipotent God"? This absurd deification tactic crumbles under scrutiny, yet sadly, many people are still deceived!

Second, Self-Centeredness: All personality cult movements in history are perpetrated by ordinary people whose self-attachment (ātma-grāha) is unbroken. Because self-attachment is not eliminated, self-love, self-craving, attachment to possessions (ātma-māna, ātma-tṛṣṇā, mamakāra), etc., bind the mind, leading invariably to self-centeredness. This prevents objective understanding of others' statements and promotes one's own assertions as "supreme and unique," intentionally or unintentionally implying transcendence over all past and present sages, even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is also ubiquitously seen in Xiao Pingshi's writings! For example, he says: "You all must be half-believing and half-doubting today. Let alone completing the path of the first ground in one lifetime, even just the simplest mind-awakening (mingxin kaiwu), you must all be half-believing and half-doubting. So how can you believe without doubt? There is only one way: try to practice according to the methods and views taught in these books of mine." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 68) He also says: "Well, we have explained this principle extensively in the Pingshi Letters. When you go back, don't be polite, take one copy of each book. Don't feel embarrassed about taking two or three copies, no! We printed them to give to everyone; since we have formed this Dharma connection today, just take them back properly! The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) From these two quotes, Xiao Pingshi's intense desire for self-centeredness is crystal clear: only the methods in his books lead to mind-awakening, and the Dharma in his books is globally unique. This obviously negates the entire Buddhist Tripiṭaka worldwide! Because "there is only one way"—the methods in his books—and the Dharma in his books cannot be found anywhere else globally. When he said this, did he even consider the Buddhist Tripiṭaka? Not at all. Such statements slandering and destroying the Buddhist Tripiṭaka emanate entirely from the depths of his own mind. Based on his own "First Cause" erroneous view, he feels justified in scorning the Tripiṭaka and elevating his own books to a "supreme" position. The books he wrote are indeed "globally unseen" advertising billboards for his personality cult movement!

Third, Apparent Compliance with Hidden Opposition (明从暗排 - ming cong an pai): "Apparent compliance" refers to the theoretical background of all personality cult movements; ostensibly, their theories have some basis. "Hidden opposition" means that, in reality, they leverage certain theories as cover to propagate their personal ideas, even actively rejecting the theories they ostensibly follow. For example, using banners like "pseudo-science" or "pseudo-religion" to reject genuine science and religion, thereby achieving their goal of a personality cult movement. Xiao Pingshi operates similarly: ostensibly "complying with Buddhadharma," but actually "covertly opposing Buddhism." He uses shields like "Buddhist True Enlightenment," "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," "True Good Knowing Advisor," and all manner of Buddhist terminology and doctrine, speaking quite plausibly ("head follows head, path follows path"). In reality, however, he slanders ancient and modern masters, destroys the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and disregards even the Buddha and the sutras. From his various works, a hidden agenda emerges: first, completely demolish Tibetan Buddhist Tantra (see Crazy Tantra and True Tantra, Volumes 1-4); second, negate wholesale many ancient and modern Buddhist masters (all his works misinterpret and distort the original meanings of ancient and modern masters, indulging in rampant slander, too numerous to list); third, destroy numerous Buddhist sutras in the "Esoteric Section" of the Chinese Tripitaka, such as the Mahāvairocana Sūtra and Vajraśekhara Sūtra, branding them as counterfeit (see Crazy Tantra and True Tantra, pp. 9-10); finally, he nonsensically claims: "There is only one way for mind-awakening: practice according to the methods and views taught in these books of mine." Even the Buddha is inferior to him, and all sutras spoken by the Buddha lack the brilliance of "the Dharma spoken in those books of mine." He says: "We wrote The True Tathāgatagarbha, proving the existence of the Tathāgatagarbha; if you have the chance, you should buy and read that book. That book is extremely brilliant, guaranteed to be something you have never read before." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 71) "The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) Therefore, while ostensibly based on the True Dharma of the Three Vehicles, he covertly destroys the Three Jewels, rejecting all Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel), the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, and the Sangha upholders (Sangha Jewel). Yet he still flies the flag of "True Good Knowing Advisor" and "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles." This exemplifies the "apparent compliance with Buddhadharma, hidden opposition to Buddhism" characteristic of a personality cult movement.

Fourth, Enticement and Bewitchment: This is another despicable tactic of personality cult movements. Typically, the leader poses as an elder or savior, fabricating slanders against famous people, criticizing society, positioning only themselves as capable of salvation while portraying others (especially contemporary famous figures) as driven by fame and profit. All goodness, wisdom, light, and greatness belong to them; all evil, stupidity, darkness, and baseness belong to others. This harms and confuses the public mind, after which the leader emerges with the facade of a world-saving elder, "using heretical methods to widely poison the kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 126), thereby profiting like the fisherman. Thus, Xiao Pingshi, under the banner of "True Good Knowing Advisor," "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member," and "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," disrupts various Buddhist Dharma propagation institutions, attacks ancient and modern masters, even Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel), shaking society's and believers' faith. He claims: "Whether the substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma can continue depends on what our generation does; because mainland China currently has no true Chan Dharma, the whole world doesn't, only Taiwan has it now. But to speak frankly, in all of Taiwan, only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it. This is indeed the current situation." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) This kind of snake-oil salesman pitch, bewitching the "kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples," naturally has some effect. Consequently, his followers praise him extravagantly: "He can be called the contemporary world's unique Great Good Knowing Advisor who is proficient in both the 'Essential Doctrine' ('宗', zong) and 'Exposition' ('教', jiao)." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 5) This negates all forms of Buddhist Dharma propagation activities and uses various so-called "Path-Seeing Reports" (jiandao baogao) to confuse the "kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples" eager for quick results. It seems as if all affairs under heaven, past and present, are in the palm of his hand. Commercial hype tactics like "globally none," "unique" are all employed, hence the "allure." Furthermore, in the hundred cases of his Gongan Commentaries, over forty dangle the bait "Come to the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association, I will awaken you." In all the Gongan Commentaries, besides expounding or hinting at the "First Cause" heretical view, the pivotal phrase used to entice and bewitch the vast numbers of believers, both existing and potential, is "Come, then, to the True Enlightenment Lecture Hall" (qie dao zhengjue jiangtang lai). The malicious intent is outrageous!

Fifth, Mental Control: This is the most shameless and harmful characteristic of all personality cult movements. Under the interlocking traps of the previous four characteristics, carelessly stepping into this demonic territory makes it difficult to avoid falling into his meticulously designed snare. One becomes unknowingly subjected to his mental control, unable to stop! Either one works slavishly for him, propagating unrealistic merits and abilities; or one becomes irrationally devoted to and fixated on the dharma he teaches and the views he points out; or one groundlessly slanders ancient and modern sages without fear of retribution. Various manifestations of derangement and confusion are symptoms of severe mental control. This is also evident in Xiao Pingshi's books! For example, his favored disciple Zhang Guoyuan says: "He can be called the contemporary world's unique Great Good Knowing Advisor who is proficient in both the 'Essential Doctrine' and 'Exposition'." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 5) Zheng De says: "Teacher Xiao's manifestation in lay form in this life was arranged by the Buddha. To accomplish the great task of protecting the True Dharma, it was necessary to use a lay body to conveniently work freely; a monastic body could not do this work, hence the manifestation in lay form this life." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 140) Phrases like "unique" and "arranged by the Buddha" are purely nonsensical ramblings indicative of mental derangement. On what basis do you claim "unique" in the world? On what basis "arranged by the Buddha"? Isn't this telling blatant lies? Living the five desires (pañca-kāma) of a householder, yet trying to gild one's own image while smearing the Buddha's face by claiming it was "arranged by the Buddha." Historically, protectors of the True Dharma in Buddhism were primarily monastic disciples, like Nāgārjuna, Deva, Asaṅga, Vasubandhu—all great Bodhisattvas in monastic form. How could it be that "a monastic body could not do this work"? Moreover, how would you, a disciple of Xiao Pingshi, know this "decree" of the Buddha, that it was "arranged by the Buddha"? All such groundless, arbitrary nonsense reveals the loss of reason under mental control, resulting in laughable, foolish talk. Especially under the confusion of the "First Cause" heretical view, his followers almost universally critique and even randomly slander ancient and modern masters and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, each regarding themselves as world-saving sages, appearing very innocent and deeply emotional. They hope all Buddhist propagation institutions worldwide will shut down or convert entirely to Xiao Pingshi's "heretical First Cause" views, only then feeling a sense of accomplishment in their "Dharma protection" work. This is simply daydreaming and nonsensical talk!

Generally, three types of people fall under Xiao Pingshi's mental control: first, those eager for quick awakening; second, those who are self-centered; third, those who are kind-hearted and easily deceived. For the first type, Xiao Pingshi uses the heretical view of the "First Cause" to envelop them. Thus, those certified by him as having achieved "mind-awakening" (mingxin) or "seeing the nature" (jianxing) share a common feeling: finally, the root source of the universe and all dharmas has been found; all dharmas arise from this First Cause root. They then use their misunderstood Buddhist terms and doctrines like Ālayavijñāna and Tathāgatagarbha as standards for certification, feeling self-satisfied, each proclaiming awakening to the Bodhi path, "considering themselves sages, which becomes the karma of great delusion (mahā-mṛṣā-vāda), a hellish offense, making the problem very serious." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 15) This is all due to not understanding the relationship between essence (tǐ), characteristics (xiàng), and function (yòng) in Buddhadharma, not comprehending the true reality of the Perfect Teaching (yuanjiao) and the Avataṃsaka realm (huayan jingjie). Consequently, they deviate from Vijñapti-mātratā Buddhadharma, fall into the heretical view of the First Cause, become mentally controlled, and cannot extricate themselves! This is revealed in the various volumes of Gongan Commentaries and various "Path-Seeing Reports." All references to mind, nature, Ālayavijñāna, Tathāgatagarbha, True Suchness, Buddha-nature, etc., become mere synonyms for Xiao Pingshi's "First Cause," as exposed in the first section above. For the second type, these are people congenial to Xiao Pingshi. Rather than being mentally controlled, it's more like colluding together, each getting what they need, mutually flattering and exploiting each other. By slandering and destroying others' Buddhist propagation efforts, they gain a sense of accomplishment, temporarily satisfying their inflated egos, and work tirelessly towards this end! This is apparent in books like Crazy Tantra and True Tantra (Volumes 1-4), A Collection of Dharma Protection, and The Crisis of Buddhism. This also forms the internal motivation and driving force of Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement, using the pretext of being "arranged by the Buddha" to control this group. For the third type, Xiao Pingshi needs relatively pure Buddhist terminology and doctrine as cover, sprinkled with some "self-deification" stories, and applying pressure with claims like "there is no True Dharma elsewhere," "I am the True Good Knowing Advisor," "one cannot slander a Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member," "slander leads to falling into Avīci hell." This is the effort made in books like Formless Nianfo, The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land, The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, and Detailed Explanation of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (Volumes 1-6). The narrative language is almost indistinguishable from genuine Dharma, but the so-called ultimate, definitive meaning is the heretical First Cause view! In this way, the three types of people who can help him complete his personality cult movement are appropriately managed. Thus, their minds naturally fall under his control—it should be said, "arranged by Xiao Pingshi," not "arranged by the Buddha"! Because the "First Cause" heretical view is not the Buddha's True Dharma! Because Xiao Pingshi's writings are fundamentally based on the "First Cause" heretical view! Because certifying disciples' path-seeing is based on verifying the First Cause, the origin of the universe and all dharmas! Because he steals Buddhist terminology and doctrine but not the substance of Buddhadharma! Because he recklessly destroys the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles without understanding the true reality of the Perfect Teaching! He merely uses the superficial appearance of Buddhism, along with Buddhist terminology and fruition-state nomenclature, as packaging!

Thus, the five characteristics of Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement are all present: first, self-deification, self-centeredness, apparent compliance with Buddhadharma while covertly opposing it; then, enticement, bewitchment, and mental control. Therefore, it should be judged as a genuine "personality cult movement"! However, "For Pingshi, he neither accepts monetary offerings, nor offerings of companions of the opposite sex from sentient beings, nor seeks fame, nor has ever hoped for anything from sentient beings—never has a single thought of obtaining any worldly benefit from sentient beings." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 14) Why, then, does he undertake such arduous efforts to conduct this personality cult movement? This certainly stems from the background of Taiwan's Buddhist situation and social environment, combined with factors like self-consciousness, social sentiments, and the decline of the human spirit. We will discuss this based on the following three causes.

2. Three Causes of Xiao Pingshi's Personality Cult Movement:

First, Self-Inflation: The instigators of all personality cult movements are ordinary people whose self-attachment (ātma-grāha) and self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) remain unbroken, and who focus intensely on their own self-attachment and self-view. Thus, these movements are extreme manifestations of self-inflation, the primary cause of personality cults. If self-inflation were not intolerably severe, fame and glory could be sought through other relatively legitimate worldly channels, rendering the self-deifying "personality cult movement" unnecessary. Therefore, all personality cult movements are rooted in extreme self-inflation and are expressions of an exceedingly strong desire for self-display. In Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement, his self-inflated consciousness and behavior are also very evident. For instance, the back cover of his The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land states: "Speaking what the Pure Land Patriarchs never spoke, revealing what the Patriarchs of various schools never revealed... a transcendent view unseen by predecessors." The back cover of The Mani Jewel Collection of the Chan School claims: "A union of compassion and wisdom, full of Chan flavor, a monumental Chan work rarely seen in centuries." Chan—Before and After Awakening asserts: "This book enables people to realize their own true mind, see their own fundamental nature. The slow will exit the three realms after seven rebirths in heaven or human realms; the swift will accomplish it in one lifetime. Practitioners seeking awakening must read this." The True Tathāgatagarbha proclaims: "This book is a magnum opus that all philosophers, religious figures, Buddhists, and those wishing to sublimate their minds must read." Such advertising slogans reveal a self-perception surpassing Buddhas and Patriarchs, "unseen by predecessors." Furthermore, in the preface of Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, etc., he calls himself the "lone child of Mahāyāna in the Dharma-Ending Age," emphasizing: "For awakening the mind, how can one believe without doubt? There is only one way: try to practice according to the methods and views taught in these books of mine." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 68) He also says: "Well, we have explained this principle extensively in the Pingshi Letters... The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) "The substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma... globally, none exists; only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) "Our book The True Tathāgatagarbha is extremely brilliant, guaranteed to be something you have never read before." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 71) Therefore, he says: "We should widely propagate the correct principle of Self and Non-Self, protect the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association, so that the Association can continue to operate normally and completely." (Self and Non-Self, p. 80) Besides these statements of unparalleled self-inflation, even more evident are the various harsh words slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha found in his works—grasping at shadows, stirring up trouble, arbitrarily misinterpreting, and trampling on the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles and ancient and modern masters. Such instances are too numerous to record! Given the foundation of the "First Cause" heretical view and the reality of the "personality cult movement," these are clearly true reflections of self-inflation.

Second, Pursuit of Profit (有利可图 - you li ke tu, lit. 'there is profit to be sought'): Personality cult movements are essentially deceptive acts that fool the populace. Built on self-inflation, another cause for every personality cult movement is the potential for profit. Although the understanding and pursuit of "profit" vary, they are certainly not as Xiao Pingshi claims: "neither accepts monetary offerings... nor seeks fame... never has a single thought of obtaining any worldly benefit from sentient beings." On the contrary, it is precisely to obtain some form of worldly benefit that they dare to engage in personality cult movements so audaciously. Let's first examine Xiao Pingshi's so-called "refuting heterodoxy and revealing orthodoxy" (po xie xian zheng), branding himself as the "True Good Knowing Advisor," "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member." What is the focus of using these as cover for his "personality cult movement"?

Firstly, he was inspired by certain phenomena, as he says: "Those heretics openly and brazenly contend for Buddhist orthodoxy, claiming only they possess the realization power of Buddhadharma, implying that all Buddhist practice centers and all Dharma masters and laypeople in Taiwan are not genuinely Buddhist." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 69) Thus, he imitated them even more boldly, stating clearly: "The substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma... globally, none exists, currently only Taiwan has it. And in all of Taiwan, only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) In this way, he "openly confuses right and wrong, making a mess of the Taiwan Buddhist community." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 69) The consistency in the manner of speaking in these two passages reveals his profound worldly shrewdness. Besides "contending for Buddhist orthodoxy" and "making a mess of the Buddhist community," what is the more fundamental aim?

Secondly, he noticed the resources within Taiwanese Buddhism, stating: "Dharma Drum Mountain, founded by Master Sheng Yen under the name of Dharma Drum Mountain Cultural and Educational Foundation, raised NT$12 billion; this year, the Humanities and Education Foundation was established, seeking to absorb another NT$5 billion, specifically for worldly dharma humanities education matters. These two major foundations established by Master Sheng Yen have become Taiwan's largest money-absorbing machines." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 8, bold emphasis by Xiao Pingshi) He also says: "Furthermore, observing the four major mountains—Fo Guang Shan, Dharma Drum Mountain, Chung Tai Shan, Tzu Chi Foundation—extensively gathering Buddhist resources, like four super-large money-absorbing machines, absorbing over ninety percent of Taiwan's Buddhist resources, has clearly produced a severe crowding-out effect." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 15) He also incites: "Due to the four major practice centers absorbing over ninety percent of Buddhist resources, most minor Dharma masters cannot propagate the True Dharma." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. ?) Thus, after seeing the Buddhist resources, he appeals to Buddhist followers: one should not make offerings to these Buddhist propagation institutions and practice centers, because donating money to them is tantamount to being an accomplice in destroying the True Dharma, with consequences leading to hell. Offerings should be made to genuine practice centers to gain immeasurable merit and benefit, which is the virtuous act of supporting the Buddhadharma. However, "The substance of Mahāyāna Buddhadharma... globally, none exists, currently only Taiwan has it. And in all of Taiwan, only the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 89) Therefore, the unstated conclusion naturally emerges: one can only donate money to the Buddhist True Enlightenment Practitioners Association! Otherwise, one will inevitably "accomplish the great evil karma of slandering the Dharma and slandering Bodhisattva Sangha members."

Thus, he first recognized the importance of orthodox Buddhist status, then saw the abundance of Taiwanese Buddhist resources. This is why he emerged wearing the mask of "True Good Knowing Advisor" and "True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," first "contending for orthodoxy," then "exhorting offerings." His cover tactics are merely more covert and skilled, even his disciples help him claim he acts "entirely without selfish motives, everything done is for sentient beings and practitioners." If Xiao Pingshi genuinely feels in his heart that he "neither accepts monetary offerings... nor seeks fame... never has a single thought of obtaining any worldly benefit from sentient beings," then he is completely trapped in the heretical view of the "First Cause." That is why he ruthlessly destroys the Tripiṭaka and the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, using the rich terminology and doctrine of the gradual stages of Buddhist cultivation and realization to package his own heretical theory of a First Cause producing all things. However, observing the fact of his arduous personality cult movement, it is undeniable and ironclad evidence that "pursuit of profit" is the original driving force behind this movement. As for the actual content of this "profit"—whether it is money, fame, etc.—as he says: "The purpose is merely to faithfully present the situation and content of that time, serving as a witness for future Buddhist history." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 5) His followers also say: "The Dharma commented on in Teacher Xiao's books, in terms of page proportion, mostly concerns monastic Great Dharma Masters, and all are the most famous and powerful Great Dharma Masters of the time; he never comments on less famous masters. Because the practice centers of minor masters and lay practitioners are small, their followers few, their influence smaller." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 104) Is it for "leaving a name for posterity"? Therefore, this conclusion can be left for time to reveal everything!

Third, Decline of the Human Spirit (人心没落 - ren xin mo luo): This provides the social environment for all personality cult movements. Modern society suffers from severe self-consciousness and self-centeredness. Alternatively, the heavy pressures of life and work cause mental tension in modern people. Concurrently, economic development and relative material affluence in modern society also lead to spiritual emptiness. Thus, spiritual guidance, psychology, and religious outreach become particularly important. When people find ancient religions no longer novel or stimulating, the emergence of new religious movements is natural. Humans are the crown of creation, yet also the most fragile of beings! Because human emotions and spirituality are so rich, it is easy to fall into self-aggrandizement or self-indulgent decline! It is in this zone of decline—self-aggrandizement and self-indulgence—that the instigators of "personality cult movements" seize the opportunity to infiltrate. Therefore, the decline of the social spirit is a necessary environment for personality cult movements. Xiao Pingshi's movement also benefits from such a social environment! He first observed the situation where some were "using heretical methods to widely poison Taiwan's kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples; collecting tens of millions in donations from Taiwan's kind-hearted Buddhist disciples." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 126) This social reality was the prerequisite and motivation for launching his personality cult movement! Secondly, amidst rampant heresies and numerous new religious movements, the Dharma masters of major established centers were busy with their own propagation efforts and did not engage in necessary, in-depth refutations. As he says: "But Yin Shun, Chao Hui, and Hsing Yun... the four great Dharma masters, all played deaf and dumb, remained silent, using the excuse that it wasn't worth debating, all acting as 'goody-goodies,' unwilling to take responsibility for refuting heterodoxy, revealing orthodoxy, rescuing Buddhist disciples, and safeguarding Buddhism." (The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 69) Thus, he found what he perceived as a "weakness" within Buddhism itself. With this understanding, he established the Buddhist True Enlightenment Practitioners Association, initiating a personality cult movement from top to bottom, beginning to end, inside and out, seizing the opportunity. Consequently, given Taiwan's abundant Buddhist resources, the fact that Buddhist disciples are "kind-hearted and easily deceived," and the Buddhist Great Dharma Masters are "silent," provided fertile ground for his ambition to "comprehensively replace Buddhism with the First Cause heresy"!

The Buddhist sutras state that two thousand years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, Buddhism enters the "Dharma-Ending Age" (mofa shidai). The shadow of this "Dharma-Ending Age" often looms over the minds of many Buddhist disciples. Especially for some modern individuals eager for quick results and possessing strong self-expressive desires, how they welcome the emergence of fast-food culture! Advertising hype and commercial operations can turn an unknown person into a celebrity or saint overnight. Xiao Pingshi utilizes authoritative yet extremely enticing, baseless, and delusional slogans like "globally unique," "arranged by the Buddha," etc., to lure and bewitch the kind-hearted, easily deceived, or expediently-minded public. And the utilitarianism born from the decline of the human spirit, eager for quick success, precisely needs such an "arrangement by the Buddha" to fill the inner void. Thus, they hit it off instantly, fundamentally unwilling to seriously and objectively examine themselves. Because once they confirm that Xiao Pingshi's thought is fundamentally the heretical view of the First Cause, not true Buddhadharma, it means they are not truly awakened, and they would have to withdraw from the self-deluding joy of "awakening," potentially plunging mind and body into another unknown state of confusion and decline! Therefore, such a personality cult movement is an illusory and shameful act, its consequences inevitably lamentable and tragic!

The decline of the human spirit in the social environment also requires guidance and exposition based on Buddhadharma. The social function of Buddhadharma in the real world is to enable suffering beings to leave suffering and attain happiness. However, Buddhist exposition and guidance lead sentient beings onto the bright path of awakening in a solid, practical manner, absolutely never resorting to base and despicable means like "personality cult movements" to deceive the populace! They absolutely would not tell falsehoods like "this was arranged by the Buddha" to fool Buddhist disciples, nor would they make wildly arrogant and inverted claims like "you could travel the globe and never find [such books]" to imply their writings surpass all Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel), and certainly never use deceptive words like "globally, only here is there Buddhadharma"! If Xiao Pingshi and his followers still insist repeatedly that "our Dharma is entirely based on the Tripiṭaka," that is truly shameless nonsense! In which sutra did the Buddha say, "Xiao Pingshi's manifestation in lay form was arranged by the Buddha"? Where did the Buddha say, "Xiao Pingshi's books cannot be found by traveling the globe"? When did the Buddha say, "Xiao Pingshi is the globally unique Great Good Knowing Advisor"? In what place did the Buddha say, "Ālayavijñāna is the First Cause"? Where did the Buddha say, "The First Cause can give rise to the myriad things of dependent origination"?

Observing Xiao Pingshi's various statements, from root to surface, they are all born from the interplay and mutual reinforcement of the "First Cause Heresy" and the "Personality Cult Movement." He wants to plagiarize Buddhist terminology and doctrine to destroy the worldly Three Jewels; he wants to replace Buddhist propagation institutions to contend for Buddhist resources; he wants to challenge ancient and modern Buddhist masters to establish a name for posterity; he wants to confuse the vast Buddhist faithful to create bewilderment and panic! Through the above rational analysis of the five characteristics and three causes of Xiao Pingshi's personality cult movement, one can roughly understand how Xiao Pingshi, having plagiarized Buddhist terminology and doctrine, vigorously promotes the "First Cause" heretical view as a foundation for a covert yet rampant personality cult movement. Alternatively, one could say that to carry out his personality cult movement, Xiao Pingshi uses the First Cause heretical view, rich and perfect Buddhist terminology and doctrine, and self-deifying delusional boasts as cover! In short, as quoted in his The Crisis of Buddhism: "The Dharma transmitted by the True Enlightenment Practitioners Association is evil dharma, it is heretical dharma." (pp. 69-70) We can affirm that the "Dharma" he has transmitted thus far is indeed toxic, as demonstrated above. If we are still unwilling to formally step forward now to refute the errors in Pingshi's Dharma, to save Pingshi from the future life consequences of his "erroneous Dharma propagation," we are truly lacking compassion!

As the Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: "At that time, the celestial māra, awaiting his opportunity, sends his essence to attach to a person, who then speaks the sutra-dharma from his mouth. The person is utterly unaware of the demonic possession, and also claims to have attained supreme nirvāṇa. Coming to the place of the good man seeking knowledge, he sets up a seat and preaches the Dharma. Wearing white robes, he receives bows from bhikṣus. He slanders Chan and Vinaya, curses the disciples, exposes personal matters, avoiding neither ridicule nor suspicion. His mouth constantly speaks of supernatural powers and freedom. Each claims to have achieved the unsurpassed path." The real cause of personality cult movements is actually due to inner impurity, attracting the invasion of external māras. With demonic courage filling the heavens, they act recklessly, betraying teachers and ancestors, destroying the Three Jewels! In fact, besides the aforementioned facts of the "First Cause Heresy" and the "Personality Cult Movement," the reason Xiao Pingshi's writings and teachings can envelop those kind-hearted and easily deceived Buddhist disciples is because he possesses a thick-skinned face of "ingratitude" (wang'en fuyi) and an extraordinary ability for "linguistic manipulation" (wannong wenzi). Thus, the disciples instigated by him naturally learn ingratitude and arrogance. Here, we further reveal and analyze this.

III. The "Ingratitude" of Betraying Teachers and Ancestors

Confucianism has the excellent tradition of "One day a teacher, a father for life." Buddhism has the thought of repaying kindness: "Parents of the Dharma-body, kindness heavier than mountains"! In this Dharma-Ending Age, the ways of the world and the human heart decline day by day. Ingratitude, even repaying kindness with malice, is common. While frantically ridiculing and slandering ancient and modern Buddhist masters, Xiao Pingshi also uses specious linguistic games to arbitrarily trample on the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles, ruthlessly disrupting and destroying the propagation of Buddhadharma in the world. Particularly despicable is how, driven by the ambition of his personality cult movement and the erroneous view of the First Cause heresy, he gradually descended into the dangerous territory of betraying teachers and ancestors, showing ingratitude. This is deeply regrettable and pitiable! Perhaps this is also a component of the personality cult movement, as not only does he himself display ingratitude, but his followers also fall into the deep pit of ingratitude. Is this not tragic! And some among them are completely unaware, truly among those the Tathāgata called pitiable! Here, we simply provide examples from Xiao Pingshi's writings to expose the facts of his own ingratitude, his teaching of ingratitude, and even his betrayal of teachers and ancestors and destruction of the Three Jewels, to set the record straight!

1. His Own "Ingratitude" in Betraying Teachers and Ancestors

First, we see Xiao Pingshi's own "ingratitude" in betraying teachers and ancestors. He says: "Although I broke through (po can, achieved initial awakening) during seated meditation (dazuo), I realized that using the method of seated meditation to investigate Chan (can chan) and seek awakening is an erroneous concept; because the concepts and views my master in this life taught me were all erroneous, that's why I investigated Chan and sought awakening during seated meditation; so after realizing awakening, I instead advise everyone not to investigate Chan during seated meditation." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 17) Here he relates three points: first, "I broke through during seated meditation"; second, "The concepts my master taught me (referring to investigating Chan and seeking awakening during seated meditation) were all erroneous"; third, "I instead advise everyone not to investigate Chan during seated meditation." The background to these three sentences is that he achieved his breakthrough awakening while his master was teaching him seated meditation, specifically during that seated meditation. So, is "seeking awakening during seated meditation" feasible? We know that investigating Chan in Chinese Chan halls is also called "seated Chan" (zuochan). Although sometimes, due to differing individual circumstances, patriarchs have pointed out that "Chan is not achieved by sitting," the sutras repeatedly mention the practice of "sitting upright and contemplating true reality" (duan zuo nian shi xiang). The Chan school also chants "Walking is Chan, sitting is Chan" (xing yi chan, zuo yi chan). While Buddhist history is replete with examples of seeing the nature and awakening during the four postures of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, many more Chan practitioners broke through the 'dark lacquer bucket' (ignorance) on the meditation cushion. To focus on the outward posture instead of the fundamental entry point of the method is an unheard-of "concept and view." Moreover, Śākyamuni Buddha himself attained awakening under the Bodhi tree, seeing the morning star while sitting upright. Let's not even discuss the facts of Buddhist history, but analyze just Xiao Pingshi's statement above. What is he trying to say? Can one "seek awakening during seated meditation" or not?

If, as he claims, "The concepts my master taught me (about seeking awakening in seated meditation) were all erroneous," then one cannot attain awakening during seated meditation. Yet he also says, "I broke through during seated meditation." This proves that his master teaching him to seek awakening through seated meditation was feasible, with factual evidence embodied in himself. How then can he dismiss the concept and view that "one can seek awakening during seated meditation"? Shouldn't he say he "fundamentally did not awaken" or "fundamentally did not awaken during seated meditation"? Yet he insists he "broke through during seated meditation." This fact and theory are clearly self-contradictory. However, if his statement "I broke through during seated meditation" is true (at least Xiao Pingshi himself admits it was a true breakthrough awakening), then this fact already proves that "one can awaken during seated meditation." Since it is factually proven that awakening can occur during seated meditation, why then say "The concepts my master taught me... were all erroneous"? It is truly baffling! How can his contradictory statements be explained?

Furthermore, logical inference from this statement leads to two conclusions: one, Xiao Pingshi did not awaken, or mistakenly believed he awakened, because the very teaching of seeking awakening in seated meditation was erroneous; two, he deliberately opposes his master, receiving benefits from him but then repaying kindness with malice, like Zhu Bajie attacking his own master. Yet, Xiao Pingshi would not dare directly admit either of these outcomes. But his words are printed here, black on white, how can he deny them? On the one hand, he promotes himself as a "truly awakened one," "True Good Knowing Advisor," "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member," constantly flaunting his "breakthrough and emergence to propagate the Dharma," so he certainly won't reveal his underlying "First Cause heretical erroneous view" and lack of awakening, nor his lack of the correct view of Buddhadharma. On the other hand, he deifies himself as a "sage" "able to know countless past and future lives," intending to replace the Buddhist Three Jewels with his own persona and words. Therefore, he acts arbitrarily and recklessly, slandering and framing his own master, and indeed all contemporary great Buddhist masters.

From the passage above, we can imagine: a person unskilled in practice comes to a master. The master certifies his refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), explains the Buddhadharma, answers various questions, and in terms of practice, the master teaches him the method of seated meditation and Chan investigation (we know his master was Master Sheng Yen; the master compassionately guides students in Chan practice, including various methods). This person, Xiao Pingshi, thus practiced seated Chan meditation under his master's guidance, listening to his compassionate teachings. One day, struck by a sudden fancy, he felt he was awakened. He then left his master's guidance, established his own sect, and claimed territory. From then on, he measured his master by his own heretical erroneous views, launching fierce and venomous attacks and blasphemies against his master, framing him for "supporting licentious heretics." From a worldly perspective, this is like the son of kind poor parents who later meets a wealthy scoundrel, sides with the wealthy, and then constantly curses his own biological parents, acknowledging a thief as his father, devoid of conscience. It is also like someone who, after entering university, harshly mocks and even groundlessly insults their former primary school or even kindergarten teachers. Such vile conduct is the behavior of ingratitude. How much more so when his master is a great master propagating Chan practice and realization? In the past, Śākyamuni gave his whole body for half a verse. Confucianism values hearing a single word that benefits for a lifetime. Even worldly ethics speaks of "Repaying a drop of kindness with a gushing spring." Xiao Pingshi, confused by the First Cause heretical view, openly names and slanders his own refuge master (in The Crisis of Buddhism, p. 8 and various books). His ingratitude in betraying his teacher and ancestors is also ironclad evidence. Consequently, his followers have also been infected with this malignant disease!

2. Teaching Others "Ingratitude" and Destroying the Three Jewels

Because Xiao Pingshi himself is thus "ungrateful," under the sway of the First Cause heretical view, those taught by him have almost all become more or less infected with this malignant disease of ingratitude. This is deeply worrying. They still consider themselves to be voicing "The Voice of Compassion," while their words occasionally reveal dissatisfaction and contempt for their former masters and teachers, even claiming "not to fear" violating fundamental Bodhisattva precepts. For example: "Why does this student not fear committing fundamental Bodhisattva precepts? (Referring to the precepts against speaking of the four types of faults, praising oneself and disparaging others, and slandering the Three Jewels) Simply because this student has directly observed: the five aggregates (skandha), the eighteen realms (dhātu) are indeed impermanent, suffering, non-self, non-mine. There must be this unborn, undying mind that penetrates the three times—the 'Tathāgatagarbha, True Self'—to accomplish all dharmas, for cause and effect to be established; moreover, in direct perception (pratyakṣa), the Eighth Consciousness 'Tathāgata' can indeed be personally realized. Therefore, I do not fear committing fundamental precepts and dare to take up the pen to comment." (The Voice of Compassion, p. 38) He fundamentally misunderstands the true meaning of Tathāgatagarbha and the Eighth Consciousness, comparing them to the "First Cause, the origin of the universe," speciously believing he is "no longer confused, no longer hesitant," yet terminally ill without knowing it. He even finds justification for destroying the Three Jewels. How lamentable!

Another example: one of his followers says, "Listening to layman Li Zuyuan speak on the Middle Way True Reality (madhyama-pratipad-tattva), he made the Middle Way sound extremely profound. At that time, many, like me, couldn't understand, always feeling he was very learned." (The Crisis of Buddhism / Path-Seeing Report, p. 273) After being taught by Xiao Pingshi, he says: "Layman Li fundamentally doesn't talk about the Tathāgatagarbha, only telling us: the Middle Way means the knowing mind (juezhi xin) should not fall into the two extremes, meaning everything is non-existent, non-non-existent, non-permanent, non-impermanent. Then he churns around within the words, making people more confused the more they listen." (The Crisis of Buddhism / Path-Seeing Report, p. 274) This viewpoint—that one cannot speak of the Middle Way True Reality without mentioning the term "Tathāgatagarbha"—has never even dreamed of the wondrous principle of the "Ten Suchnesses" (daśa-tathātā) regarding the true reality of all dharmas in the Lotus Sūtra! And to listen to someone teach the Dharma when one doesn't understand it oneself, only to later turn around and say the teacher who once instructed him was "churning around" words. To put it bluntly: truly lacking conscience! The implication is that even reading Buddhist sutras himself didn't lead to understanding, until he later read Xiao Pingshi's The True Tathāgatagarbha, only then knowing what the Middle Way True Reality is. This amounts to casually regarding Buddhist sutras and teachers as inferior to Xiao Pingshi and his writings.

A gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity; a petty person seeks uniformity but not harmony. Under Xiao Pingshi's instigation, those followers who believe themselves to have achieved mind-awakening and seen the nature almost universally turn against the masters and teachers who previously guided them (see various Path-Seeing Reports). Based on the actual First Cause heretical view, each speaks boastfully, calling black white! The Five Vehicles of Buddhadharma have countless ways to guide sentient beings; as it is said: There are many gates of skillful means (upāya), but the return to the origin is a single path. Each of the Ten Suchnesses can be an entry point to the true reality of all dharmas. Patriarchs, great masters, and contemporary Dharma masters also point the way from different angles according to circumstances, untying bonds. If it were truly as Xiao Pingshi and his followers criticize and slander—that globally there is no Mahāyāna True Dharma, only their True Enlightenment Practitioners Association has it, that Xiao Pingshi's books are globally unique, even Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel) are not as brilliant as his writings—then worldly Dharma propagation cannot be done, and transmundane Dharma propagation also cannot be done; these various Buddhist propagation institutions should have been eliminated long ago. In that case, what would Xiao Pingshi and his followers use to brand themselves as "completely conforming to the True Dharma of the Three Vehicles"? What shield would they use for their "First Cause heretical view"? If everything proceeded according to their current wishes, wouldn't Buddhism have been extinguished long before their True Enlightenment Practitioners Association even appeared? Isn't the face of a petty person who achieves success and then kicks away the ladder a perfect portrait of ingratitude? Isn't it the malicious intent of betraying teachers and ancestors?

For every person on the path of Buddhist practice, even hearing half a verse like "All conditioned things are impermanent; this is the law of arising and ceasing" (anityāḥ sarvasaṃskārā utpādavyayadharmiṇaḥ) from a teacher should evoke endless gratitude. How much more so towards one's own refuge master and Dharma teachers? To groundlessly name and slander them? These ungrateful disciples are destroying the worldly Three Jewels. Even if some individuals do not directly slander their teachers, they doubt ancient and modern masters, joining Xiao Pingshi in creating the extremely evil karma of ingratitude and "betraying teachers and ancestors." The terrifying nature of the future retribution makes one's heart pound with fear!

IV. "Linguistic Manipulation" that Slanders the Dharma and Divides the Sangha

Although the ancients said, "The Way of Heaven does not contend, yet excels in winning; does not strive, yet naturally arrives," it is often the case that "a lie told a thousand times becomes 'truth'." The reason Xiao Pingshi can confuse so many people and write so many books, besides his intelligence, capability, diligent study, quick wit, and dedicated writing efforts, fundamentally stems from his superhuman ability for linguistic manipulation. He does not understand the relationship between essence (tǐ), characteristics (xiàng), and function (yòng) in Mahāyāna Buddhadharma, nor does he know the relationship between Ālayavijñāna, seeds (bīja), and manifestation (pravṛtti). He understands even less the true reality of the Perfect Teaching (yuanjiao) and the Avataṃsaka realm (huayan jingjie) in Mahāyāna Buddhadharma. That is why he treats the Ālayavijñāna as the First Cause capable of producing all dependently arisen dharmas, viewing the entire universe, body, mind, and world as derivatives of the self-nature (svabhāva), thus falling into heretical erroneous views. However, his narrative language is truly beautiful, and his skill in manipulating words is extremely high. This allows him to plagiarize the terminology and doctrine of Vijñapti-mātratā Buddhadharma as cover material for propagating his First Cause heretical view, enabling him to more boldly engage in "slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha." Here are just a few examples:

He says: "If the original deluded mind, the consciousness, were gone—without this knowing mind (juezhi xin) capable of cognizing objects and discriminating—then only the 'constant yet unscrutinizing' (heng er bu shen) true mind should remain. Since the true mind is 'constant yet unscrutinizing,' then may I ask: 'After the Buddha awakened, did he become an idiot?' Become a mind that 'does not scrutinize' any object, just like a moron! So the problem becomes very serious." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 14) He also says: "Investigating Chan like this and realizing the 'constant yet unscrutinizing' Tathāgatagarbha is called mind-awakening (mingxin). Only this can withstand the scrutiny of Hīnayāna, Madhyama-yāna, and Mahāyāna Buddhadharma." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 15)

The same explanation of "constant yet unscrutinizing": when others speak of the true mind being "constant yet unscrutinizing," it becomes idiocy; when he speaks of his own so-called true mind being "constant yet unscrutinizing," it is called mind-awakening. This practice of arbitrary distortion and groundless slander is merely a trick of textual manipulation, lacking any real internal distinction, because he has fundamentally no realization regarding the nature of mind. What he has is merely a speculated "First Cause of the universe," using Buddhist terms like Tathāgatagarbha as synonyms. When others speak of the Buddha-nature's wondrous functions, countless as the sands of the Ganges, unborn and undying, he insists that "the Buddha-nature must be seen with the physical eyes born from parents." Yet when the physical eyes born from parents are described as having characteristics (lakṣaṇa), and 'all that has characteristics is illusory' (sarva-lakṣaṇa-vaimalyā?), he adds "wisdom that corresponds in a single thought" (yi nian xiangying hui) after "physical eyes born from parents," or notes "the other five sense organs are also thus." When others speak from the perspective of "function" (yòng) or directly point to the self-nature, he attacks from the perspective of "essence" (tǐ). When others speak of the essence of self-nature from the perspective of "essence," he attacks from the perspective of "function." Yet, in reality, he himself does not truly understand the essence-function relationship of the true reality of dharmas. This tactic of showing off linguistic skill is used repeatedly. Therefore, all his actions fall into heretical erroneous views, leading him to frantically destroy the Three Jewels.

Another example: in the various volumes of Crazy Tantra and True Tantra, he repeatedly mislabels Tibetan Tantric practices involving sexual union (shuangshen fa, lit. 'dual body method') as "desire realm dharma" (kāmadhātu-dharma). Desire realm dharma is worldly dharma, thus heretical dharma. Using this as a pretext, he completely negates all Tantric teachings. This is the 'Achilles' heel' of Tantra that he believes he has grasped most firmly, leaving absolutely no room for maneuver, intending to deal a fatal blow to Tibetan Buddhism and even Chinese Esoteric Buddhist sutras. Yet, he himself says: "Bodhisattvas thus realize Bodhi without having severed the afflictions of greed and hatred in the three realms; this is unknown to ordinary fools, hence it is called inconceivable (acintya)." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 33) Here, the "greed of the three realms" clearly points to "desire realm greed." In his own words, desire realm dharma and dharma of desire (rāga-dharma) now become "inconceivable." Yet, regarding the Tibetan Tantric union practices, which are also unknown to ordinary fools and are inconceivable dharma, he one-sidedly treats them as conceivable dharma, slandering them as licentious dharma (xieyin fa). This linguistic game truly turns clouds into rain with a flip of the hand—if you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext!

Even more laughable is the linguistic manipulation revealed intentionally or unintentionally, making one marvel at his skill, audacity, thick skin, black heart, and sharp tongue. As he says: "Well, we have explained this principle extensively in the Pingshi Letters... When you go back, don't be polite, take one copy of each book... The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 112) This passage truly pushes his linguistic manipulation skills to the extreme! Let's first look at "The Dharma spoken in those books is something you have never seen on the market; you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these." The surface meaning of this sentence is flawless, perfectly logical linguistically. Textually, it's absolutely true that "you could travel the entire globe and never find books like these," because the books he wrote are only available here, nowhere else in the world. This applies not just to books discussing Buddhist doctrine and terminology, but even if they were pornographic books written by Xiao Pingshi, they would certainly be "globally unavailable." So, textually, there's no problem. But is this the real meaning of his sentence? No! His real meaning is: the content discussed in those books cannot be found anywhere else in the world, meaning they surpass any other book globally; only the books he wrote are the best. All listeners present at that time would certainly follow his words and logically conclude: apart from these books, no comparable books exist globally. Naturally, any Buddhist sutras (Dharma Jewel) circulating on the market are inferior to the books he wrote. Thus, Xiao Pingshi achieves the purpose of his statement. This is a method of linguistic misdirection. He doesn't directly say "those books are better than all Buddhist sutras and Dharma Jewels globally," but he intends for people to understand his meaning this way. Those followers intoxicated by his 'bewitching soup' will then fall even more deliriously into the trap he has set, unable to extricate themselves! Because his true aim is to thoroughly destroy the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), ultimately replacing them entirely with his First Cause heretical view. And in fact, he has already begun the criminal act of "replacing the Three Jewels." He uses his own books and heretical views to replace all Buddhist scriptures (Dharma Jewel), while he and his followers repeatedly claim, "The Dharma Teacher Xiao speaks completely conforms to the Three Vehicle Buddhadharma," which is merely a beautiful smokescreen, as evidenced above. Here, concerning his linguistic games, his conspiracy to confuse and destroy the worldly Three Jewels of Buddhadharma, and his tactic of "comprehensively replacing the Sangha Jewel," a brief exposure is made.

His attempt "to act as the Sangha Jewel while in a lay body" (baiyi shen, lit. 'white-robed body') is indeed blatant and foolish!

First, he uses two approaches to conceal his lay status, thereby highlighting his "qualification" for the Sangha Jewel:

1. He particularly emphasizes the explanation of "Noble Sangha" (shengyi seng / ārya-saṅgha), theoretically asserting himself as a "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member." He says: "Bodhisattva Sangha members proficient in both essential doctrine (zong) and exposition (shuo) exist only in Mahāyāna, not in the Two Vehicles; the mastery of essential doctrine and exposition discussed in this book is also based on the standard of Mahāyāna mastery of essential doctrine and exposition, hence the Two Vehicles' mastery of essential doctrine and exposition are not discussed below." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 58) He directly boasts: "In the human world, Noble Bodhisattva Sangha members are extremely rare, especially Bodhisattvas who have realized the wisdom of path-aspects (mārga-ākāra-jñāna) through mastery of essential doctrine and exposition." (Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, p. 59) This misleads those confused followers into thinking he is the supreme "Sangha Jewel," thereby completely losing their reverence and refuge in the worldly Sangha Jewel of the Three Jewels. The Mahāmahāsamnipāta Kṣitigarbha Daśacakra Sūtra, Volume 5 states: "Who are called Noble Sangha? They are the Buddha World-Honored One; or the assembly of Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas whose virtues are venerable and supreme over all dharmas, having attained mastery; or Pratyekabuddhas; or Arhats; or Non-returners (anāgāmin); or Once-returners (sakṛdāgāmin); or Stream-enterers (srota-āpanna). These seven types of individuals (pudgala) are included in the Noble Sangha." (T13, 749c) In reality, Xiao Pingshi is not even the seventh type, a Stream-enterer, because his entire ideology is rooted in the "First Cause" erroneous view, belonging purely to eternalistic heresy (śāśvata-vāda). His view-delusion (dṛṣṭi-moha) is unbroken, and his self-attachment (ātma-grāha) and biased views (antagrāha-dṛṣṭi) are extremely severe. How can he call himself a Noble Sangha member? Clearly, he wants to use the theory of the "Noble Sangha" to cover his lay status, thereby achieving the goal of replacing the pure monastic Sangha Jewel with his desire-realm lay body.
2. He boasts that for two thousand years he was an awakened high monk in monastic form, and only in the last two lives was he "arranged by the Buddha" to uphold the Buddhadharma in a lay white-robed body, while his actual substance remains that of an awakened high monk. As stated: "We should have the wisdom to compare: the awakened monastic body of the past two thousand-plus years, versus the awakened lay body manifested in these two current lives; if compared with others' unawakened monastic bodies for the past two thousand-plus years, who remain unawakened monastics in this life, which person should Buddhist disciples ultimately rely on? This reasoning is actually easy to judge, but no one points it out, so everyone overlooks this principle." (The Mentality of Studying Buddhism, p. 141) Thus, under this groundless premise, he portrays himself as superior to the current Sangha Jewel, telling people not to take refuge in other Sangha members. Consequently, only by taking refuge in Xiao Pingshi can one be considered a Buddhist disciple. This is his initial plan to replace the Buddhist Sangha Jewel with his lay white-robed body, which has already gained the approval and superstitious belief of his followers.

Secondly, he usurps the title "Heshang" (和尚, upādhyāya) reserved for monastic Sangha members. Heshang is from the Sanskrit upādhyāya, transliterated as Wubotuoye, Youpotuohe, Yubodiye, meaning personal teacher (qin jiao shi), near reciter (jin song), relying-on master (yi xue), source of learning (yi sheng). It is one of the three masters of the ordination platform, specifically the "personal teacher" besides the instructing (karmācārya) and procedural (ācārya) masters during precept transmission. After transmission to China, it originally referred to highly virtuous monks, later used by disciples as a respectful address for their master, and conventionally became a specific term for male monastics by society—the current upholding Sangha Jewel of the Three Jewels. To replace the upholding Sangha Jewel, Xiao Pingshi absurdly refers to himself as Heshang. For instance, his followers address him: "Presiding Triple Master (zhu san heshang) Teacher Xiao" (The Mahāyāna View of Non-Self, p. 155), "Wholeheartedly bow in reverence to the parents of my Dharma-body and wisdom-life, the Venerable Master (heshang) Pingshi" (The Perfect Fusion of Chan and Pure Land, p. 133), "Wholeheartedly bow in reverence to the parents of my Dharma-body and wisdom-life, the Venerable Master (heshang) Pingshi" (Self and Non-Self, p. 95), etc. This act of destroying the conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya) of linguistic convention—calling a lay white-robed person a monastic "Heshang"—destroys conventional truth, which in turn destroys ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya). Destroying both conventional and ultimate truth destroys the entire holy teaching of Buddhadharma. As the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, Volume 4 states: "The Buddhas rely on two truths to teach the Dharma for sentient beings: one is conventional truth, the second is ultimate truth. If a person cannot know the distinction between the two truths, then regarding the profound Buddhadharma, they do not know the true meaning." (T30, 32c-33a) Connecting this with his aforementioned First Cause heretical view and personality cult movement, etc., this tactic is clearly a despicable act of confusing the public and replacing the Sangha Jewel. The Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra states: "First, under the Buddha tree, he powerfully subdued māras, attained the nectar of cessation, and realized the path of awakening; already without mind-intentions, without reception or action, yet completely vanquishing all heretics. Turning the Dharma wheel three times in the great chiliocosm, its wheel originally ever pure; gods and humans attained the path, this serves as proof; the Three Jewels thus appeared in the world." (T14, 537c) The sutra explains that after the Buddha turned the wheel of the Four Noble Truths three times in the Deer Park, ordaining the five bhikṣus as the monastic Sangha Jewel, the Three Jewels then appeared in the world. The worldly Three Jewels must be upheld by the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. If a layperson,¹ a white-robed eternalistic heretic adhering to the First Cause, can be called Heshang, a Sangha Jewel, then the Buddhadharma will perish. Observing Xiao Pingshi's actions, he is comprehensively pushing in this direction.

Furthermore, we can see his immense ambition to "replace the Sangha Jewel" from another aspect. On the cover designed by Xiao Pingshi for his book Mastery of the Essential Doctrine and Mastery of Exposition, the illustration depicts the speaking place in the True Enlightenment Lecture Hall. On either side of the lectern in front of the Buddha statue are a wooden fish and a large chime bowl. The front of the lectern bears the characters "正覺" (Zheng Jue, True Enlightenment), confirming it as the lectern of the True Enlightenment Lecture Hall. And in the main speaker's position at the center of the lectern sits, imposingly, a Great Dharma Master wearing a kāṣāya robe, a necklace of beads, holding up one finger, with a shaved head—the image of a monk. Yet, the main teacher of this lecture hall is himself. It is evident that he not only boasts of being a Noble Bodhisattva Sangha member, letting his followers revere him as the Sangha Jewel, but also depicts his own worldly, lay, white-robed form as a monastic Sangha Jewel form. To put it more clearly, he uses his lay body to replace the solemn Dharma image of the Sangha Jewel. Unable to renounce worldly life and the five desires himself, he draws a monastic image to symbolize himself, packaging himself as a Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member, thereby achieving the aim of his personality cult movement: the complete replacement of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha Jewels!

They also arrogantly slander the successive patriarchs and great masters in Buddhist history, blindly and groundlessly criticizing profound ideas like "insentient beings possess Buddha-nature." He fundamentally misunderstands the Avataṃsaka realm and the true reality of the Perfect Teaching, let alone comprehending the profound meaning stated in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra: "Within a single dust mote, Buddhas numerous as dust motes, each dwelling amidst assemblies of Bodhisattvas. So it is for the dust motes of the inexhaustible Dharma realm; deeply believe all are filled with Buddhas." This word "dust" (chen) refers neither to "sense faculty" (gen) nor "consciousness" (shi); it refers precisely to "dust." What capacity does he have to judge such profound Mahāyāna wondrous principles of the Avataṃsaka realm! Yet he still constantly boasts and praises himself, calling himself a "True Good Knowing Advisor," claiming to "completely conform to the True Dharma of the Three Vehicles," asserting his work is "globally unavailable," and proclaiming himself the "globally unique" "Mahāyāna Noble Sangha member." Like a frog in a well looking at the sky through a pipe, he slanders sages and worthies, destroys the Three Jewels, creates karma that warrants having his tongue pulled out, yet feels self-satisfied. None surpasses him in thick skin and black heart. Truly: An ant trying to shake a great tree, laughably overestimates itself! (pi fu han da shu, ke xiao bu zi liang!)

In summary, from these writings of Xiao Pingshi, the fundamental ideological stance of a "Heretical First Cause Doctrine" is clearly revealed. Under the shroud of his personality cult movement, he plagiarizes Buddhist terminology and doctrine, yet turns around seeking to completely replace the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, destroy the Buddhadharma, confuse society, mislead the public, and deceive sentient beings. Whether it's the heretical view, the personality cult movement, the ingratitude, or the slandering of the Dharma and dividing of the Sangha, the criminal evidence is conclusive, the proof irrefutable like iron mountains, allowing no denial. Faced with these facts, two hopes are expressed: First, it is hoped that Xiao Pingshi and his followers quickly emerge from the deep pit of heretical erroneous views, cease all actions that slander the Dharma and divide the Sangha, destroy all published books that slander the Dharma and divide the Sangha, and sincerely repent to the Three Jewels of the ten directions! Second, it is hoped that Buddhist disciples, whether already believing or not, as well as the general public, avoid contamination by the evil habits of slandering the Dharma and dividing the Sangha found in all of Xiao Pingshi's writings, guard against the traps of the First Cause heretical view and the personality cult movement, diligently study and practice according to the True Dharma of the Five Vehicles based on the sutras and patriarchal traditions, generate the Bodhi-mind (bodhicitta), and attain the unsurpassed path (anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi). Amitābha!

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