Wintersweet Flowers Blossom in the Summer

That was a very solemn and magnificent dharma assembly. Venerable Akou Lamo Rinpoche, who came to the United States from Tibet, and I, Long Hui, personally arrived at the Altar Hall of His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata and respectfully requested that Dorje Chang Buddha III give a discourse for our group on the rituals of the Green Tara Dharma.

When the discourse was concluded, a pot of wintersweet (a kind of plum blossom tree that only blooms in the winter) in front of the altar unexpectedly started budding. That day was the 4 th of August, 2001, in midsummer. The wintersweet suddenly blossomed forth red plum flowers. I had bought this plant and humbly offered it to my magnificent Buddha Master, His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III, in December of 2000. When I bought it, the plum flowers were red and white. After about one month, all of the flowers withered and fell. Although new leaves grew, no flowers ever blossomed after that.

However, on that August day of the dharma assembly in the height of summer, that pot of wintersweet suddenly started to bloom right after His Holiness finished the discourse. All the flowers were a brilliant red. Even more amazingly, the shape of some of the flowers resembled lotus flowers and emitted a heavenly fragrance. It was quite incredible. The disciples attending this special dharma assembly were all stunned as they gathered around to look at the pot. Afterward, the plant was placed in the Dharma Bowl Altar Hall of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to be guarded at all times by about ten disciples. The blossoming lasted fifteen months, with the flowers retaining a fresh color until November of the following year. How extraordinary!

Certainly, such a holy and auspicious phenomenon could only have happened because of the great merits of the exquisite discourse that H. H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata had given. We had heard of the miracles of old, such as self-turning Buddhist umbrellas above statues, or the sudden blossoming of withered plum blossom trees, or even a rock nodding upon hearing the discourse of a great master. And now we witness the miracle of a winter flowering plant blossoming in the hot summer, and the blossoming lasted fifteen months! We were able to film this wonderful occasion. Just when everyone was marveling and praising, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said lightly, “The true meaning of the Buddha-dharma is not illustrated by whether wintersweet plum flowers blossom or not, or whether such an occurrence is auspicious or not. Do not be attached to these phenomena. The most important thing is how to carry out all good deeds and gain wisdom. We must fully understand the true dharma teachings and act accordingly. This is how we should practice. We are here to cultivate ourselves, not to look at wintersweet plum flowers. That is what we should devote ourselves to.”

We are grateful for the Buddha Master’s teaching, which we shall keep firmly in mind. But we also know that these continual miraculous phenomena could only be manifested because H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata is truly an ancient Buddha who is praised and supported by the Buddhas and Bodhisatvas. Yet, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III always presents himself as a humble practitioner. His Holiness’s pure, noble, and holy morality sets the highest example for his disciples. His Holiness’s profound Buddha realization brings the greatest blessings and teachings to all sentient beings.

Chairperson of the International Buddhism Sangha Association
Long Hui Shih