His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III, formerly known as Yi Yungao (Chinese pinyin) and Wan Ko Yee (Hong Kong name) before being recognized as a Buddha, is the Pope of Buddhism and a Chinese-American artist. He has been recognized as the third reincarnation of Dorje Chang (Vajradhara) according to the tenets of Buddhism.[1][2]
The mayor of Washington, D.C. declared January 19 “His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III Day” in his honor. He received the Distinguished International Master Award in 1994[3] and the World Peace Prize Top-Honor Prize in 2011.[4]
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the second Buddha formally acknowledged in the history of this world, following Shakyamuni Buddha who was born in ancient India. Shakyamuni Buddha was born as an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva, diligently attained complete enlightenment, and reached the state of Buddhahood. On the other hand, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the reincarnation of the Primordial Buddha, rather than having achieved Buddhahood in any specific world or realm.
In the present era, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is regarded as the sole Buddha in this world. According to Buddhist principles, a “Buddha" represents the pinnacle of wisdom and enlightenment, with no other being surpassing or equaling their status. A Buddha’s mastery and utilization of knowledge or skills do not stem from conventional learning processes. Instead, they arise naturally from the Buddha’s profound wisdom, while guidance from teachers, if any, serves as a catalyst that inspires wisdom in specific areas. For instance, the story documented in Da Zhidu Lun (大智度論) recounts how Shakyamuni Buddha possessed innate knowledge of optimal cattle herding practices and subsequently converted numerous cowherds to Buddhism.[5]
Buddha was born in the Dayi County of Sichuan, China. He was raised by his parents, Kunfang Xu and Zhonghai Yi. His father, Zhonghai Yi, was an expert in the Four Books and Five Classics and a well-known physician of Chinese medicine in Dayi County, and was well-regarded for his kindness and altruism. His mother, Kunfang Xu, was raised in a local family that was well-versed in literature and poetry.[6]
The influence of Chinese culture and his vital family education shaped him, and he frequently assisted his father in constructing and maintaining roads and bridges for the benefit of others. Villagers, teachers, and fellow students often showed appreciation for his courageous acts. When he was attending primary school at the age of 10, he saved a child who had fallen into a river during a chilly winter. When Buddha was still a young man, he volunteered his medical expertise to treat people’s illnesses. More than 300 patients sought his care every day, but he never requested or accepted any payment for his services even if patients offered it.[6]
At sixteen, he wrote the Buddhist book titled “A Monk Expounds the Absolute Truth to a Layperson.”[7]
Outreach in China
Buddha was promoted to Professor I, one of the highest ranks for scholars in China, in 1986. Three years later, he was promoted to a first-class researcher.[8]
The 1995 Yearbook of Who’s Who in China documents that Buddha earned the title “Master of Oriental Art" from the World Poets and Culture Congress in 1991 as an acknowledgment for his work in art and literature. According to the Asian Times, the World Poets and Culture Congress, composed of 5,612 experts and scholars from 48 countries, also chose Buddha as a “Distinguished International Master.” This title was made public on September 15, 1994.[9] He was credited with a certificate, a gold medal, and a master robe at the ceremony. As per the Yearbook, Buddha was the only Distinguished International Master in the world during that time.[7]
Owing to Buddha’s artistic achievements at a young age, the Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Studio in China made a national documentary on Buddha titled One Who is Determined to Strive.[10] An article featuring Buddha titled “Self-Taught Youth” was also published in The People’s Daily Newspaper.[2]
In September 1998, Buddha was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in Buddhism, Art, and Religious Studies through a resolution passed by the American League of Colleges and Universities which consisted of 83 international colleges and universities.[11]
Outreach in the United States
In 1999, Buddha came to the United States after receiving an invitation from the Getty Museum and later relocated to California.[2]
In 2000, while Buddha was still known as Wan Ko Yee, the Governor of California and the mayor of San Francisco proclaimed March 8 “Master Wan Ko Yee Day" in recognition of his contributions to Buddhism, the humanities, painting, calligraphy, and ethics.[9]
On May 12, 2000, Buddha was honored as a legitimate Buddhist Master who possessed absolute mastery in both Esoteric and Exoteric Buddhism in a meeting organized by the United International World Buddhism Association.[12]
In 2002, Buddha began displaying his carvings in California, including the pieces titled Wonder of a Mysterious Cave and Limestone Like Cave. The Organization of American States hosted an exhibition of Buddha’s sculptures in July 2003. During the exhibition, diplomats and U.S. government leaders such as Marina Valere, Denis Antoine, Michael King, Carlos Holguin, Chase Plate, Robert P. Hanrahan, Ana O’Brien, and Dr. John Tsu praised Buddha’s work.[13][14] An article featuring Buddha’s works also concluded that “his works cannot be reproduced.”[15]
Buddha was granted the Presidential Gold Medal in September 2002 by the chairman of the White House Presidential Advisory Commission for Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders on behalf of the then President George W. Bush. In October 2002, the then-Vice President of the United States, Dick Cheney, also presented Buddha with a medal representing his amazing achievements.[16]
From 2000 to 2009, Buddha worked at Auburn University in Alabama as a professor.[17]
In 2012, Congressman Lester Wolff awarded Buddha the World Peace Prize on behalf of the World Peace Prize Awarding Council.[3][4] Buddha was the first Buddhist leader in the organization’s history to receive the award.[18] Previous awardees of the World Peace Prize included Ronald Reagan, Mahatma Gandhi, Yitzhak Rabin, and other public figures.[18][19][20] In 2011, Mayor Vincent C. Gray proclaimed January 19 as “H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Day" in the District of Columbia to honor Buddha’s vast achievements.[21] In 2011, Buddha was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award for International Service and Leadership.[22][1]
In 2014, the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum was opened in Covina, California. The museum currently houses some of Buddha’s artworks.[23][24]
Buddha helped with relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing equipment to hospitals, police departments, and other groups.[25]
Persecution by the Guangdong Public Security Bureau
In 2002, two years after H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III had left China, the Guangdong Public Security Bureau accused Buddha of real estate fraud. The Guangdong Public Security Bureau stole 800 artworks from the house where Buddha rented in ShenZhen, including 700 of his own works and 100 classic paintings gathered by a disciple.[10] The Guangdong Public Security Bureau alleged that Liu Juan and Lau Pak Hun, the only two “victims” in the case, were defrauded by Buddha. The case also caused the Chinese government to request INTERPOL to issue Red Notices demanding Buddha’s arrest. However, both Liu Juan and Lau Pak Hun had publicly stated that Buddha had never defrauded them.[10][25] After finding questionable details, INTERPOL launched a detailed investigation in 2004. After three years, INTERPOL concluded that the case was contrived to prosecute Buddha. At the same time, the Chinese government concluded that the case was false. Thirteen legal experts also concluded that the case was inaccurate and false.[25] At China’s request, INTERPOL canceled the Red Notices in 2008,[10] and Buddha received a document from INTERPOL informing him of his arrest warrants’ cancellation in 2009.[10][25]
After receiving the document, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not make it public to prove His innocence. The World Peace Prize Awarding Council asked H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III about the case’s dismissal and withdrawal of the arrest warrant. Buddha replied that it was his duty to carry the karmic offenses of those who slandered him. They would no longer be considered innocent if he had shown documentation confirming his innocence.[26]
However, Buddha’s accusers criticized the World Buddhism Association Headquarters. In response, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters urged Buddha to disclose the INTERPOL letter in 2019 to debunk rumors and protect the organization’s reputation. After Buddha consented, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters made a statement describing this case and presenting INTERPOL’s letter, which acquitted Buddha of the accusations.[25]
Being recognized as a Buddha
A manuscript for the book A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma, which details Buddha’s achievements in some fields, was delivered to the most prominent Buddhist practitioners from various sects in 2006. Buddhist leaders who read the book included H.H. Dharma King Penor, H.H. Great Dharma King Dodrupchen, H.E. Kaichu Rinpoche, H.H. Dharma King Achuk, H.H. Dharma King Jigme Dorje, H.H. Dharma King Trulshik, H.H. Sleep Yoga Dharma King Mindrolling Trichen of the Nyingma Sect, H.E. Dharma King Gar Tongstan, H.H. Dharma King Taklung Tsetul (Nyingma Dharma King of Northern Tibet), H.H. Dharma King Gongbao Dumu Quji.[27] These rinpoches and Dharma Kings were highly accomplished themselves. Upon reading the book, they were astounded. A number of them entered into a profound level of samadhi and discovered that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the reincarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, the Primordial Buddha.[28]
In a September 2007 session of the House of Representatives, U.S. Representative Tom Lantos declared that world-renowned Buddhist masters had recognized H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as the incarnation of the primordial Buddha and encouraged Congress to pay honor.[29]
World Buddhism Publishing LLC and World Dharma Voice, Inc. published H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III – A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma in 2008. It was added to the U.S. Library of Congress’s catalog.[30][31]
On December 12, 2012, U.S. Senate Resolution No. 614 addressed Buddha as “His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III."[12][4]
The World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the Religious Leaders Title Awarding Council named H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III the “Pope of Buddhism" in 2018. Han Min Su, then Chairperson of the Two Councils, gave Buddha the conferment edict and Pope of Buddhism Scepter. Buddha tried to return the conferment and scepter, but the council made them permanent.[19]
Artistic achievements
At the age of five, Buddha developed an interest in art and started copying artwork he saw. At fourteen, he made plans to travel all over China and painted the scenery he saw.[32] As a famous young artist, Buddha gave an outstanding performance depicting his artistic talents in the Sichuan Province’s talent recruitment examination in 1981. The Sichuan Provincial Government designated him as the national art commissioner because of his expertise and outstanding performance. As per his appointment, Buddha was responsible for repairing and maintaining cultural relics, copying antique calligraphy and paintings, and developing new works of art at Chengdu’s Baoguang Temple.[2]
In the latter half of 1982, Buddha exhibited his art at Baoguang Temple. Specialists called his art revolutionary. Art and cultural relic collectors in China and the rest of the world widely proclaimed his works.[32] Several renowned celebrity personalities visited Baoguang Temple to praise Buddha’s artworks. Buddha’s famous admirers included famous sculptor Kaiqu Liu, director of the National Art Museum of China; Professor Zhangshu Wu, a calligrapher, poet, and head of the Hubei Provincial Museum of Culture and History; and Suyin Han (aka Rosalie Matilda Kuanghu Chou), a famous British-Chinese physician and novelist.[33]
On August 8, 1986, under Buddha’s guidance for five years, Buddha’s students at Baoguang Temple painted 500 pictures of Arhats utilizing fine color brushwork methods. All the paintings measured 2.3 meters tall and 1 meter wide and were compiled into a scroll titled “Five Hundred Arhats."[34] Professor Yuanxing Guo, executive director of the Buddhist Association of China, and his group credited “Five Hundred Arhats" as “the most perfect and artistic large-scale group paintings in Chinese history."[35]
In 1983, Chinese Buddhist monks were ordered to resume managing the Baoguang Temple. The Xindu County Government relocated the temple’s government workers and Buddha to the County Cultural Center, where Buddha continued creating art and teaching. Later, Buddha became an adjunct professor at Sichuan Union University (now Sichuan University).[2]
In 1986, The Sichuan Provincial Party Committee held two exhibitions in Chengdu showcasing Buddha’s artworks. The Sichuan Provincial Government also sponsored “Yi Yungao’s New Artwork Exhibition" in early October of the same year, featuring Buddha and his students’ work. Over 564 pieces were exhibited, and more than 80,000 people attended the 5-day event.[36]
In October 1986, after receiving an invitation from the Chinese Academy of Culture and Arts commissioner, Buddha took an artistic talent assessment. Buddha submitted three art and philosophy papers for evaluation. The examiner handed Buddha twelve rice paper sheets coated with thick ink and instructed him to do four styles of traditional Chinese paintings instantly. Buddha painted the twelve scrolls in fine brushwork, freehand brushwork, and high-profile color-ink styles in one day. Achieving the highest rank among all examinees at the examination’s conclusion,[37] Buddha became the first foreign advisor at the Chinese Academy of Culture and Arts in the United States on January 15, 1987 and was also awarded the title of honorary professor at the academy.[38]
In February 1987, the Zigong City Art Museum and the Chengdu Cultural Bureau hosted the “Five Hundred Arhats" Painting Exhibition and Yi Yungao Art Exhibition for Buddha.[39] As per the reports published by several publications including The People’s Daily Newspaper, Buddha was named the President of the Chinese Painting Research Association in 1987.[10]
On May 12, 1995, The Taiwan Olympia Foundation for Sports, Culture, and Education invited Buddha to lead an art expedition to Taiwan. Buddha exhibited around 100 of his best paintings and calligraphy pieces at the Yat Sen Gallery in Taiwan’s National Father Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Many Taiwanese government officials, legislators, artists, and business people visited the exhibition to admire Buddha’s artwork, making it a phenomenal cultural event.[40]
In 2000, Unique Art Collections International Co., Ltd. arranged two sales of Buddha’s paintings. The painting Majesty was sold at an auction for $2,125,327 in May 2000.[15] At another auction held in November 2000, the painting Venerable Da Li Won was sold to Mr. Naylor, an English art collector and art dealer, for $2,207,912. At the time, the transactions established new benchmarks for the most expensive painting by any living oriental artist and the most expensive Chinese paintings ever sold at auction.[12]
In October 2003, Buddha exhibited his unique Yun Sculptures at the Rayburn Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for members and staff of Congress.[41]
Buddha received a Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Arts on February 10, 2004 in the British Council office in Washington, D.C. Buddha was the first recipient of the aforementioned fellowship despite the fact that the Royal Academy had named over 100 royal academics over the past two centuries. During the ceremony, Professor Phillip King, the then-President of Royal Academy of Arts said, “H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the extraordinary art figure that we have been searching for in more than two hundred years since our establishment and could not find until today."[42]
In 2007, Buddha’s painting of lotus flowers, Two Flowers; One Lotus Capsule; One Dharma Nature, was sold to British art collector Ian Hamilton for $300,000 per square foot. Buddha’s second artwork portraying a plum blossom was sold for $210,000 per square foot.[43][44]
In 2008, Buddha’s painting of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva sold for $330,000 per square foot.[45]
On January 31, 2010, the Master Wan Ko Yee International Cultural Institute hosted an art auction. The painting Ancient Village at Remote Mountain Spring, created and donated by Buddha, was auctioned for US$35,100, equivalent to US$902,571.42 per square foot.[46]
In March 2015, Buddha’s painting Ink Lotus was sold at auction for $16.5 million.[47] In September 2015, Buddha’s one other painting Loquat was sold at auction for $10.2 million, setting a world record price of $1.7 million per square foot. It is the highest price by dimension ever paid for a Chinese painting at auction.[48]
2011 marked the opening of the International Art Museum of America in San Francisco, California, which features paintings by world-class or national artists including Buddha.[49]
In addition, there is an H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum in Covina, California, whose mission is “to promote the superb accomplishments of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, by displaying His accomplishments in culture, literature, philosophy, art, science, and technology, and other fields." According to the museum’s website, the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum is a non-profit organization that was funded and established by a group of people in Los Angeles, who respectfully admires the ethics and moral characters of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, out of their own initiative.[23]
In 2019, New York Academy of Art Provost Peter Drake taught a class for master’s students in which they came to the International Art Museum of American, studied, and copied the art of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.[50]
Artistic techniques
Buddha’s paintings depict nature- and spirituality-inspired landscapes, figures, animals, flowers, and other subjects. He employs painting techniques like intricate brushwork, freehand brushwork, and ink splattering.[12] His works using these techniques include “Heavenly Treasures in Motion", “A Lotus Pond Has Carp", “Mist, Clouds, and Autumnal Color", “Fragrant Loofa in a Bamboo Forest", and “Beyond Craftsmanship".[51] He has also combined oil and acrylic colors to create “supernatural abstract colors,” which he uses to construct shapes and express emotions in his abstract paintings.[51][52]
He is also skilled in calligraphy.[12] His artworks have an extraordinary ability to imitate and mimic natural rock forms, such as limestone formations. He has manifested the Buddha’s wisdom by creating unreplicable, multicolored sculptures containing mist.[53]
Buddha has also utilized non-traditional artistic techniques such as contemporary technologies. He has created three-dimensional visuals using machines, data, and light sources. He has also practiced photography and bright glass artwork.[54]
Buddha has also created ornamental wall hangings in the form of people, animals, and plants. These were fashioned from wood, stone, and natural minerals. These include “Good Fortune", “Old Gourds with Weathered Vines", “Mani Treasure", “The Bone of the Earth and Ganoderma", “Home", and “Peace".[55]
Other works of art Buddha has created include imitation jade plates,[56] classical poetry and music,[57] Buddha statues,[58] stone seals,[59] Yun sculpture,[60] sculpted art frames,[61] tile designs,[62] and paintings influenced by traditional art from the Qing, Ming, Yuan, and Song dynasties.[63]
Audio recordings of imparted dharma publications
As a prominent Buddhist leader, numerous recordings of Buddha’s impartation of dharma and Buddhist publications have been published. Several collections of Buddha’s artwork, including Chinese paintings, Western paintings, Yun sculptures, calligraphy, poetry, songs, etc., have also been published and distributed all over the world.
Audio recordings of imparted dharma
Dharmas imparted by Buddha have been recorded and published in more than 2,000 volumes. The dharmas cover Buddhism’s Tripitaka (Sutras, Vinayas, and Abhidharma) and ten tantric scriptures.[64] The primary series of dharmas that many Buddhists have listened to reverently are:[65]
[Trip to Taiwan] Series
[Trip to USA] Series
[Dharma Discourses Imparted while Traveling to the East Coast] Series
[Buddhism Fundamentals Expounded in the East] Series
[Dharma Discourses Expounded in the USA] Series
[H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Answers Disciples’ Questions] Series
[H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Secretly Records His Disciples’ Dharma Practice Reports] Series
[H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Discerns an Evil Monk through Correcting the Book He Published] Series
[Dharma Imparted During a Trip in Response to the Needs of Disciples] Series
[Specially Recorded Dharma Discourses Stored in a Silver Box] Series
[Individual Dharma Discourses Imparted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III] Series
A list of imparted dharmas that have already been transcribed and published digitally include:
Brief Explanation of the 128 Evil and Erroneous Views by His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III (Chinese Version)
His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Dharma on New Year’s Day: Are Our Body, Speech, and Mind in Accordance with True Cultivation? Will I Attain Accomplishment and Liberation, or Will I Encounter Retributive Misery due to Evil Karma? (Chinese Version)
One Cannot Be Considered a Holy Guru Simply Based on What They or Their Disciples Say; Anyone Who Passes the Verification Test Is Proven to Be a True Holy Guru Even If They Do Not Bear a Holy Guru Title. Empty Theories of Buddhist Studies and True Buddha Dharma Are of Two Completely Different Realms. (Chinese Version)
Authentic, Invincible Vajra Dharma with Which Buddhists Can Definitely Attain Accomplishment (Chinese Version)
His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Dharma in Response to an Occasion Given by a Shakya Clan Descendent, Who Is the Department Head of a Buddhist University (Chinese Version)
His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III Imparts Dharma in Response to a Westerner’s Questions (Chinese Version)
Am I Controlling You? What Am I Doing All This For? (Chinese Version)
Publications
Sutra of A Monk Expounds the Absolute Truth to a Layperson (Chinese Version) (1982)
Commentary on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra (Chinese Version) (2000)
Correcting the Treatises of the Patriarch Bodhidharma (Chinese Version) (2000)
Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (December 1994). Culture and History Committee of the Dayi County Political Consultative Conference (ed.). Dayi Scenic Spot in the Past and Present. Writers Publishing House. p. 181.
Committee of Yearbook of Who’s Who of China., ed. (December 1994). Yearbook of Who’s Who in China. (1996). China Social Press.
