CHAPTER SIX: THE VENERABLES’ OFFERINGS
After 37 years of teaching the dharma, Lord Supreme Maitreya Buddha declared He has converted a great number of holy disciples including the dharma protectors, venerables, and bodhisattvas. They will take turn to be reincarnated in succeeding to be patriarchs to continue constructing the true dharma, bringing about a way of resolving the transmigration of birth and death for the living creatures.
I heard: “Out of these 36 patriarchs, there are only a few who have completely attained the enlightenment at the central, taking turn to be incarnated to be patriarch to continue contructing the true dharma.”–TV
At present, the Di Nhu Bodhisattva is the first patriarch. In 20 years or more there will be a dharma protector or venerable who attains in turn the enlightenment, or the great enlightened awareness or understanding and is entrusted with the duty of being a founder who succeeds in constructing the good life. The enlightened patriarch of the rank of saints and sages practice offering to render thanks to the Blessed One Maitreya and the Buddhas of Ten Directions in order to continue the conversion to practice for enlightenment.
Some faithful disciples have voluntarily written and showed him a petition, he signed and sealed it in reply to their wishes and they erroneously believed themselves to be bodhisattvas. That is quite wrong. It would take many more lives of practice until meeting an appeared Buddha who attests them to be bodhisattvas. He says that when He sees by Himself a disciple attaining some degree of practice, He will promulgate an order signed and stamped by himself, the Chief Monk, to attest him to be a true venerable, bodhisattva.