The Glendale Civic Auditorium became the center of an international Buddhist gathering as more than a thousand Dharma masters, rinpoches, and lay practitioners convened for a two-day Dharma Assembly honoring the Holy Birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The event was jointly organized by the World Buddhism Association Headquarters, Holy Miracles Temple, Hua Zang Si, Benevolence Temple, and the Sanger Mission.
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was recognized with the 2010 World Peace Prize Top-Honor Prize for humanitarian and peace-promoting contributions. Between 2023 and 2025, eleven volumes of the Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection were published, with four additional volumes released in 2026. The Sutra Collection encompasses the essence of the Tripitaka and esoteric Dharma, guiding practitioners toward liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
A Two-Day Assembly in Glendale
Lotus Button Holy Guru Mozhi of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters delivered an opening speech at the Dharma Assembly and emphasized that only right faith and correct views can keep practitioners from going astray in this Dharma-ending age. He urged Buddhists to rely on the Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III Complete Sutra Collection and to practice in accordance with the Dharma. He reminded attendees that while Buddhas and Bodhisattvas point living beings toward the path of liberation, genuine liberation ultimately depends upon one’s own practice and cultivation.
The Assembly has become an annual destination for Buddhist leaders, abbots, educators, and Buddhist practitioners from around the world to pay tribute to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. It facilitates dialogue, learning, and collaboration across a range of Buddhist traditions, drawing participants who travel considerable distances to attend.
Commemorations Across the Country
Commemorative events honoring the Holy Birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III were held across the United States. Hua Zang Si’s Southern California branch hosted an Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Great Compassionate Empowerment Dharma Assembly along with study sessions focused on The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation. Macang Monastery in San Francisco marked its eighteenth anniversary and hosted a Dharma Assembly honoring the Holy Birthday. The Los Angeles Hua Zang Buddhist Institute conducted an incense offering ceremony and lotus lamp blessing service, while Benevolence Temple in Las Vegas organized a series of Dharma listening sessions.
The H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum in Covina offered special Dharma listening programs and held a large-scale life-release ceremony at Marina del Rey. On the East Coast, practitioners in New York commemorated the occasion by displaying a tribute across three prominent Times Square billboards for seven days.
A Shared Aspiration for Peace
This nationwide commemoration served as both a celebration of the Holy Birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and a reflection of the enduring influence of His teachings. From the Dharma Assemblies in Glendale to life-release ceremonies, Dharma listening sessions, and community acts of compassion across cities, the events reflected a shared aspiration for peace and the welfare of all beings.
Buddhist practitioners describe His legacy as one that continues to guide them toward liberation and to encourage communities across America to embody compassion, wisdom, and unity. For those who gathered on the occasion, the commemorations offered a moment of reflection and a renewed sense of shared purpose.
