EXARANK (Examinations for Rank) is the way used by the Superior, Troi and Upper Buddhas to gradually purify the cultivators. If passed, the cultivators will be promoted or demoted if committed any wrongdoing.
This article is used for pagoda, saintly and home cultivators.
There are 2 types of Exarank: Introspective and Extrospective.
Introspective Exarank: It's from within ourself. Coming to cultivation, we encounter sickness, accidents, many unfortunate things in life. Those actually were our Karma from previous incarnations, now we have to pay for them in accordance with the Law of Cause and Effect. This can persist for most of our life. If we are discouraged, do not have enough perseverance and quit cultivation, it will be considered a failure.
In the Congregation of residential Buddhist cultivators of Professor Dich, most of his disciples who have attained Arhat, Buddha and higher have to undergo this Exarank. Sometimes 20 to 30 of their previous incarnations are put under review for wrongdoing or crimes. Some of them are even abused by Heresy, Treason and Motherism Heresy. Many disciples from Buddha, High Buddha level 3 to 9 are suffering from abuse every day. Those who do not pass these training tests will fail.
Extrospective Exarank: It is influence from outside. When entering the cultivating path, one may be opposed by family, husband or wife, shunned by friends, despised by colleagues, even condemned as superstitious or abnormal person.
In Professor Dich’s Congregation, disciples who are working in office often encounter this problem. This is because the local authorities suspect strange religious activities. In fact, this is just a Buddhist congregation. Every day, the disciples meditate for about 15 minutes at home, turning their mind towards Truth, Goodness, Perseverance, giving up greed, hatred, and delusion according to the teachings of Shakyamuni LANTIG Upper Buddha. It’s just like that.
Exarank also includes Favourable and Infavourable Exarank.
Favourable Exarank: it means that one so gets good luck that may be he conceited. The Superior, Troi and Upper Buddhas can grant them quick promotion so that they become conceited, illusive about their talent, and then get engrossed in the formality of Dao but forget about cultivating the mind in everyday life. In order to avoid this, each cultivator should avoid yearning, attachment, and upstart. Be happy at the success of your peers to cheer everyone up.
Sometimes in life, one may get so many lucks, many successes, prosperity in business, promotion to power, family happiness that he grows the passion for mundane life but forgets and no longer perseveres in spiritual practice, can’t see the worldly success is just the returning the Virtue accumulated from previous incarnations.
Infavourable Exarank: in some cases, the Superior, Troi and Buddhas don’t grant one with level promotion, but let some other fellow disciples attain it quickly. Thus, he grows jealousy, hatred and discouragement for advancement, leading to neglect in cultivation, gradually loosening up, and finally giving up the path of cultivation.
Or when they make a vow to cultivate, they are opposed by their parents, spouses or relatives, despised by the surrounding people, feeling depressed and finally unable to overcome such tests.
Therefore, each cultivator needs to be determined to practice persistently, without yearning. Cultivation is cultivation. What comes will come. No need to care about people's comments.
The Exarank is always aimed at the weaknesses of each person for the examination. When being examined, one needs to determine that it is the weaknesses that have to be overcome. Only in this way can one achieve great success in cultivation.
Exarank is different with Testtra (Training Test). Exarank is a regular process, after each time, there will be promotion or demotion of level. Testtra is something bigger and stronger. The Testtra can last as long as the Buddhist disciples dedicate and accumulate goodwill. Once passed this stage, there can be exceptional and privilege promotion of level. It is also possible that due to a serious wrongdoing, one can be demoted very deeply to test, or it is time to pay back his heavy Karma. If one can overcome these Testtras, he will be gradually reinstated in a short time. If discouraged, pessimistic, depressed and blaming the Superior, Troi and Buddhas, all will be lost. Those who have cultivated to the level of Upper Buddha will no longer undergo Exarank but the Testtra will remain.
Everyone needs to remember: According to the Law of Troi, cultivation is the duty of every Rough Man in life. It is not up to one’s like. In each incarnation, one should spend some time for cultivating to improve the Spiritual Ratio. In this way, for many incarnations, wisdom will be enlightened, man will progress to the true divine power.
Prof. Dich – Upper Buddha Van Van Quang
