Wangzha Shangzun (aka Nick Best) is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s disciple
The unfolding of this timeline was fascinating, specifically in 2021 where Wangzha Shangzun (aka Nick Best) and PewDiePie’s videos came out in succession. Things unravelled “coincidentally.”
Wangzha Shangzun is a famous strongman that did the History Channel show with arguably few of the strongest people to ever live, Eddie Hall, Brian Shaw, and Robert Oberst. But like many Buddhists and non-Buddhists, I didn’t know that this highly respected strongman was actually a Buddhist—and not just any ordinary Buddhist but a “Shangzun.”
What’s a Shangzun?
- Ruzun = Golden Button Level 1 Holy Guru
- Jiaozun = Golden Button Level 2 Holy Guru
Lotus Button Level Venerable (aka Lianhuazun) = A special level in-between Jiaozun and Shangzun
- Shangzun = Golden Button Level 3 Holy Guru = non-receding Bodhisattva
- Shengzun(male) / Yuzun(female) = Golden Button Level 4 Holy Guru
- Taizun = Golden Button Level 5 Holy Guru
A Taizun is an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva or a Marvelous Enlightenment Bodhisattva, the last Golden Button Level. Buddhas are not included in any Golden Button Level. A Ruzun (golden button level 1) is already a true holy being, either an arhat or Bodhisattva.
There are many dots to connect, so I made this timeline—for my own reference as well. Note: This is just my interpretation. There will be mistakes.
Songjie Rinpoche, the head of the Macang Temple, receives Tummo empowerment.
This encounter happened after the Jin Gang Fa Man Ze Jue Dharma Assembly. So, assuming what Zhaxi Zhuoma Rinpoche meant by "after" is close to the Dharma Assembly, then this encounter happened in late 2015.
Wangzha Shangzun's attendant tells Zhaxi Zhuoma rinpoche that Shangzun is 93 years old.
This post was made in Feb 5, 2016.
Wangzha Shangzun has been holding these holy tests for Buddhists. There are a lot of information about these.
Announcement No. 20150110: Vajra Array Test
昱宏宮闕 Rinpoche's experience (Chinese)
Zhaxi Zhuoma Rinpoche's experience
攘瓊諾桑卓嘎's experience (Chinese)
My Dharma brothers and sisters at 加拿大学佛院 has also experienced it. When karmic conditions ripen I'll also attempt to join the holy test.
Just like Wangzha Shangzun's prediction Yinhai Shengzun enters nirvana on Jan 15, 2017.
On September 19, 2018, a Yuzun completed a "Secretly Sending a Petition to a Bodhisattva" Dharma. Then on March 6, 2019, Wangzha Shangzun lifted the 1,000-jin (500kg) Hall-blocking Vajra Pestle. From my current understanding, I'm unsure as to who established it because for Wangzha Shangzun (male) to establish it he would have to “Present the Three Vajra Pestles” and “Present a Petition to a Bodhisattva." Whereas a female only needs to "Present a Petition to a Bodhisattva," so I think the Yuzun (female) established it. However, Wangzha Shangzun may very well be the Yuzun, I don't know (Sometimes in Buddhism there are too many variables and unknown things, but all I need to know in this case is that the Inner-tantric Mandala has been created and that both holy beings are truly non-receding Bodhisattvas). Note: Wangzha Shangzun was the one that vowed to establish an inner-tantric mandala in front of the public.
Read Brief Synopses of Answers Provided by Holy Virtuous Ones and Eminent Monastics to Questions Raised to learn about the Inner-tantric Mandala.
I was fortunate to attempt this exact pestle in 2023 (my experience). On December 3, 2025, at around 4:10 p.m. at Benevolence Temple, Jiaozun Zhengda confirmed to me that Wangzha Shangzun lifted it and fully locked it out (是站直了的).
Highly recommend reading the following two news articles:
History Channel premiered the The Strongest Man in History series on July 7, 2019.
You can also find parts of it on Youtube.
TLC Cable Network posts an extended cut of their video from 12 years ago "The Strongest Family in the World | My Crazy Obsession (Extended)"
The video from April 9, 2013 now has 120 million views.
PewDiePie (well deserved "King of Youtube") reacts to TLC's video after Nick Best revealed himself as Wangzha Shangzun on social media.
Shangzun confirms that his age "...has been taken care of in 2016 by Rinpoche Zhaxi Zhuoma..." Skip to 8min 10seconds of Wangzha Shangzun Chants Sutras at the Holy Miracles Temple to Bless Buddhists Who Made Lamp Offerings to see this.
Shangzun talks about him trying to lift the Buddha Pestle that only H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can lift.
Wangzha Shangzun is very respectful to the Buddha. He has once done and said the following:
…To prove the point, Wangzha Shangzun (旺扎上尊), a Great Holy Guru with the status of Gold Button Grade Three, did a demonstration on an elderly person who was more than sixty years old. This person was collectively nominated by those who were present at the demonstration. In about ten minutes, while all were watching, the empowerment by Wangzha Shangzun caused one entire side of this elderly person’s face to return to a youthful appearance of about thirty years of age. This enabled all of the attendees to witness right there the fact of restoring youth through Buddha Dharma and the striking contrast between the two sides of that person’s face. Wangzha Shangzun said, “This little bit of realization power that I have is childish and laughable in front of His Holiness the Buddha. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the universe. I am just a tiny stone particle. No matter how many of us who are called venerable ones and Dharma kings are put together, we would not be qualified even to carry the shoes of His Holiness the Buddha.”… – This is found on the sutra Learning From Buddha as well as my Buddha Master’s “appearance comparison portrait” that almost every disciple of His has.
I don’t think we have one of these「金剛陣」和「輪迴八風陣」 made for English…
