Sheng-yen

Sheng Yen 聖嚴
Title	Chan Master
Personal
Born	January 22, 1930 Shanghai, China
Died	February 3, 2009 Taipei, Taiwan
Religion	Chan Buddhism
Nationality	Republic of China
School	Caodong, Linji
Education	Rissho University (M.A., PhD)
Other names	Changjin (novice name)
Senior posting
Teacher	Ven. Dongchu, Ven. Ling Yuan

Sheng-yen (聖嚴; Pinyin: Shèngyán, birth name Zhang Baokang, 張寳康) (January 3, 1930 – February 3, 2009) was a Buddhist monk, a religious scholar, and one of the mainstream teachers of Chinese Chan (Japanese: Zen) Buddhism. He was the 57th generational descendant of Linji in the Linji (Japanese: Rinzai) School and a 3rd generational descendant of Master Hsu Yun. In the Caodong (Japanese: Soto) lineage, Sheng Yen was the 52nd generational descendant of Master Dongshan (807-869), and the direct descendant of Master Dongchu (1908–1977).

Sheng-yen was the founder of the Dharma Drum Mountain, a Buddhist organization based in Taiwan. During his time in Taiwan, Sheng Yen was well known as one of the progressive Buddhist teachers who sought to teach Buddhism in a modern and Western-influenced world. In Taiwan, he was one of four prominent modern Buddhist masters, along with Masters Hsing Yun, Cheng Yen and Wei Chueh. In 2000 he was one of the keynote speakers in the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders held in the United Nations.

Biography

Born near Shanghai in mainland China, he became a Buddhist monk at the age of 13. In order to escape religious persecution from the People's Republic of China, he went to Taiwan in 1949 by enlisting in a unit of the Nationalist Army out of necessity. He became a monk again in 1959 and from 1961 to 1968 he trained in solitary retreat in southern Taiwan. He then completed a master's degree (1971) and doctorate (1975) in Buddhist literature at Rissho University in Japan.

He became abbot of Nong Chan Monastery in Taiwan in 1979 and founder of the Institute of Chung-Hwa Buddhist Culture in New York City in 1980. In 1985, he founded the Institute of Chung-Hwa Buddhist Studies in Taipei and the International Cultural and Educational Foundation of Dharma Drum Mountain in 1989.

He taught in the United States starting in 1975, and established Chan Meditation Center in Queens, New York, and its retreat center outside New York. He established Dharma Drum Retreat Center at Pine Bush, New York in 1995. He also visited many countries in Europe, as well as continuing his teaching in several Asian countries, in particular Taiwan. In this way his work helped to bridge East and West and convey the Dharma to the West. He was known as a skillful teacher who helped many of his students to reach enlightenment mostly through meditation. Sheng-yen gave dharma transmission to several of his lay Western students, such as John Crook. Later on, John Crook, and several other Western disciples of Master Sheng-yen, such as Simon Child, Max Kalin, and Zarko Andricevic, formed the Western Chan Fellowship[2].

Sheng Yen's health was poor in the last couple years of his life, although he still gave lectures at several retreats in Taiwan. He declined a kidney transplant, stating that he did not expect to live for long, and he would rather save the chance for others who need it.

Death

Sheng Yen died from renal failure on February 3, 2009, while returning from National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei. In accordance with East Asian age reckoning methods, the Dharma Drum Mountain organization states that Sheng Yen died at the age of 80. Officially, according to the Western way of reckoning age, Sheng Yen died at the age of 79.

Hours after his death, tributes from eminent Buddhist monks and Taiwanese politicians and celebrities, including President Ma Ying-jeou, Vice President Vincent Siew, DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, kung fu star Jet Li, and actress Brigitte Lin, began to pour into Dharma Drum Mountain monastery. As stipulated in his will, Sheng Yen forbade the use of extravagant funeral services, including the construction of memorials or monuments. Sheng Yen received a simple Buddhist ritual attended by the President and dignitaries, and was buried in the Life Memorial Garden near the monastery. His ashes were divided into five sections, with each section filled by the Abbot, senior disciples, President Ma, Vice President Siew, and other laity.

Dharma Heirs

• Venerable Chi Chern
• Venerable Guo Dong
• Venerable Guo Yuan
• Dr John Crook, PhD, DSC
• Dr Simon Child
• Max Kalin
• Zarko Andricevic
• Venerable Huimin
• Venerable Guo Ru
• Venerable Guo Xing
• Venerable Guo Jun
• Gilbert Gutierrez

Books by Sheng-yen

In alphabetical order of the books' title:

• Sheng Yen, Attaining the Way: A Guide to the Practice of Chan Buddhism. Shambhala Publications, 2006. ISBN 978-1-59030-372-6.
• Sheng Yen, Complete Enlightenment - Zen Comments on the Sutra of Complete Enlightenment. Shambhala Publications, 1998. ISBN 978-1-57062-400-1.
• Sheng Yen, Dharma Drum: The Life & Heart of Ch'an Practice. Shambhala Publications, 2006. ISBN 978-1590303962.
• Sheng Yen, Faith in Mind: A Guide to Chan Practice. Dharma Publishing, 1987. ISBN 978-0960985425.
• Sheng Yen, Getting the Buddha Mind: On the Practice of Chan Retreat. North Atlantic Books, 2005. ISBN 978-1556435263.
• Sheng Yen and Dan Stevenson, Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path As Taught by a Modern Chinese Master. Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-19-515248-4.
• Sheng Yen (ed. John Crook), Illuminating Silence: The Practice of Chinese Zen. Watkins, 2002. ISBN 1-84293-031-1.
• Sheng Yen, Orthodox Chinese Buddhism. Dharma Drum, 2007. ISBN 1-55643-657-2. Online text
• Sheng Yen, Ox-herding at Morgan's Bay. Dharma Drum, 1988. ISBN 0-9609854-3-3.
• Sheng Yen, Setting in Motion the Dharma Wheel. Dharma Drum Publications, 2000. ASIN B001HPIU4K.
• Sheng Yen, Shattering the Great Doubt: The Chan Practice of Huatou. Shambhala, 2009. ISBN 978-1-59030-621-5.
• Sheng Yen, Song of Mind: Wisdom from the Zen Classic Xin Ming. Shambhala, 2004. ISBN 1-59030-140-4.
• Sheng Yen, Subtle Wisdom: Understanding Suffering, Cultivating Compassion Through Ch'an Buddhism. Image, 1999. ISBN 978-0385480451.
• Sheng Yen, The Infinite Mirror: Commentaries on Two Chan Classics. Shambala, 2006. ISBN 978-1590303986.
• Sheng Yen, The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination. Shambhala, 2008. ISBN 1-59030-575-2.
• Sheng Yen, The Poetry of Enlightenment: Poems by Ancient Chan Masters. Shambala, 2006. ISBN 978-1590303993.
• Sheng Yen, The Six Paramitas: Perfections of the Budhisattva path, a commentary. Dharma Drum, 2002. ASIN: B0006S8EYU.
• Sheng Yen, The Sword of Wisdom: A Commentary on the Song of Enlightenment. North Atlantic Books, 2002. ISBN 978-1556434280.
• Sheng Yen, There Is No Suffering: A Commentary on the Heart Sutra. Dharma Drum, 2002. ISBN 1-55643-385-9.
• Sheng Yen, Zen Wisdom. North Atlantic Books, 2002. ISBN 978-1556433863.

Autobiography of Master Sheng Yen:

• Sheng Yen, Footprints in the Snow: The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk. Doubleday Religion, 2008. ISBN 978-0385513302.

See also

• Dharma Drum Mountain
• Dharma Drum Retreat Center
• Nung Chan Monastery
• Western Chan Fellowship
• Timeline of Zen Buddhism in the United States

External links

• Biography and Autobiography of Chan Master Sheng Yen at the website of the Chan Meditation Center in New York
• Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pinebush, New York
• The Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies
• Dharma Drum Mountain in Taiwan
• The Western Chan Fellowship (UK)
• Sheng Yen education foundation