View source for Sheng-yen

{{Short description|Chinese Chan Buddhist monk and writer}}
{{distinguish|text=True Buddha School's [[Lu Sheng-yen]]}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| background         = #FFD068
| color              = 
| name               = Sheng Yen
| image              = Sheng-yen xinhuanet.jpg
| caption            = 
| birth name         = 
| alias              = Changjin (novice name)
| dharma name        = 
| birth_date         = January 22, 1931
| birth_place        = [[Nantong]], [[Jiangsu]], [[Republic of China (1911-1949)|Republic of China]]
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2009|02|03|1930|12|04}}
| death_place        = [[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]]
| nationality        = Taiwanese
| religion           = [[Chan Buddhism]]
| school             = [[Caodong school|Caodong]], [[Linji school|Linji]]
| lineage            = 
| title              = [[Zen master|Chan master]]
| location           = 
| education          = [[Rissho University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]], [[PhD]])
| occupation         = Buddhist monk, religious scholar, writer
| teacher            = [[Dongchu]], Ling Yuan, [[Ban Tetsugyu Soin]]
| reincarnation of   = 
| predecessor        = 
| successor          = 
| students           = 
| spouse             = 
| partner            = 
| children           = 
| website            = 
| native_name        = {{no bold|聖嚴}}
}}
{{Zen Buddhism}}
{{Chinese Buddhism}}

'''Sheng Yen''' ({{lang-zh|t=聖嚴|poj=Sèng-giâm|p=Shèngyán}}), born '''Zhang Baokang''' ({{lang-zh|t=張保康|poj=Tiuⁿ Pó-khong|p=Zhāngbǎokāng}}), (January 22, 1931 &ndash; February 3, 2009) was a Taiwanese Buddhist monk, religious scholar, and writer. He was one of the mainstream teachers of [[Chan Buddhism]]. He was a 57th generational [[Dharma transmission|dharma heir]] of [[Linji Yixuan]] in the [[Linji school]] (Japanese: [[Rinzai school|Rinzai]]) and a third-generation dharma heir of [[Hsu Yun]]. In the [[Caodong school|Caodong]] (Japanese: [[Sōtō]]) lineage, Sheng Yen was a 52nd-generation Dharma heir of [[Dongshan Liangjie]] (807-869), and a direct Dharma heir of [[Dongchu]] (1908–1977).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/aboutus.php?id=ourfounder |title=Dharma Drum Retreat Center: About Us: Meditation Classes, Meditation Retreat, Chan Meditation, Zen Retreat |access-date=2012-02-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220110952/http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/aboutus.php?id=ourfounder |archive-date=2012-02-20 }}</ref>

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 a progressive Buddhist teacher 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 [[Hsing Yun]], [[Cheng Yen]] and [[Wei Chueh]], popularly referred to as the "[[Four Heavenly Kings (Taiwan)|Four Heavenly Kings]]" of Taiwanese Buddhism. 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]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.chan1.org/biography.html
 |title        = Chan Master Sheng Yen
 |access-date   = 2009-02-08
 |publisher    = Dharma Drum Mountain
 |date         = 2006-01-10
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100613041853/http://chan1.org/biography.html
 |archive-date = 2010-06-13
 |url-status     = live
}}</ref>

==Biography==

=== Early life (1931–1959) ===
Born as Chang Baokang on January 22, 1931, in [[Nantong, Jiangsu]] near [[Shanghai]] in [[mainland China]], he became a monk at the age of 13. During the [[Chinese Civil War]], he went to Taiwan in 1949 by enlisting in a unit of the [[Republic of China Army|Nationalist Army]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url          = http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/webarticle.php?id=35807
 |title        = Reviewing Master Sheng Yen's Talk: The Strength to be at Peace
 |access-date   = 2009-02-09
 |publisher    = Business Weekly Taiwan
 |date         = 2009-02-09
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090208141028/http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/webarticle.php?id=35807
 |archive-date = 2009-02-08
 |url-status     = live
}}</ref> After leaving the army Sheng Yen became recognized as a [[Dharma transmission|Dharma Heir]] in both the [[Linji school|Linji]] and [[Caodong school|Caodong]] traditions and became a monk again in 1959.

=== Resuming monastic life ===
From 1961 to 1968 he trained in solitary retreat in southern Taiwan at Chao Yuan Monastery. Sheng Yen became a lecturer at Shan Dao Monastery in Taipei and then completed a [[master's degree]] (1971) and [[doctorate]] (1975) in [[Buddhist texts|Buddhist literature]] at [[Rissho University]] in Japan.<ref>[http://www.dharmadrum.org/master/master.aspx?cid=C_00000009 Chronology of Master Sheng Yen, ddm.org.tw] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070325230248/http://www.dharmadrum.org/master/master.aspx?cid=C_00000009 |date=2007-03-25 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=http://www.khamkoo.com/uploads/9/0/0/4/9004485/encyclopedia_of_buddhism.pdf|title=Encyclopedia of Buddhism|last=Irons|first=Edward|publisher=Facts on File|year=2008|isbn=978-0-8160-5459-6|pages=441|access-date=2017-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517061902/http://www.khamkoo.com/uploads/9/0/0/4/9004485/encyclopedia_of_buddhism.pdf|archive-date=2017-05-17|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time Sheng Yen was the only major Buddhist figure in Taiwan to have earned a doctorate from a reputable foreign university.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Schak|first1=David|last2=Hsiao|first2=Hsin-Huang Michael|date=2005-06-01|title=Taiwan's Socially Engaged Buddhist Groups|url=https://chinaperspectives.revues.org/2803#tocto2n2|journal=China Perspectives|volume=2005 |issue=59|doi=10.4000/chinaperspectives.2803 |issn=1996-4617|access-date=2016-12-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012062338/https://chinaperspectives.revues.org/2803#tocto2n2|archive-date=2016-10-12|url-status=live|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Sheng Yen received full transmission in the Caodong tradition in 1975 and the Linji tradition in 1978.<ref name=":0" />

Sheng Yen became abbot of [[Nung Chan]] in Taiwan in 1978 and founder of the Institute of Chung-Hwa Buddhist Culture in [[New York City]] in 1979. 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.

=== Propagation of Buddhardharma in the West ===
Sheng Yen taught in the United States starting in 1975, and established Chan Meditation Center in Queens, New York, and its retreat center, [[Dharma Drum Retreat Center]] at [[Pine Bush, New York]] in 1997. He also visited many countries in Europe, as well as continuing his teaching in several Asian countries, in particular Taiwan.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dharmadrum.org/content/about/about2.aspx?sn=43 |title=Biography of Master Sheng Yen, ddm.org.tw |access-date=2013-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728190509/http://www.dharmadrum.org/content/about/about2.aspx?sn=43 |archive-date=2012-07-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> Sheng Yen gave dharma transmission to several of his lay Western students, such as [[John Crook (ethologist)|John Crook]], who later formed the Western Chan Fellowship,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://westernchanfellowship.org/ |title=Western Chan Fellowship |access-date=2016-08-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813034809/http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/ |archive-date=2016-08-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and several other Western disciples such as Simon Child, Max Kalin, and Zarko Andricevic.

Sheng Yen's health was poor in the last couple years of his life, although he still gave lectures in Taiwan.

===Death===
Sheng Yen died from [[renal failure]] on February 3, 2009, while returning from [[National Taiwan University Hospital]] in [[Taipei]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Dharma Master Sheng Yen dies at age 80|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/02/04/194518/Dharma-Master.htm|access-date=22 April 2017|work=China Post|date=4 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423062104/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/02/04/194518/Dharma-Master.htm|archive-date=2017-04-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> He had endured the illness for many years, but refused a kidney transplant.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/02/04/194518/dharma-master.htm|title=Dharma Master Sheng Yen dies at age 80|work=www.ChinaPost.com.tw|access-date=2017-05-20|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430100540/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/02/04/194518/Dharma-Master.htm|archive-date=2017-04-30|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/02/04/2003435215|title=Buddhist master Sheng Yen passes away aged 79 - Taipei Times|website=www.taipeitimes.com|date=4 February 2009 |access-date=2017-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207064409/http://taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/02/04/2003435215|archive-date=2009-02-07|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=12,29,33,45&post=22308 |title=Struck Like Lightning: the Life of Master Sheng Yen |date=February 2010 |access-date=2017-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422214038/http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=12,29,33,45&post=22308 |archive-date=2017-04-22 |url-status=live }}</ref> In accordance with [[East Asian age reckoning]], the Dharma Drum Mountain organization states that Sheng Yen died at the age of 80.<ref>{{cite web
   |url=http://www.dharmadrum.org/news/news-detail.aspx?cid=C_00000011&pid=P_00000139
   |title=Announcement of Master Sheng Yen's death
   |access-date=2009-02-05
   |publisher=Dharma Drum Mountain
   |date=2009-02-03
   }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
Officially, according to the Western way of reckoning age, Sheng Yen died at the age of 78.

Hours after his death, tributes from eminent Buddhist monks and Taiwanese politicians and celebrities, including President [[Ma Ying-jeou]], Vice President [[Vincent Siew]], [[Democratic Progressive Party|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.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.ddm.org.tw/event/master_shengyen/en/will.html 
 |title=The Will of Master Sheng Yen 
 |access-date=2009-02-08 
 |publisher=Dharma Drum Mountain 
 |date=2009-02-05 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721230624/http://www.ddm.org.tw/event/master_shengyen/en/will.html 
 |archive-date=2011-07-21 
}}</ref><ref>[http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2009/new/feb/10/today-life9.htm 聖嚴法體燒出舍利子舍利花] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302053058/http://libertytimes.com.tw/2009/new/feb/10/today-life9.htm |date=2009-03-02 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=David|title=Ashes of Master Sheng Yen buried|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/02/16/196205/Ashes-of.htm|access-date=22 April 2017|work=China Post|date=16 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423062230/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/02/16/196205/Ashes-of.htm|archive-date=2017-04-23|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Dharma heirs==
Monks:
* [[Chi Chern]]
* [[Guo Ru]]
* [[Guo Yuan (Zen monk)|Guo Yuan]]
* [[Guo Pin]]
* [[Guo Dong]]
* [[Huimin (scholar monk)|Huimin]]
* [[Guo Xing]]
* [[Guo Jun]]
Nuns:
* Guo Jing
* [[Guo Kuang]]
* [[Guo Yi (nun)|Guo Yi]]
* [[Guo Zhao]]
Western Lay practitioners:
* [[John Crook (ethologist)|John Crook]], PhD, DSC
* [[Simon Child (Zen practitioner)|Simon Child]]
* [[Max Kalin]]
* [[Zarko Andricevic]]
* [[Gilbert Gutierrez]]
In the Chan lineage of Sheng Yen, a "Dharma heir" receives the dharma transmission based on his or her selfless administrative contributions to Dharma Drum Mountain and practice of Chan.<ref name="ddm.org.tw">http://www.ddm.org.tw/maze/190/page1.asp {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604064429/http://www.ddm.org.tw/maze/190/page1.asp |date=2013-06-04 }} 交付傳持佛法的任務</ref> However, a Dharma heir may not have had [[Kenshō|a personal experience of self-nature]] or [[Buddha-nature]], the nature of [[śūnyatā]], in which case the person would also receive ''yinke'' (Jp. [[Dharma transmission#Inka shōmei|inka shōmei]]), the seal of approval. Among the Dharma heirs, there are only a few who have both Dharma transmission and yinke.

Among Sheng Yen's senior disciples, there are also those who have received yinke but no dharma transmission for various reasons.<ref name="ddm.org.tw"/>

==Books==
In alphabetical order of the books' title:
* Sheng Yen, ''A Journey of Learning and Insight'', Dharma Drum Publishing Corp, 2012. {{ISBN|978-957-598-580-6}}
* 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|978-1-59030-396-2}}.
* Sheng Yen, ''Faith in Mind: A Guide to Chan Practice''. Dharma Publishing, 1987. {{ISBN|978-0-9609854-2-5}}.
* Sheng Yen, ''Getting the Buddha Mind: On the Practice of Chan Retreat''. North Atlantic Books, 2005. {{ISBN|978-1-55643-526-3}}.
* 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}}. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090304094720/http://www.shengyen.org.tw/big5/book/orthodox.pdf 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|978-0-385-48045-1}}.
* Sheng Yen, ''The Infinite Mirror: Commentaries on Two Chan Classics''. Shambala, 2006. {{ISBN|978-1-59030-398-6}}.
* 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|978-1-59030-399-3}}.
* Sheng Yen, ''The Six Paramitas: Perfections of the Bodhisattva 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|978-1-55643-428-0}}.
* Sheng Yen, ''There Is No Suffering: A Commentary on the Heart Sutra''. Dharma Drum, 2002. {{ISBN|1-55643-385-9}}.
* Sheng Yen, ''Things Pertaining to Bodhi: The Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment''. Shambhala, 2010. {{ISBN|978-1-59030-790-8}}.
* Sheng Yen, ''Zen Wisdom''. North Atlantic Books, 2002. {{ISBN|978-1-55643-386-3}}.
Autobiography of Master Sheng Yen:
* Sheng Yen, ''Footprints in the Snow: The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk''. Doubleday Religion, 2008. {{ISBN|978-0-385-51330-2}}.
History of the Dharma Drum Lineage:
* {{cite book | last=Yu | first=Jimmy | title=Reimagining Chan Buddhism : Sheng Yen and the creation of the Dharma Drum lineage of Chan | publication-place=Abingdon, Oxon | date=2022 | isbn=978-1-003-19637-2 | oclc=1252738811}}

==See also==
* [[Dharma Drum Mountain]]
* [[Nung Chan Monastery]]
* [[Timeline of Zen Buddhism in the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite journal | journal = Chung-Hwa Buddhist Journal | year = 2010 | volume = 23 | pages = 3–38 | publication-place = Taipei | publisher = Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies | issn = 1017-7132 | title = A Tentative Exploration into the Development of Master Sheng Yen's Chan Teachings
| first = Jimmy | last = Yu | url = http://www.chibs.edu.tw/ch_html/chbj/23/Jimmy%20Yu%203-38.pdf| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140919190938/http://www.chibs.edu.tw/ch_html/chbj/23/Jimmy%20Yu%203-38.pdf | archive-date = 2014-09-19 }}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Sheng Yen}}
*{{official website|http://www.shengyen.org/}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100613041853/http://chan1.org/biography.html Biography] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20100613041749/http://chan1.org/autobio.html Autobiography] of Chan Master Sheng Yen at the website of the Chan Meditation Center in New York
*[http://www.dharmadrumretreat.org/ Dharma Drum Retreat Center] in Pinebush, New York
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040602211821/http://www.chibs.edu.tw/e-index.htm The Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies]
*[http://www.dharmadrum.org Dharma Drum Mountain in Taiwan]
*[https://westernchanfellowship.org/ The Western Chan Fellowship (UK)]
*[http://www.shengyen.org.tw/ Sheng Yen education foundation]

{{Zen}}
{{Four Great Mountains}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheng Yen}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Chan Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Refugees of the Chinese Civil War]]
[[Category:Deaths from kidney failure]]
[[Category:Dharma Drum Mountain]]
[[Category:Military personnel of the Republic of China]]
[[Category:20th-century Chinese writers]]
[[Category:Rinzai Buddhists]]
[[Category:Soto Zen Buddhists]]
[[Category:Taiwanese Buddhist monks]]
[[Category:Taiwanese people from Shanghai]]
[[Category:Taiwanese religious leaders]]
[[Category:Taiwanese Zen Buddhists]]
[[Category:Writers from Nantong]]
[[Category:Zen Buddhist spiritual teachers]]
[[Category:Zen Buddhism writers]]