Sheng Yen

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PeopleSheng Yen


Sheng Yen(1931/01/22 - 2009/02/03) 

Sheng Yen (聖嚴; Pinyin: Shèngyán, birth name Zhang Baokang, 張保康) (January 22, 1931 – February 3, 2009) was a Chinese Buddhist monk, a religious scholar, and one of the mainstream teachers of Chan Buddhism. He was a 57th generational dharma heir of Linji Yixuan in the Linji school (Japanese: Rinzai) and a third-generation dharma heir of Hsu Yun. In the 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).

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" 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. (Source Accessed November 12, 2019)

Library Items

Video
Buddhism's Buddha-Nature and Confucianism's Idea of Inherent Goodness by Sheng Yen
Buddhism's buddha-nature and Confucianism's idea of inherent goodness are different in that Buddhism's "nature" is emptiness while that of Mencius and Xunzi means a person's character or disposition, which is something substantial. Buddhism teaches us to engage in spiritual practice in order to rid ourselves of vexations, thereby manifesting our original buddha-nature, while Mencius and Xunzi both advocated the importance of education: Education can turn good into evil and evil into good. (Source Accessed Nov 17, 2020)
Sheng Yen. "Buddhism's Buddha-Nature and Confucianism's Idea of Inherent Goodness." Produced by Dharma Drum Mountain, January 3, 2016. Video, 8:33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv2qlACVB8I.
Article
Four Steps to Magical Powers
Before you fully embark on the path of the bodhisattvas and buddhas, says Chan master Sheng Yen, you must first practice the four steps to magical powers. What are these steps and what are the magical powers you need?
Sheng Yen. "Four Steps to Magical Powers." Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly. July 13, 2018. https://www.lionsroar.com/four-steps-to-magical-powers/.
Video
One's True Mind and Inherent Nature by Sheng Yen
Our true mind is the pure mind of wisdom free of defilements. Our inherent nature refers to the nature of our being something common, which is also called the Buddha-nature. By taking refuge in our inner buddha-nature and letting go of our guest mind, which is subject to vexations, we can see our true mind, which is beyond defilement but functions as wisdom. To take refuge in oneself, one must first be able to realize the nature of his mind by the guidance of the Three Jewels. (Source Accessed Nov 17, 2020)
Sheng Yen. "One's True Mind and Inherent Nature: How to Take Refuge in Oneself." Produced by Dharma Drum Mountain, December 28, 2012. Video, 8:43. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsA7rG2jvpI.

Other names

  • Zhang Baokang · other names
  • Chang Baokang · other names

Affiliations & relations

  • Dharma Drum Mountain (Founder) · workplace affiliation
  • Chan Buddhism · religious affiliation
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