The Meditation and Teaching Methods of Chinese Chan Patriarchs

Book Summary

This book offers a concise yet profound journey through the origins and evolution of Zen, from its Indian meditative roots to the flourishing of Chinese Chan. It explores how yogic and Buddhist Dhyāna practices gave rise to Chan’s unique path of direct insight, beyond ritual and doctrine.

Integrating the teachings and methods of great Zen masters such as Bodhidharma, Huineng, Mazu, Linji, Zhaozhou, and Dongshan, the book reveals how their approaches—ranging from "no-thought, no-form, no-abiding" to the use of sudden shouts, silence, paradox, and kōan—shaped generations of practitioners and continue to guide meditators today.

The development of both Kōan Zen and Silent Illumination is illuminated, showing how Chan adapted to changing times while remaining rooted in the awakening of intrinsic mind. The text also traces the evolution of formal meditation techniques and the living lineages of the Caodong and Linji schools.

Drawing on the life of Master Sheng Yen, the book embodies the continuity of the Zen tradition, where leaving home and returning home are one, and where true liberation lies not in gaining something, but in letting go of self-centered grasping—revealing that ordinary mind is the Way.

About the Author

Master Sheng Yen (1930–2009) was a distinguished Chinese Chan (Zen) master, Buddhist scholar, and founder of Dharma Drum Mountain in Taiwan. Ordained at a young age, he combined rigorous monastic training with a deep commitment to bringing the wisdom of Buddhism into modern life.

After serving in the military for over a decade, he resumed his monastic path and pursued advanced Buddhist studies in Japan, earning a Ph.D. in Buddhist Literature from Rissho University. During this time, he studied under respected Japanese Zen masters and integrated both Chinese and Japanese Zen traditions into his practice and teachings.

In the mid-1970s, Master Sheng Yen began teaching in the United States, establishing the Chan Meditation Center in New York. In 1989, he returned to Taiwan and founded Dharma Drum Mountain, promoting the vision of "uplifting the character of humanity and building a pure land on earth." He was a Dharma heir in both the Linji (Rinzai) and Caodong (Sōtō) lineages.

Master Sheng Yen’s teachings emphasized both sudden enlightenment and gradual cultivation, and he developed accessible methods of meditation and ethical living rooted in the Chan tradition. A prolific author, his works continue to inspire spiritual seekers around the world.