Publications
Chan Magazine
 Published quarterly since 1977 by Dharma Drum Publications. Chan Magazine contains lectures by Master Sheng Yen, translations of Buddhist texts, scholarly studies in Buddhism, practitioner's retreat reports, poetry, stories, and other articles. Click here to access a collection of past issues on the website of the Chan Meditation Center, our sister organization in New York City. To subscribe to the magazine, send an email to chancenter@gmail.com and specify "Chan Magazine Subscription" in the subject line.
Books by Chan Master Sheng Yen
To order the books listed below, e-mail: ddmddp@yahoo.com
Orthodox Chinese Buddhism: A Contemporary Chan Master's Answers to Common Questions
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
 Written while
the author was secluded in solitary retreat in southern Taiwan, Orthodox Chinese
Buddhism provides a wealth of theory and simple, clear guidelines for practicing
this increasingly popular form of spirituality. One of the most influential
Buddhist books in the Chinese language, the book explores a wide range of
subjects, from distinguishing core teachings from outdated cultural norms to
bridging the gap between Western and Chinese traditions. In the process, it
addresses such questions as "To what extent should Buddhism be Westernized to
fit new cultural conditions?" and "Does Westernization necessarily lead to
'a dumbing down' of Buddhism?" In addition to the translation of the complete
original text, this edition includes new annotations, appendixes, and a
glossary designed for the Western reader. (From the Publisher)
Attaining the Way: A Guide to the Practice of Chan Buddhism
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
 This is an
inspiring guide to the practice of Chan (Chinese Zen) in the words of four great
masters of that tradition. It includes teachings from contemporary masters Xuyun
and Sheng Yen, and from Jiexian and Boshan of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Though the texts were written over a period of hundreds of years, they are all
remarkably lucid and are perfect for beginners as well as more advanced
practitioners today. All the main points of spiritual practice are covered:
philosophical foundations, methods, approaches to problems and obstacles-all
aimed at helping the student attain the way to enlightenment. (From the Publisher)
Dharma Drum: The Life and Heart of Chan Pracice
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
 Here is
an ideal guide to the practice of Chan Buddhism by a great modern teacher. Part
One presents Master Sheng Yen's lively, anecdotal account of the history and
main principles of the Chan tradition, along with his careful instructions for
meditation. Part Two consists of 180 of his gemlike aphorisms and sayings that
serve as inspirations to spiritual practice. The book will appeal to beginners
as well as experienced students. (From the Publisher)
Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Tsan's Classic
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
 The
Supreme Way is not difficult, If only you do not pick and choose. Neither love
nor hate, And you will clearly understand. Be off by a hair, And you are as far
from it as heaven and earth. These vivid lines begin one of the most beloved
and commented upon of all Zen texts, the Hsin Hsin Ming ("Faith in Mind"), a
sixth-century poem by the third Chan patriarch, Seng Ts'an. The Hsin Hsin Ming
is a masterpiece of economy, expressing the profoundest truth of the enlightened
mind in only a few short pages. Master Sheng Yen's approach is unique among
commentaries on the text: he views it as a supremely useful and practical guide
to meditation practice. "I do not adopt a scholarly point of view or analytical
approach," he says. "Rather, I use the poem as a taking-off point to inspire
the practitioner and deal with issues that arise during the course of practice.
True faith in mind is the belief grounded in realization that we have a
fundamental, unmoving, and unchanging mind. This mind is precisely Buddha mind."
(From the Publisher)
The Infinite Mirror: Commentaries on Two Chan Classics
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
 Here
is the inimitable Master Sheng Yen at his best, illuminating the ancient texts
of the Chinese Zen tradition to show how wonderfully practical they really are,
even for us today. The texts, written by two of the founders of the Tsao-tung
sect of Chan Buddhism, are poems entitled Inquiry into Matching Halves and Song
of the Precious Mirror Samadhi. Both emphasize the Chan view that wisdom is
not separate from vexation, and both speak of the levels of awareness through
which one must pass on the way to realization. Both are also works of Buddhist
philosophy that can serve as guides to spiritual practice for anyone.
(From the Publisher)
The Poetry of Enlightenment: Poems by Ancient Chan Masters
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
 For the
masters of the Chan tradition, poetry was a form of creative expression, but even
more than that, it was a primary vehicle for teaching. Here a modern master
presents ten teaching poems from the ancient masters, with illuminating commentary.
"These poems flow directly from the minds of the enlightened Chan masters," Master
Sheng Yen says. "We get a glimpse into their experience at the time of, and after,
their enlightenment. It is my hope that this collection of poems will give those
who are interested in the practice a new way of looking at Chan." (From the Publisher)
Getting the Buddha Mind: On the Practice of Chan Retreat
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
 Chan-or
in Japanese, Zen-involves studying, practicing, acting, and being, but beyond words
and ideas, the true Chan cannot be described, only learned. Under the guidance of
authentic teachers like Chan Master Sheng Yen, many students in the West have learned
how to follow the path. Collected from a series of talks given during Chan retreats,
Getting the Buddha Mind presents the teachings of this esteemed spiritual guide and
brings the intimacy of the retreat experience into the reader's living room. (From the Publisher)
Song of Mind: Wisdom from the Zen classic Xin Ming
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
 "No words can
explain enlightenment," says the seventh-century
Chan classic Xin Ming (Song of Mind), yet paradoxically, this poem is
a masterpiece of expressing what cannot be expressed in words. In his
commentary, Master Sheng Yen takes a practical approach, opening up the
language of Xin Ming to show students how to approach meditation, how
to deal with problems that arise in their spiritual practice and how
to accomplish the imperative task of integrating this practice into every
aspect of one's life. "True understanding comes only with direct
experience,"according to Master Sheng Yen. "These lectures,
the Buddhist sutras, songs, poems and commentaries are useful only insofar
as they encourage you to practice and incorporate the Dharma into your
daily life." (From the Publisher)
The Sword of Wisdom: A Commentary on the Song of Enlightenment
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
 The Sword of
Wisdom is a penetrating commentary on the Song of Enlightenment, a famous Chan text
that speaks of proper methods and attitudes for practice. In this book, compiled from
a series of lectures delivered during intensive meditation retreats. Master Sheng Yen
gives valuable advice and guidance to those who are practicing Chan meditation. His
lucid words offer fresh insight into a timeless philosophy that will be beneficial
and inspiring to anyone who is interested in Buddhism. (From the Publisher)
Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
 Revered by
Buddhists in the United States and China, Master Sheng Yen shares his wisdom and
teachings in this first comprehensive English primer of Chan, the Chinese tradition
of Buddhism that inspired Japanese Zen. Often misunderstood as a system of mind
games, the Chan path leads to enlightenment through apparent contradiction. While
demanding the mental and physical discipline of traditional Buddhist doctrine, it
asserts that wisdom (Buddha-nature) is innate and immediate in all living beings,
and thus not to be achieved through devotion to the strictures of religious practice.
You arrive without departing.
Master Sheng Yen provides an unprecedented understanding of Chan, its precepts,
and its practice. Beginning with a basic overview of Buddhism and meditation,
Hoofprint of the Ox details the progressive mental exercises traditionally followed
by all Buddhists. Known as the Three Disciplines, these procedures develop moral
purity, meditative concentration, and enlightening insight through the "stilling"
of the mind. Master Sheng Yen then expounds Chan Buddhism, recounting its
centuries-old history in China and illuminating its fundamental tenets. He
contemplates the nature of Buddhahood, specifies the physical and mental
prerequisites for beginning Chan practice, and humbly considers what it means to be
an enlightened Chan master.
Drawing its title from a famous series of pictures that symbolizes the Chan path
as the search of an ox-herd for his wayward ox, Hoofprint of the Ox is an
inspirational guide to self-discovery through mental transformation. A profound
contribution to Western understanding of Chan and Zen, this book is intended for
practicing Buddhists as well as anyone interested in learning about the Buddhist
path. (From the Publisher)
There Is No Suffering: A Commentary on the Heart Sutra
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
 "The Heart
Sutra, just over a page long, distills the teachings of the Buddha to their purest
essence. Perhaps the best known of all Buddhist sutras, it is recited in Buddhist
centers and monasteries around the world. Emphasizing a living wisdom directly
experienced, the schools of Chan have revered the Heart Sutra for its concise
expression of the core realizations of the Buddha." There Is No Suffering is Chan
Master Sheng Yen's commentary on the Heart Sutra. He speaks on the sutra from the
Chan point of view, and presents it as a series of contemplation methods, encouraging
readers to experience it directly through meditation and daily life. In this way,
reading the Heart Sutra becomes more than just an intellectual exercise; it becomes a
method of practice by which one can awaken to the fundamental wisdom inherent within
each of us. Whether one wants a better understanding of Buddhist concepts or a
deepened meditation practice, this commentary on the Heart Sutra can help. (From the Publisher)
Illuminating Silence: The Practice of Chinese Zen
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Watkins Publishing
 This
book provides a rare opportunity to explore and understand the practice of a Chinese
Zen Retreat and a fascinating first hand account of the experience of the little
known practice of "Silent Illumination". (From the Publisher)
Zen Wisdom
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
 Master Sheng Yen
combines wisdom gained from years of study and practice with knowledge of the
contemporary world to show how Chan and Buddha's teachings are still relevant today.
Beginners as well as those already on the path will find clear and useful guidance as
the revered teacher answers questions from his students on the simple yet elusive
principles of Chan (Zen) practice. (From the Publisher)
Subtle Wisdom: An Introduction to Chan Buddhism
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc
 Master Sheng
Yen, a dharma descendant from the founders of Buddhism in China, considers the
concepts of suffering, enlightenment, and, compassion provides a glossary of key
terms; and briefly recaps the history of Buddhism in China. But he goes beyond these
issues to discuss contemporary matters and questions he has encountered in his years
of teaching in the United States. Sometimes personal and always instructive, Sheng
Yen's introductory work is perfect for those just coming to Buddhism, and for those
who are already very familiar with the Tibetan and Zen schools. (From the Publisher)
Complete Enlightenment
by Chan Master Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
 Complete
Enlightenment is the first authoritative translation and commentary on The Sutra of
Complete Enlightenment, a central text that shaped the development of East Asian
Buddhism and Chan (Chinese Zen). The text is set in the form of a transcription of
discussions between the Buddha and twelve enlightened beings (bodhisattvas), who
question him on all aspects of spiritual practice.
This new translation preserves all the liveliness and nuance of the text in the
original Chinese. The sutra's ancient wisdom is brought to life by the commentaries of
Master Sheng Yen, one of the most revered living Buddhist masters in the Chan lineage.
This is truly a manual for the spiritual journey toward complete enlightenment,
providing the key to the deep, poetic, and practical meanings of the scripture. (From the Publisher)
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