Global Buddhist Community

Encountering with Master of Wisdom

Propagating Chan Buddhism to the West for 20 yrs Editor Notes Gilbert Gutierrez, an attorney in U.S., also a seeker all his life, studied various martial arts and mind arts but couldn’t be satisfied until encountering with Master Sheng Yen. He received Master’s teachings as well as Dharma transmission and started to propagate Chan Buddhism to the West ever since he became one of the Dharma Heirs of Master Sheng Yen. How did he make all these possible?   I h...

Everlasting Master-Disciple affinities

Learning Chan methods and propagating the teachings of the dharma  Rebecca Li, a disciple of the late Master Sheng Yen, learnt Chan Practices from Master Sheng Yen in the US and served as a translator for the Master in many international conferences. Initially skeptical of Buddhism, she is now devoted to the practice of the Path of the Bodhisattva and to the propagation of Chan Buddhism. What causes this change? Below is her story: “The first 7-day retreat I attende...

Silhouette of Buddhism studies in Switzerland

Chinese Chan Buddhism blossoms discreetly    From Editors: Former Swiss pediatrician, Hildi Thalmann, deeply felt the anguish of this transient life, and turned to Chan meditation. In 2004, after participating in Chan meditation guided by Master Sheng Yen, she took refuge in the Three Jewels under the Master; aspiring to disseminate Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan Buddhism as taught by Master Sheng Yen in her motherland. She then founded the Chan Bern Center for Meditation, pr...

Croatia, Dharmaloka

  Introduction: In 1997, Master Sheng Yen led the first Chan retreat in Croatia at the invitation of Zarko Andricevic, founder of Dharmaloka. By following the Master’s footsteps, Zarko started to regularly guide Chan practice in Europe and American, as well as take part in cross-religion dialogues, ever since becoming a Dharma heir of the Master in 2001. After many years of collective efforts, they finally bought the land and built the Dharma practice center, a Buddhist c...

Chan Buddhist Union, Poland

Poland  In 1993, Master Sheng Yen transmitted the Dharma to Dr. John Crook, a British national, who vowed to practice the Master’s teachings and sow the seeds of Chinese Buddhism in Europe. Practitioners in Poland invited Master Sheng Yen to give guidance on Chan practice for the first time in 1997. Twenty years on, these Polish disciples have continued to practice diligently under the guidance of Ven. Chi Chern and Dr. Simon Child, constantly honing their faith in Chan te...