Master Sheng Yen (1931-2009)
Master Sheng Yen (1931-2009) was the founder of Dharma Drum Mountain and Dharma Drum Lineage.
He was a Chinese Buddhist monk, a religious scholar, and one of the mainstream teachers of Chan Buddhism. Master Sheng Yen was well known as a progressive Buddhist teacher who sought to teach Buddhism in a modern and Western-influenced world.
In 1975, he formally received the transmission from Chan Master Dongchu in the Caodong (Jp. Soto) tradition of Chan. In 1978, he received the transmission from Chan Master Lingyuan of the Linji (Jp. Rinzai) tradition of Chan, becoming the second generation descendant of Chan Master Xuyun, the greatest contemporary patriarch and reviver of Chan Buddhism.
He dedicated his life to sharing, writing about, and lecturing on Buddhist teachings. He wrote more than a hundred books in Chinese and more than a dozen in English, including Song of Mind, The Method of No-Method, and his autobiography, Footprints in the Snow. Many of his books have been translated into other languages.
We study his books, watch and listen to his recordings.
Venerable Chang Wu
Venerable Chang Wu is the Abbess of Dharma Drum Vancouver Center in Richmond, B.C., a branch monastery of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM), founded by Chan Master Sheng Yen.
In 1993, Venerable Chang Wu began practicing with Master Sheng Yen in New York while she was a business professional holding an MBA. She started her teacher’s training with Master Sheng Yen in 1999 and entered monastic life the next year. In 2003 she started teaching as Dharma and meditation instructor and a few years later leading 1-day to 3-day retreats. In 2009, she moved to Taiwan and initiated a translation project of Master Sheng Yen’s Complete Work. A few books on meditation practice have been published now. While working on translating books, she was active in leading meditation activities and teaching classes in Dharma Drum Sangha University. Currently, she teaches meditation and Dharma classes, gives public lectures and leads retreats at Dharma Drum centres, meditation groups and Dharma centres in west coast of North America, London, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Other than meditation practice, Chinese Buddhism, inter-religious dialogue, she also enjoys being in nature, walking in the woods and artworks.
She offers monthly online teachings and visits us regularly.
Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu)
Guo Gu (Dr Jimmy Yu) is the founder and teacher at the Tallahassee Chan Center. He first learned meditation as a child in 1972 with Master Guangqin (1892-1986), one of the most respected Chinese meditation masters and ascetics who lived in Taiwan. In 1980, Guo Gu moved to the United States and began studying with Master Sheng Yen (1931-2009). In 1991, Guo Gu was ordained as a monk and became Master Sheng Yen’s first personal attendant and assistant. In 1995, he was given permission by Master Sheng Yen to teach Chan independently. His experiences were later recognized by other teachers as well. Wanting to bring Buddhism beyond monastic walls, Guo Gu left the monkhood and re-entered the world in 2000. In 2008 he received his PhD in Buddhist Studies from Princeton University and is currently an Associate Professor of Buddhist studies at Florida State University. He is the author of several books, including The Essence of Chan, Passing Through the Gateless Barrier and Silent Illumination.
Guo Gu is our primary teacher, and offers monthly online teachings and visits us regularly.