A Monk Amidst Rain and Snow

On Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009, Ven. Ch'an Master Sheng-Yen passed away. Master Sheng Yen (or just 'Shifu' to his students) was an amazing teacher with much accomplished during his life. He was one of the leading figures in the modern resurgence of Buddhism in Taiwan and in the 1970's came to the US to teach Dharma.

I mentioned a while back how my exposure to his Ch'an teachings deeply and profoundly influenced my practice. Shifu was particularly special to me because the temple he established, the Ch'an Meditation Center, was where I met so many Good Friends. Most of all, I will always hold him in the highest of regards because it was under him that I Took Refuge, receiving the Dharma Name 'Chang Jing' (總 純) - 'Always Pure'.

Even as he leaves this world, his very own words provide us with comfort, clarity, and wisdom:

Busy with nothing, growing old.
Within emptiness, weeping, laughing.
Intrinsically, there is no "I".
Life and death, thus cast aside.

His passing weighs very heavily on me but as one of my Good Friends (whom I met at CMC) related to me an email: "A great, compassionate torch flame has gone out, but not before gently firing the hearts of so many; may we all in fidelity to Shifu, keep the flame of the Dharma lit ever brighter in the candles of our own lives, in our turn now passing it on to endless others".

I humbly offer to my Refuge Master, with the deep and immeasurable gratitude, the words of another great teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh; himself a close friend of Shifu:

Contemplation on No Coming, No Going

This body is not me.
I am not limited by this body.
I am life without boundaries.
I have never been born,
and I have never died.

Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars,
manifestations from my wondrous true mind.

Since before time, I have been free.
Birth and death are only doors through which we pass,
sacred thresholds on our journey.
Birth and death are a game of hide-and-seek.

So laugh with me,
hold my hand,
let us say good-bye,
say good-bye,
to meet again soon.

We meet today.
We will meet again tomorrow.
We will meet at the source every moment.
We meet each other in all forms of life.

We are taught that the Gift of Dharma is the greatest of gifts. Truly, Shifu selflessly gave this gift to all he encountered. May all his Vows soon be fulfilled and may he, life and after life, always walk the Bodhisattva Path.

Above: Master Sheng-Yen (L) with one of his teachers, Master Jen-Chun, ca. 2002. Taken during an offering ceremony at CMC.