Wednesday

Parinirvana of Chinese Chan Master Sheng Yen

President Richard Reoch with Master Sheng Yen. Photo provided by Dharma Drum Mountain Cultural and Educational Foundation, all rights reserved.

On February 3rd, 2009 Venerable Master Sheng Yen entered into Parinirvana in Taiwan from a long term illness. President Richard Reoch immediately wrote a letter to the Abbot President Master Guo Dong of Dharma Drum Mountain. The President said in the letter, “I am writing to you immediately on behalf of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche to express to your community our condolences for the loss of this great and much loved teacher. ” President Reoch continued, “In this one lifetime, Master Sheng Yen had an astounding impact. He had a deep influence not only on his followers, but also on countless other people around the world. His personal illumination penetrated the heart of everyone he met. Dharma Drum itself is a living example of his devotion to the buddhadharma and his commitment to the welfare of humanity.” The Dharma Drum in returned expressed their gratitude for receiving this kind letter from the President of Shambhala.

Master Sheng Yen’s Death Poem

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

Poem courtesy of Shambhala Sunspace, a publication of the independent, nonprofit Shambhala Sun Foundation. Read more.

Related Chinese Shambhalians web links:
Taiwan Shambhala Website: http://shambhala.org.tw/
Online Chinese Shambhala newsletter: http://shambhalachinese.blogspot.com/