Master Sheng Yen’s emergence as a Chan teacher unfolded through a long maturation within the Chinese Buddhist monastic tradition, rather than through any sudden or dramatic event. Ordained as a novice monk at the age of thirteen in mainland China, he entered the path early, later receiving full ordination and then resettling in Taiwan amid political upheaval. After a period of military service there, he returned fully to monastic life, devoting himself to disciplined practice and study. This included extended periods of solitary retreat, during which his meditative training deepened and his understanding of Chan was refined through direct experience.

Alongside this contemplative rigor, he undertook formal academic training in Buddhist studies at Rissho University in Japan, eventually completing advanced degrees in Buddhist literature. This scholarly formation did not replace traditional practice but rather complemented it, giving him a strong doctrinal and historical grounding for his later teaching. Within the Chan tradition itself, his role as a teacher was confirmed through formal dharma transmission: he received transmission in the Caodong (Soto) lineage from Master Dongchu, and later in the Linji (Rinzai) lineage from Master Lingyuan. Through these transmissions, he became a recognized lineage holder in both major Chan streams.

Once thus authorized, he began to teach more widely, both in Taiwan and abroad, gradually assuming the responsibilities of a modern Chan master. He founded institutions dedicated to Buddhist culture and education, and later established Dharma Drum Mountain as a comprehensive center for practice and study. His teaching style wove together rigorous meditation training, classical Chan insight, and systematic educational methods, making the tradition accessible without diluting its depth. Over time, through retreats, training programs, and extensive writing, he came to embody a form of Chan that was at once rooted in ancient lineage and responsive to contemporary seekers.