Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Most Venerable Master Sheng Yen

The Most Venerable Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, let go of his physical body and left behind great compassion and great vows in this world at 4:04pm of the afternoon of 3 February, 2009, at the age of 80.

"Where there is life, there must be death.
If one cannot face this reality it will become one’s greatest barrier in life, if one can regard death merely as a fraction within the eternal time and space then death is not an end to life but the beginning of the next."
Ven. Master Sheng Yen

Venerable Master Sheng Yen’s health had been declining over the past three years. This started in late 2005, when he received surgery to remove a non-functioning kidney, his remaining kidney's ability to function remained very poor. Since then he endured weekly dialysis and various other treatments, making his body very weak. Over the following two years, his health condition has had ups and downs, and remarkably, in mid to late 2008,
Venerable Master Sheng Yen had been noticeably stronger and able to give many lectures and attend many public events however in late December, a routine checkup at the hospital revealed a further problem and his health condition deteriorated rapidly. He was unable to attend the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Dharma Drum Mountain Centre

The Master has had a weak physique and been prone to illness since childhood. After becoming a monk in the Wolf Hills in China, he went through years of having to perform deliverance rituals day and night for a living, then served in the military, and was finally re-ordained. Thereafter, whether on solitary retreat, studying in Japan, in America spreading the Dharma, or founding Dharma Drum Mountain, he has always been able to find a way forward when there seemed no way out. In his hardships his compassionate vows strengthen, and through his perseverance his wisdom shines. To him, life is a process of realizing the Buddha dharma.

The Most Venerable Master Sheng

1930-2009

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For further information on the Most Venerable Master Sheng and the Dharma Drum Mountain please visit: http://www.dharmadrum.org/

And the Dharma Drum Mountain, association of lay Chan practitioners a lay Sangha, based in the UK. please visit: http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/

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