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In the preface to this thesis, Master Sheng Yen explained his motivation for choosing this topic: “It is because that Chinese Buddhism has always emphasized the balanced integration of learning and practice, or the dual cultivation of compassion and wisdom, in order to actualize the Buddha’s fundamental teachings or the Bodhisattva ideal of benefiting oneself while benefiting others.”

Ven. Guo Huei guides participants through the stages of Chan meditation—scattered mind, concentration, unification, and no-mind—toward realizing the “original face.” Drawing from personal experience and the Mahāyāna spirit of benefiting others, he presents Chan as both a method of inner transformation and a compassionate vow to serve all beings.

Speaking before an international gathering of religious leaders, Buddhist scholars, and supporters, Master Sheng Yen articulated the founding vision of Dharma Drum Mountain: to do what is truly beneficial and urgently needed by society and the world, grounded in the principle of "Arising of Great Compassion."

DDMBA Dharmapala President Iris Wang reflects on the significance of this pilgrimage, drawing connections between the 2005 opening ceremony she attended and the present-day fulfillment of Master Sheng Yen’s vision.

In October 2025, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the formal inauguration of its main complex with a week-long pilgrimage that brought together over 195 Buddhist practitioners from around the world. The reflections that follow—by Chintan Desai, Alan Myers, and Tim Serio—capture the transformative spirit of this pilgrimage.

In a wide-ranging conversation held on Juy 7, 2025, the two longtime Dharma teachers reflect on the state of Chan in the West. Through personal stories, reflections on cultural adaptation, and insight into the role of Dharma teachers, this dialogue highlights the evolving yet rooted nature of Chan practice across continents and generations.

Yan Liu, a volunteer with Dharma Drum Mountain in San Francisco, participated in a fourteen-day Silent Illumination Retreat in June 2025. The retreat was led by Venerable Guo Goang at Bodhi Monastery in New Jersey. In this reflection, Yan Liu shares her experience of practice during the retreat.