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This abridged selection presents a clear and practical teaching on the relationship between samadhi and wisdom in the Chan tradition. Drawing on the Platform Sutra and the Diamond Sutra, it moves from doctrinal understanding to direct practice.

This article is adapted from a Dharma talk given during a seven-day Volunteer Chan Retreat at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center on December 12, 2012. In it, Venerable Guo Huei presents the four progressive stages of Silent Illumination as taught by Master Sheng Yen, guiding practitioners from contemplating the whole body to the absolute relinquishment of self-centeredness in the state of no-mind.

The article emphasizes the importance of steady daily practice, encouraging practitioners to cultivate regular meditation, balanced effort, and firm faith on the Chan path.

Venerable Chang Hwa draws on her unique background in both science and monastic life to explore how Buddhist teachings remain relevant in an era shaped by rapid technological and social change. Her reflections remind us that while the tools and circumstances of our world continue to evolve, the cultivation of compassion and clarity of mind remains central to the Buddhist path.

The following poem draws on a remarkable breadth of philosophical and literary traditions. The Greek term λόγος (logos) evokes reason and cosmic order; the Sanskrit धर्म (dharma) points to truth, moral law, and the path central to Buddhist teaching. The poem also carries the unmistakable imprint of classical Chinese thought, from the philosophy of the Tao Te Ching to Confucian ethics. Together, these traditions appear not as competing systems but as voices in a shared conversation about how a human life should be lived.

Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association officially opened the Dharma Drum Meditation Center on January 24, 2026, in Midtown Manhattan, creating a new spiritual space for urban practitioners.

Holly Li, a volunteer with the Dharma Drum Mountain Los Angeles Center, participated in a lecture by Venerable Guo Goang on the Āgamas on January 10–11, 2026. The author shares profound insights gathered from the teachings. Moving beyond abstract theory, the piece explores the early Buddhist scriptures as a practical, almost scientific framework for understanding the mechanics of suffering and liberation.

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.