As part of his significant initiatives to spread Chinese Buddhism to the world, Master Sheng Yen, the founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, led Chan practices in person at the Wujimen Martial Arts School in Russia in 1998 and 2003.

Over the past two decades, in memory of Master Sheng Yen’s grace, the practitioners of Wujimen School have keep practicing Chan and translating the Master’s books. This dedication continued when, with earnest gratitude for the Dharma, Ivan Kapalin, the disciple of the founder of Wujimen, led a pilgrimage of seven members of the Wujimen School and with one Swiss dharma friend to the World Center of Dharma Drum Mountain and the branching monasteries in Northern Taiwan, during the period of January 9th to January 23th, 2018.

Interview with Bhikkhu Bodhi-Part III
Question:
Sutra translation and sutra study play a key role for Buddhism to take roots in the adopted culture, but most Buddhist practitioners in the US don’t actually read and study sutras. What can be done in this regard? In the context of various cultural systems, how can Buddhist ideas be translated and transmitted in their true sense?

Interview with Bhikkhu Bodhi-Part II:
Questions:
Lay Buddhism has become quite popular in the west.
As a monastic practitioner, how do you look at lay sanghas as opposed to monastic sanghas?
What are their respective features and restrictions?
Is lay Buddhism going to be a dominant form of Buddhist practice in the west?

Bhikkhu Bodhi was born in 1944, in New York, and obtained a PhD in philosophy, and received full ordination in Sri Lanka. In 1984, he was appointed as the second president of the Buddhist Publication Society, with a distinguished reputation in writing, translating, and editing.

His Renowned publications included The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha -- A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya 《中部尼柯耶英譯》, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha -- A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya 《相應部尼柯耶英譯》, and Numerical Discourses of the Buddha --A Complete Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya 《增支部尼柯耶英譯》.

Through his commentaries on Pali Sutra and Treatises, he is becoming a key figure, propagating Pali Canon of the Theravada school to the West.

New Establishment in Vancouver Chan Meditation Centre

Dharma Drum Vancouver Centre announces its new establishment in Vancouver, the Vancouver Chan Meditation Centre, which opened its doors on March 8.

On Sunday, February 18, 2018, Dharma Drum Vancouver Centre (DDVC) hosted a Chinese New Year Festival open house. This is the fourth year that we have celebrated this event. This celebration, which is carried out in English, is intended to give all of our neighbours from the mainstream Canadian community a chance to learn about Chinese culture and Chan teachings in a fun and welcoming atmosphere.

Chinese Chan Buddhism blossoms discreetly


From Editors:
Former Swiss pediatrician, Hildi Thalmann, deeply felt the anguish of this transient life, and turned to Chan meditation. In 2004, after participating in Chan meditation guided by Master Sheng Yen, she took refuge in the Three Jewels under the Master; aspiring to disseminate Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan Buddhism as taught by Master Sheng Yen in her motherland. She then founded the Chan Bern Center for Meditation, promoting a four-year educational curriculum. Through translating Master Sheng Yen's literatures and giving lessons, Thalmann's top priority was to help more people obtain correct guidance in Chan practice.

In 2006 when Shifu stopped coming to the US, I went back to Taiwan to see him and promised him that I would build a Chan practice center to honor him and continue his legacy. In 2009 when he passed away, I started a meditation group as a way to repay my gratitude to him, but I didn’t know how I was going to build a center to fulfill my vow. After a few years the small meditation group grew to an extent that we needed a larger space. So we started to look for a suitable land, raise money, and plan the construction.

On Jan. 19th, 2017, the last Friday night, over 25 participants came to Dharma Drum Vancouver Center to enjoy the Tea Chan (meditation) together — practicing Tea Chan techniques and tasting the flavour of Chan through brewing and drinking tea.

2017 Young Buddhists Camp in DDM Malaysia Centre

From October 20th to 22nd, DDM Malaysia Centre held the “Becoming the Master of Our Own Minds: 2017 Young Buddhists Camp” at the Bodeshen Youth Centre, in the hopes to help the youth members raise their emotional awareness. Nearly 60 members and 12 group counsellors from Malaysia and Taiwan experienced this emotion-awareness camp altogether.