ABSTRACT
This chapter situates Sheng Yen's life experiences in war-torn China and the political turmoil of the mid-twentieth century. Drawing on several memoirs by and biographies of Sheng Yen, as well as other historical sources, the chapter shows how poverty and the social upheavals of war led Sheng Yen to become a Buddhist monk at a young age, and how the chaos of the Communist takeover of China led him to leave monasticism and join the Guomingdang (GMD) youth army going to Taiwan. These experiences shaped a crisis mentality in him, which led to his spiritual awakening and reordination as a monk in Taiwan. Realizing the frailty of the Han transmission of Chinese Buddhism, he pursued higher Buddhist education in Japan to prepare for his goal of reforming Chinese Buddhism. After receiving his doctorate in Buddhist literature, he moved to the United States and, responding to the needs of Americans, began to teach Chan meditation and lead intensive meditation retreats. This unintentionally led to his popularity in Taiwan as the revitalizer of Chan Buddhism. He used his increasing prominence to modernize Buddhist education and improve the social image of a modern form of Buddhism.
