ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes Sheng Yen's perception of his life as forged in crises, through a series of fortuitous contingencies and responses to challenges. His institutionalization of the Dharma Drum Lineage was his response to Taiwanese popular religions and the impact of non-Han Buddhist traditions in Taiwan. His Chan was also a critique of the popular Westernized Zen that focused on awakening but lacked a solid Buddhist understanding. His outlook shifted from nonsectarian to an innovative understanding that led to the creation of a new lineage, not to advance yet another “sect” within Chinese Buddhism but as a way to preserve and foster the richness of the Han transmission of Chinese Buddhism. The chapter concludes by highlighting the newness of the Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan and the difficulties in evaluating its endurance, as well as its ability to face the difficulties after Sheng Yen's passing.
