"What is sitting for meditation? In our School, to sit means to gain absolute freedom and to be mentally unpreturbed in all outward circumstances, be they good or otherwise. To meditate means to realize inwardly the imperturbability of the Essence of Mind."
-Sixth Ancester Hui-Neng
Our Ch'an Lineage
Jinshan Monastery
The story of our modern Ch'an lineage begins at the illustrious Jinshan Monastery, located in the city of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Also known as the Chiang-T'ien Ssu, it was one of the leading centers of Ch'an practice and training and one of the largest monasteries in China. In the words of Shih Shen-Lung, "To be a full graduate of Jinshan was the Chinese Buddhist equivalent of being called to serve as a clerk at law to a member of the Supreme Court." Located on Golden Hill overlooking the Yangtze River, Jinshan was built over 1600 years ago. The tall octagonal structure which is Jinshan's signature building is the Tower of Benevolence and Longevity. In its heyday, Jinshan was home to over 3,000 monks.
Grand Master T'ai-Ts'ang
Meditation Master T'ai-Ts'ang was a member of the 46th generation of the orthodox Lin-Chi sect. He served as Abbot of Jinshan Monastery from 1945 until 1949 when he was forced to flee to Hong Kong following the Communist takeover. He eventually settled in Taiwan. At the age of 70, Master T'ai-Ts'ang transmitted the Ch'an Dharma to the west, leading to the formation of the Dragon Flower Ch'an Temple in Wisconsin.
Ven. Shih Mo-Hua (Prof. Holmes Welch)
Professor Holmes Hinkley Welch (1921-1981) was a renowned Harvard sinologist who spent many years chronicling Chinese Buddhism. His book "The Practice of Chinese Buddhism 1900-1950" (Harvard, 1967) is considered to be one of the most complete depictions of early to mid-20th century Ch'an monastic life ever written. While Professor Welch was researching his book, he journeyed to Hong Kong where he met Master T'ai-Ts'ang. The Master took him on as a student and subsequently gave him Dharma Transmission with the admonition to pave the way for a Ch'an monastery in the US. The Master also gave Professor Welch his personal copy of the Ch'an Men Jih Sung (Ch'an Gate Daily Breviary) which became one of the first copies ever to be disseminated to the West. The Ch'an Gate is the basis for many of the chanting services at the Dragon Flower Ch'an Temple and CloudWater Zendo.
Ven. Shih Shen-Lung
Ven. Shih Shen-Lung served as the Abbot of the Dragon Flower Ch'an Temple, which had begun in Rhinelander, Wisconsin and subsequently relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, until his death in 2006. Ven. Shen-Lung was the founder of Building for Maitreya, Ltd., an organization dedicated to translating important Buddhist texts, teaching the Buddha-Dharma and providing a role model for Buddhist and non-Buddhist businesses. A practicing Buddhist monk since 1972, Ven. Shen-Lung was originally ordained in the Japanese Soto Zen tradition by Rev. Soyu Matsuoka Roshi. He received Dharma Transmission from Dharma Master Shih Mo-Hua in 1980.
Ven. Shih Ying-Fa
The founder and Abbot of CloudWater Zendo, Ven. Shih Ying-Fa is a disciple of his root teacher Rev. Koshin Ogui, who now serves as Socho (Bishop) of the Buddhist Churches of America. In 1998, Ven. Ying-Fa was ordained by Rev. Ogui as a Buddhist Sensei (Teacher). That same year, Ven. Ying-Fa received Dharma Transmission from Ven. Shih Shen-Lung, empowering him to carry on Ven. Shen-Lung's Ch'an lineage. As Ven. Shen-Lung's only recognized Dharma Heir, Ven. Ying-Fa assumed the Abbotship of the Dragon Flower Ch'an Temple following Ven. Shen-Lung's death. Ven. Ying-Fa also serves as the Spiritual Director of the Richard Hunn Association of Ch'an Study in England. In 2008 he was acknowledged as a member of the lineage of renowned Master Xu-Yun by way of Shi Da Dao (Dr. Adrian Chan-Wyles), Upasaka Wen Shu (Richard Hunn) and Upasaka Lu Kuan Yu (Charles Luk).
Ven. Shih Shen-Ling & Ven. Shih Ming-Xing
In 2007 Ven. Ying-Fa named two Dharma Heirs. Ven. Shih Shen-Ling has been a student of Ven. Ying-Fa's for the last 11 years and currently serves as Resident Instructor of the Dragon Flower Ch'an Temple of Tacoma, Washington. He served as Prison Outreach Coordinator while in Cleveland, Ohio and now visits correctional facilities in the state of Washington on a regular basis.
Ven. Shih Ming-Xing has studied with Ven. Ying-Fa for the last 15 years and is the Assistant Abbot of CloudWater Zendo. Ven. Ming-Xing is the Coordinator of the Zen and Buddhist Studies Program and also serves as Training Coordinator for Novices and Lay Assistants.
