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In the summer of 2016, Venerable Master Chi Chern led a landmark 14-day Chan meditation retreat for Dharma Drum Mountain’s monastic sangha. Speaking to more than 150 monks and nuns, he delivered a series of systematic, comprehensive daily Dharma talks on the meditation practices of Chinese Buddhism. Drawing deeply from both the Chan tradition and the structured Tiantai system of practice, these pivotal teachings were first published in Chinese in 2018.
As editors, our goal in preparing this volume was to capture Master Chi Chern’s unique approach to the lineage. While widely recognized as a master of both huatou and silent illumination, he skillfully uses the Tiantai system of Zhi-Guan (Shamatha-Vipashyana) as a lens to elucidate Chan practice — a methodology that sets this book apart from standard Zen literature. Rather than relying solely on abstract classical rhetoric regarding the mind’s intrinsic wisdom, Master Chi Chern provides a grounded dose of theory to establish a right view, before quickly pivoting to the technical, practical mechanics of meditation. He guides readers through building a reliable foundation and correcting common misconceptions, steering practitioners toward a simple, sure-footed path.
This English translation presents the vital teachings from the first half of the original Chinese work. It begins with establishing a robust foundation for general meditation, covering essential topics such as cultivating the right attitude, mastering preliminary practices, balancing focus with awareness, and utilizing meditation methods correctly. It then seamlessly introduces silent illumination — demonstrating how this profound state naturally ensues when focus and awareness are perfectly integrated. Finally, the book culminates in the quintessential huatou practice, emphasizing what the method truly entails, how to gauge genuine progress, and how to cultivate the naturally arising “great doubt.”
Told through the clear voice of a living master, this book is an indispensable addition to the English corpus of Chan and Zen literature. It fulfills Master Chi Chern’s deep wish that both beginners and advanced practitioners alike may find steady guidance and profound benefit within these pages.
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