Master Sheng Yen and Guanyin Bodhisattva ---
Guanyin Among Us

/ Excerpted from the book of "The Story of CMC" (in Chinese)

In the small meditation room on the second floor of CMC, there is a drawing of Guanyin Bodhisattva, which had journeyed with Shifu from the Eastern Hemisphere to the West. According to the records, it is a replica of the work of Wu Daozi from the Tang Dynasty, engraved on a stone tablet at Wolong Temple, at Xian Provence in China. This Guanyin drawing had witnessed how Shifu started from nothing, overcoming series of challenges, and eventually established the Chan Meditation Center.
Late autumn in 2006, Shifu came to New York for the last time. Teaching the Guanyin Practice, he explained, “The essence of Mahayana Buddhism is thinking on Guanyin, praying to Guanyin, learning from Guanyin, and [ultimately,] becoming Guanyin. We should embrace such proactive spirit while practicing the bodhisattva path.” These words aptly summed up the journey he undertook way back in 1975, coming to the US to teach Buddhadharma to people from both the East and the West.
CMC is located in New York City, an international hub of economy, culture and arts. Master Shengyen therefore entrusted CMC with the responsibilities of outreach, through holding Dharma gatherings and short-term meditation retreats, and to care for practitioners in different parts of the US. He also reminded us to take special care of the Chinese communities. After all, CMC is considered a home of many Chinese practitioners—a place where they’ve devoted themselves whole-heartedly, learning buddhadharma and serving as volunteers. Therefore, CMC must rise to meet the needs of these practitioners. This expansion project adheres to such vision. We hope that, upon the completion of the expansion, CMC will become an important site where people around the world can come to learn about Chinese Chan Buddhism. We aspire to be like a big tree and follow the Guanyin spirit, and devote ourselves to benefit all sentient beings.