WCF News

Dear members of the Western Chan Fellowship,

On behalf of the Abbot President and sangha members of Dharma Drum Mountain, we would like to express our sincere condolences on the recent passing of Dr. John Crook. We also send our thoughts and prayers to you and John’s family at this difficult time. It is impossible to adequately express our sincere sympathy at this most difficult time.

Impermanen…

It is with great sadness and sense of loss that we announce that Chan Master Dr John Crook has died suddenly at his home in Somerset, UK.

John was the first Western Dharma Heir of the late Chan Master Sheng Yen. He was the founding Teacher of the Western Chan Fellowship which is a lay Chan Buddhist community with members and associates in UK and Europe. He was a pioneer who brought great wisdom…

On 18-19 June 2011, the committee 'Buddhism and Society' of the European Buddhist Union (of which WCF is a member) organised an informal networking weekend, hosted by the Naropa Institute in Cadzand, the Netherlands. Socially engaged Buddhist networks from the United States, Asia and Europe were represented.

Attached please find a report from that meeting.

What do Buddhist insights have to offer today's suffering world? As Buddhists, how should we relate our practice to the huge and increasing inequalities we see around us. How should our Buddhist perspectives inform actions to ease that suffering?

A WCF conference entitled "Western Buddhism: Engaged Buddhism?" will take place at the Oddfellows Hall in Bristol on the weekend of 29th and 30th…

John Crook's latest book is now in print and available for purchase. Read how to purchase at a discounted price directly from WCF.

"This is a book that will have an immediate appeal to Buddhists, since it provides a sophisticated, readable overview of the history of ideas within Buddhism and shows clearly the significance of a ‘buddhistic’ insight to meeting 21st Century challenges.

However, the…

It is with great sadness that we tell you that our Venerable Master, Shifu, Teacher and Patron Sheng Yen passed peacefully away yesterday at 4:00pm Taiwan time at Dharma Drum Mountain's Founder's Quarters in his monastery in Taiwan.

As you probably know, Shifu's health had been declining over the past three years. This started in late 2005, when Shifu received surgery to remove a non-functioning…

John Crook interviewed on the topic of 'Silence' by the Archbishop of Canterbury, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday 22^nd February at 9.40pm.

The Chan Practice of Huatou

Another new book from Chan Master Sheng Yen, Shattering the Great Doubt: the Chan Practice of Huatou.

A new book by Chan Master Sheng Yen: 'Footprints in the Snow - The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk'. The autobiography of Chan Master Sheng Yen.

A new book by Chan Master Sheng Yen: 'The Method of No-Method - The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination'.

A comprehensive discussion and instruction on the practice of the method of Silent Illumination.