Footprints in the Snow: The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk [Hardcover]

Master Chan Sheng Yen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2008

In this landmark memoir, a renowned Buddhist master traces his spiritual journey against the panoramic story of China from the pre-Communist era to the present.

Master Sheng Yen has devoted much of his life to spreading the teachings of Chinese Buddhism—a practice that antedates the more familiar Japanese and Tibetan traditions—throughout the world. He became known in the United States after he began founding meditation centers here in 1980. Now in his late seventies, he tells the remarkable story of his life and spiritual education in Footprints in the Snow. From descriptions of the private world of Buddhist masters to first-hand accounts of Chinese history, it is a rare document that is both an important look at China’s past and a compelling spiritual journey across a lifetime.
Sheng Yen’s story is of a life lived in the last years of the Republic of China, the Sino-Japanese War, and the founding of the People’s Republic of China. An eye-opening slice of modern history as well as an authoritative introduction to an ancient religious tradition, Footprints in the Snow will appeal to spiritual seekers, travelers who want to understand more about China, or anyone looking for a fascinating story.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author is a master of Chan Buddhism, the Chinese antecedent of Zen Buddhism that is not nearly as well known as Zen and other Buddhist schools that have migrated to the West. The Chan master's story is less Buddhist dharma and more history of his homeland. Born in 1930, he had a ringside seat for China's Communist revolution. In 1949, he left his Buddhist schooling to join Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist army, spending more than 10 years in military intelligence. That experience was but one of many teachers along his spiritual path, along with a few bizarre Chan masters. Sheng Yen has also traveled, spending some time teaching in America. His efforts, however, have been concentrated in Taiwan, where he has developed the fourth-largest Buddhist organization in that area. This book is timely, given that China is opening to the West this year on account of the Olympics in Beijing. China is also becoming more open to religious practices, especially its own distinctive Buddhism. This son of China is a distinguished teacher with a revealing, simply told story. (Oct. 21)
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Review

This straightforward account of the possibility of a contented mind in a complex world, from the outset, is spoken in such a voice of sweet compassion. Endearing and touching, it is like Zen itself.” —Sylvia Boorstein

“Chan Master Sheng Yen is a great teacher and I have great confidence in his scholarship and wisdom. I feel privileged to be his friend, and admire what he has been doing for the Buddhadharma in the East as well as in the West.” —Thich Nhat Hanh

“When I listen to Master Sheng Yen’s presentation of Chan Buddhist teachings, my immediate and very profound feeling is that I am listening to words of wisdom from someone who is very experienced and a great practitioner.” —His Holiness, the Dalai Lama

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harmony (October 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385513305
• ISBN-13: 978-0385513302
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 0.8 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #985,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Monk's Life, October 27, 2008

By 

Brian Schell "DailyBuddhism.com" (Dayton, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Footprints in the Snow: The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk (Hardcover)

Have you ever dreamed about becoming a Buddhist monk? I have. I've visited some of those temples, and can imagine living there, doing the daily work, chanting, meditation, and so forth. After reading this book, I see that my mental picture of it all may have been a bit rosy.

Footprints in the Snow is the autobiography of Sheng Yen, a Chan ("Chinese Zen") Master. There are several biographies of the man in Chinese, but this is the first edition in English. Sheng Yen was born in an extremely poor farming family in the Chinese countryside. With few other options, he was taken by a family friend to the Wolf Mountain monastery, where he learned the basics of becoming a monk. He later moved on to Shanghai, but the war between the Communists and the Nationalists drove him to become a soldier-for-life in Taiwan. Eventually securing his freedom from the soldier's life, he once again became a monk. After travels to Canada, the USA, and back to China, he finally became a Chan Master and one of those most influential Buddhists alive today. He combines his personal story with historical events, and we can see how political changes in China and Taiwan altered not only his life, but Buddhism in general.

I found this book hard to put down. I'm not usually a fan of biographies, but his easygoing writing style and obvious love of what he does makes every page enjoyable. Along with the story, the author explains a bit of Buddhist philosophy in a comfortable, jargon-free style that DailyBuddhism readers will appreciate. My favorite parts of the book, however, are his interactions with the monks and abbots of the various monasteries. Far from being the altruistic teachers and devoted worshipers we usually envision, he shows us the real picture. Many of the Chinese monks sell their services for money, they get into trouble with alcohol and women, there is "office politics" in the hierarchies, and so forth. The pettiness of some of the monks and abbots are shocking. One thing is clear though, in the monk's world, everything revolves around money. Given that we stereotypically assume monks to be poor and penniless, above such financial concerns, the reality or monastery life is quite different.

He goes from poor farm boy to a monk, to a soldier, to an abbot, to a monk again, eventually becoming homeless and rising back to the top. All the way, he refines his teaching style and is attached to nothing. It's a dramatic story, and there are some good educational bits on Buddhism scattered throughout. If you ever wanted to know about Monastery life, this is a must-read.

This one is going into my "Read it Again someday" pile.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest account of a Chinese Buddhist Monk, February 8, 2009

By 

MyoChi (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Footprints in the Snow: The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk (Hardcover)

I could not keep the book down once I started reading it. Chan master Sheng Yen gives a very open and honest account of his journey and that is what I liked most about this book. The chapters are not too long and flow smoothly. He talks about his successes as well as challenges, how things looked very promising at one point and how they turned out to be nothing. It is very inspiring to read about how he stayed focused on the path in face of challenges and was eventually able to overcome various difficulties and went on to spread Chan knowledge in US. This book also allows reader to get an idea about course of Buddhism after the cultural revolution in China, we read and hear a lot about modern history of Buddhism in Japan but not so much in China.

He talks about his meditative experience as well as the readings he undertook. His story is not meant to paint an ideal picture, it is very much an account of how it was. He talks about various stages on path, how he find perfect happiness in being a wandering, homeless monk, how he overcame language and other barriers in teaching an eastern science to western students and how he learnt from every one around him. He comes across as a very humble and down to earth person. Indeed a treat for any one interested in life of Buddhist masters.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow was the word - while I was reading it, March 30, 2009

By 

A. Huang "Oakland" (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Footprints in the Snow: The Autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk (Hardcover)

If you are interested in Zen (Chan in Chinese) Buddhism, you would be very interested in this book.

I read some of the Master Sheng Yen's books.

This book is unlike the others. He was so honest and told the stories of his life in details.

You would also get to know the real life before and after the World War II in China by reading this book.

I super highly recommend it.

Amitofo