Lu Sheng-yen

Lu Sheng-Yen (Chinese: 盧勝彥; pinyin: Lú Shèngyàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lô Sèng-gān, born 27 June 1945), commonly referred to by followers as Grand Master Lu (師尊) is the founder and spiritual leader of the True Buddha School, a new religious movement with teachings from Buddhism & Taoism. Lu is known by the sect as Living Buddha Lian Sheng (蓮生活佛, Liansheng Huófó) and is revered by his disciples as a Living Buddha.[1]

Not to be confused with Dharma Drum Mountain's Sheng-yen.
Lu Sheng-yen
盧勝彥 (蓮生活佛)
TitleGrand Master
Personal
Born (1945-06-27) June 27, 1945
(5th month, 18th day of the Lunar Calendar)
Tainan Prefecture, Taiwan under Japanese rule
(now Chiayi County, Republic of China)
ReligionBuddhism
NationalityTaiwan
United States
SpouseLu Li-hsiang (Lian Hsiang)
SchoolTrue Buddha School Lineage
Other namesLiving Buddha Lian Sheng
Grand Master Lu
Huaguang Zizai Fo
White Lotus Padmakumara
Senior posting
Based inRedmond, Washington State
Website tbsn.org
In this Chinese name, the family name is Lu.

Lu Sheng-Yen's sect says that it has five million followers worldwide,[2] of whom the majority hail from Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Hong Kong. There are more than four hundred local chapters of the True Buddha School over the world.[3] He holds dual American and Taiwanese citizenship, and often travels between the two countries.

Lu Sheng-Yen is married to Lian Hsiang, who is also a vajra master, and is referred as Grand Madam Lu in Chinese. Prior to becoming a monk, the couple already had two children.[4]

Life

Lu Sheng-Yen was born in Chiayi County, Taiwan in 1945. Lu was raised a Christian and attended a Protestant school. He graduated from Chung Cheng Institute of Technology with a degree in Survey Engineering.[5] In his early twenties he was both a survey engineer and a Sunday School Bible teacher. Though his parents were not Christians, he had joined Kaohsiung New Presbyterian Church, in which he became an active member.[6]

In a biography, Lu wrote that his third eye was activated by the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond in 1969, and followed the instructions of Monk Liao Ming (of the Taoist Ching Zhen Sect)[7] and the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis. The Three Mountains is said to represent Dharmakāya (Vairocana Buddha) Sambhogakaya (Locana Buddha), Nirmanakaya (Sakyamuni Buddha) while "Nine Marquis" represents a combination of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, each corresponding to different directions. They are named to be, Mahavairocana Buddha (Centre), Aksobhya Buddha (East), Ratnasambhava Buddha (South), Amitābha Buddha (West), Amoghasiddhi Buddha (North), Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (South East), Manjushri Bodhisattva (South West), Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (North West), Maitreya Bodhisattva in the (North East).[8]

He then actively practiced Taoism, Geomancy, Sutrayana and Vajrayana Buddhism,[9] through which he cited that a mystical experience led him to seek twenty-one human gurus in Taoism, Sutra, and Tantra. In 1982, Lu and a small following of his disciples moved to the United States, settling in the state of Washington.

Lu Sheng-Yen is a prolific writer who has authored two hundred and eighty-five (as of June 2021) Chinese books. His books have also been translated into Japanese, English, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Bahasa Indonesia, Spanish and other languages. All these books have been made available to read for free online.[10] Lu's paintings have also been compiled into nine volumes. Prior to the internet, his sermons were recorded into various formats and distributed worldwide. His weekly ceremonies are now broadcast live on YouTube in Chinese with realtime English translation.

He went into retreat for six years in late 2000, spending most of his time in Tahiti, and to a lesser extent in Taiwan.[11] Today he predominantly lives in Taiwan and Redmond, Washington. In a sermon, he told his disciples that he aspires to never abandon any sentient being.[12]

Teachings

Lu Sheng-Yen teaches the Mahamudra method of attaining Buddhahood. His teachings contain the traditional stages of the practice of the Four Preliminaries, followed by Guru Yoga, Deity Yoga, the Vajra Practices, and finally Highest Yoga Tantra.[13] Lu has lineages from Chinese Buddhism, & all four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, namely Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug, though instruction is imparted in Chinese, translations, including into English, are almost always available. Lu's documented spiritual gurus include the Monk Liao Ming,[7] the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, Dezhung Rinpoche, and Tai Situ Rinpoche among others.[14]

He says he is an emanation of Padmakumara,[15] which he explains, is itself a transformation body of Amitabha Buddha.[16]

Lu's teachings are made available to lay practitioners, & Vajrayana practices are open to those who have taken refuge, provided they have received the appropriate empowerment for each practice (& completed preliminary requirements), not just to those who live a monastic life, & thus the consumption of meat is not prohibited for his disciples, though bardo deliverance of the animal's soul is practiced prior to consumption. For monks and nuns, alcohol consumption is prohibited, & the usual Buddhist vows regarding good conduct are observed. All practitioners are expected to closely adhere to the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha (Gautama Buddha) & observe the 14 root vows (samaya) of Vajrayana Buddhism.[17]

In an interview from Taiwanese media in 2010, he explained: "In Tantric Buddhism, we don't differentiate if a disciple wants to consume vegetables or meat. If a disciple wants to consume vegetables, we let her consume vegetables. If a disciple is not willing to consume meat, it is convenience. For those ordained (monks, nuns, etc) if able to consume vegetables, then we always try our best to consume vegetables. If he cannot consume vegetables, it is also convenience. But this convenience is also different. Because there is a difference of Theravada and Tantric in Buddhism, tantric masters or monks firstly have to make offering of the food they consume to the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Secondly, they also have to salvage the spirits of those they consume and cleanse their spirits to pure lands or higher realms. So for tantric buddhism, there are ways to convert the spirits we consume to a better places or realms for their good before we consume. However, for theravada buddhism, they emphasize we do not consume meat. But for tantric, because we have a method of salvation, we are able to consume meat. The most important precept is we must not witness the slaughtering or hear the slaughtering or slaughter animals for our desire as a guest. According to Buddha, this is known as "three cleansed meat" or 3 types of cleansed meat."[18]

Lu is said to be the first person to hold the Adharma Buddha and Mahottara Heruka (the wrathful emanation or the other side of Adharma Buddha) ceremony on a large scale to benefit the sentient beings. Before this first ceremony in 2015, there is no information on the mantra of Adharma Buddha or Mahottara Heruka. In Sutrayana, Adharma Buddha is called Samantabhadra Tathagata and also "Dorje Chang". In other English translated version, it is known as Adi Buddha. Grandmaster Lu explained: "Adharma Buddha is a 16th-ground buddha and extremely venerable. Adharma Buddha has said that as long as one receives his empowerment, learns his practice, and attains spiritual union with him, one is sure to attain buddhahood within seven lifetimes. He is the highest. There is none higher than him. There is another point. Once you have received the empowerment of this deity you will never again reincarnate into the three evil realms (three lowest realms in six mundane realms). Adharma Buddha is the primordial buddha, the original buddha. He is primordial and original. In Buddhism he is supreme, the most venerable, the highest and the most sacred. He is the most saintly and the greatest. By praying to or supplicating this deity it is certain that your prayers will be granted. All buddhas, all bodhisattvas, all deities, dakinis and protectors are emanations of Adharma Buddha."[19]

Controversies

Create a statue of your own face for believers to worship

Since 2008, Sheng-yen Lu began to build his own statues for believers to worship. The statues are available in various sizes, with the cheapest ones starting at NT$150,000. (Please Google the keyword "盧勝彥雕塑雕像Shengyan Lu sculpture statue")

Hong Kong Lu Shengyan Group’s occupation of Buddhist temple incident

In Hong Kong, after the death of Master Fo Guan, the abbot of Bodhi Garden, the board of directors of Bodhi Garden was reorganized. Bodhi Garden disciples suspected that someone had forged Master Fo Guan's signature and installed members of the "True Buddha Sect" on the board of directors. , successfully took over 100,000 square feet of land in Bodhi Garden worth approximately NT$1.5 billion.[20]

Differences between teachings and other Buddhist sects

In 2007, the Buddhist Federation of Malaysia, the Malaysian Buddhist Youth Association, the Malaysian Buddhist Dharma Promotion Association, the International Buddha's Light Association Malaysian Association, the Ceylon Buddhist Advancement Association, Buddhist Tzu Chi Merit Association and Malaysian Vajrayana Buddhist Association issued a joint statement, criticizing the True Buddha Sect as a Buddhist heretic rather than orthodox Buddhism, and believed that Lu Shengyan claimed to be Buddha and claimed the supreme power of Dharma. It is misleading, and his personal behavior is not in line with the Buddhist system.[21] Buddhist scholar Shi Huikai believes that the True Buddha Sect is a heretic who adheres to Buddhism, and Lu Shengyan's claim to have become a Buddha is creating gods to deceive the people.[22]

When giving sermons, all fingers are covered with gemstone rings

In 2010, when he was giving a sermon to his disciples at Lei Zang Temple, he simultaneously exposed his hands with ten fingers of red, blue and green gemstone rings and a multi-million-diamond Rolex watch. This frightened the eyes of all the believers present, and they were also shocked. All major weekly magazines and media in Taiwan are featured on the cover.

Show the Vajra Body

On January 16, 2016, Sheng-Yen Lu performed a self-created boxing technique (Vajra Fist) at Lei Cang Temple in Taiwan to reveal his dedication to the body and to inform his followers. We, he is a living Buddha with both civil and military skills! He hopes to gain the heroic worship and love of his followers! But this move caused an uproar in various religious circles! He also believes that he is too obsessed with fame and pursues personal worship, and that exposing his chest is not the normal behavior and behavior that a practitioner, a monk, or even a living Buddha...should have! (Please refer to YouTube: 20160116 Lotus Living Buddha, Dharma King Lu Shengyan, appeared and achieved a "Vajra Body" through practice, strengthening his body and shocking the world!)20160116蓮生活佛盧勝彥法王示現修行成就一「金剛身」，強健體魄，震撼十方！

Academic qualifications do not match

Lu Shengyan said on his official website that he graduated with a "Bachelor of Engineering", but he has never validly produced his "degree certificate". Secondly, the "Lianqin Surveying School" has never applied for a "bachelor's degree program". In 1969, the Lianqin Surveying School It was only when the "Army Institute of Technology" and "Naval Engineering Institute" were merged into "Chung Cheng Institute of Technology" that the bachelor's degree program was offered. At that time, he had already served in the army, so how could he claim to have graduated with a bachelor's degree in engineering? In addition, his name is not included in the list of alumni of the Chung Cheng Polytechnic College. His only real academic qualification is a graduate from a "senior secondary vocational school."

As for the so-called "bachelor of engineering graduation photos" published in the 30th and 31st issues of Libang Magazine, they are only "individual and group photos" of the graduates of the professional class. This does not mean that he graduated from university! It is a fact that Shengyan Lu has still not been able to obtain the so-called "degree certificate" of "Bachelor of Engineering" since he founded teaching!

In the "Personal Profiles" of more than a hundred books, he has exaggerated his academic qualifications, but none of his books has published his "Degree Certificate" to show his credibility. It is recommended that the "Introduction to Living Buddha" on Shengyan Lu's official website should include "Degree Certificate" and photo files of the "Graduation Font" for believers from all over the world to verify the authenticity.

Sex fraud charges

Taiwan's "Next Weekly" reported in 2008 that a female believer surnamed Zhang accused Lu Shengyan of using Tibetan Buddhism Double Body Dharma to have sexual behavior with her on two occasions, and also quoted the writer Shi Ji Qing pointed out that Lu Shengyan once asked the singer Fang Qing to have sex. However, Shengyan Lu denied the above accusations of sex fraud, and the defamation of the female believer surnamed Zhang has been submitted to the U.S. judicial trial.[22]

Allegations of money-making fraud

In 2015, the Taiwan Court of the Republic of China ruled that those who accused the True Buddha Sect of making money were guilty of criminal defamation. In 2011 and 2008, Taiwan's "Apple Daily" and "[[One Weekly (Taiwan)|One Weekly] ]" report pointed out that Lu Shengyan wore a gold watch, diamond ring and gold crown when he presided over the completion of the temple in 20102007 (the gold watch and diamond ring were worth a total of NT$2 million NT), and sold them at the 20112010 Dharma gatherings[ The works of [Conch]], Tambora, "Aquarius" and Calligraphy were sold for a total of NT$10 million.[22] In 2007, seven Buddhist groups in Malaysia criticized Shengyan Lu's gatherings for conducting monetary transactions in a statement. For example, the Buddhist hat worn by Shengyan Lu was priced at 300,000 USD, and the cassock worn by Mr. Lu was priced at 100,000 USD. Moreover, the proceeds from the auction were handed over to Lu Shengyan himself.[21] In 2012, in New Taipei CityBanqiao District, a church leader from the True Buddhist Sect promised to help believers invest in stocks and guaranteed that the investment would be profitable. Lee, accused of violating Banking Law.[23] "Next Weekly" also reported that Shengyan Lu took a Rolls-Royce and stayed in a hotelpresidential suite. However, some followers of the True Buddhist Sect criticized the report as slander and believed that these properties were voluntarily owned by the believers. provided, and Sheng-yen Lu is not as luxurious as Catholic ChurchPope.[24]

Can make the typhoon turn

When giving a speech in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 21, 2007, he boasted to believers that he could deflect typhoons. (Please refer to the YouTube channel and search for: "The teachings of Living Buddha Lotus Shengyan on The Essence of Kalachakra Dharma Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (6/9) 20071021")蓮生活佛盧勝彥開示 時輪金剛大法精要 馬來西亞吉隆坡(6/9)20071021

Collective cash donation to then-Governor Gary Locke

Lu made headlines during an investigation by the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, prompted by media reporting, into a collective cash donation to then-Governor Gary Locke after a speaking engagement at the Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple.[25] Lu hoped Locke might eventually run for the White House. Locke was cleared of any wrongdoing by the commission in 1998. Further, this did not affect Locke in his pursuit for confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Commerce.[26]

sexual misconduct lawsuit

Lu and the Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple Seattle were sued unsuccessfully in civil court by a former Malaysian immigrant disciple over an allegation of sexual misconduct while living in the temple dormitories. The King County, Washington prosecutor declined to file charges for lack of evidence. The case was dismissed by King County Superior Court Judge Kathleen Learned citing constitutional issues. In the case S.H.C. v. Sheng-Yen Lu,[27] the Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 1, granted the Temple's motion for summary judgment, and the Court of Appeals later "affirm[ed] the order granting summary judgment of dismissal to the Temple."

Of the incident, Lu said:

That woman student was very good at distorting the truth. She could twist ideas in a way that was hard to take. My earlier statement about withdrawing my foot after a close call was a reference to this student. I did not go to her bedroom, but I clearly recall that it was she who came (in her nightgown and unannounced) to my bedroom.

Well, the amazing thing was that I was completely in control of my elements and did not fall into her trap. I listened to her stories and, when she finished, I saw her out the door. That was all that happened. My clothes were tidily in order without a single button undone.

One comes across such things in life. This is why, when Buddha Shakyamuni was alive, defamatory stories were in wide circulation. There were incidents where various women made false accusations against the Buddha. Why? They found monks and spiritual cultivators to be easy targets. This is also why "refraining from sexual misconduct" is included in the Five Precepts.[28]

Notes
  1. Lu Sheng-yen. "Who is Sheng-Yen Lu".
  2. Administrator. "Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple Seattle - The lineage root guru of True Buddha School: Living Buddha Lian-Sheng". www.tbsseattle.org. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
  3. "An Introduction to the True Buddha Tantra" (PDF). Vijaya Temple. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
  4. Rev. Pi Yan (2006). "Grand Master and Grand Madam visited LSCT Temple Chicago Chapter on Nov 11, 2006". True Buddha School Net.
  5. "True Buddha School Net English Homepage". tbsn.org. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
  6. Melton, J. Gordon (2008-03-16). "The Affirmation of Charismatic Authority: The Case of the True Buddha School". Australian Religion Studies Review. 20 (3): 286–302. doi:10.1558/arsr.v20i3.286. ISSN 1744-9014.
  7. Net, True Buddha School. "關於蓮生活佛-真佛宗TBSN". True Buddha School Net - TBSN (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  8. "The true face of "Three-Mountain-Nine-Marquis"". True Buddha School Net.
  9. "Grandmaster Lu". True Buddha Shicheng Association.
  10. "True Buddha School, Books (in English)". tbboyeh.org. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  11. True Buddha News, p. 2
  12. "2016-12-03 HH Living Buddha Lian-sheng Will Never Abandon Any Sentient Being". youtube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12.
  13. Lu Sheng-yen. "02: Mahamudra is the Method of Attaining Buddhahood". Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra.
  14. Lu Sheng-yen. "Preface: My writings on the Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra". Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra.
  15. Net, True Buddha School. "White Maha Padmakumara-真佛宗TBSN". True Buddha School Net - TBSN (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  16. Lu Sheng-yen (November 15–30, 1996). "The Emergence of Padmakumara". True Buddha News (118): 2.
  17. Net, True Buddha School. "The Mandala of the True Buddha School Lineage Assembly-真佛宗TBSN". True Buddha School Net - TBSN (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  18. "給你點上心燈 : 台灣媒體專訪蓮生活佛盧勝彥 (2/2) 2010". Youtube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12.
  19. "Mar. 7, 2015 Dharma Talk - Adharma Buddha". 佛弟子文库.
  20. Liang Cunxi (2021-09-14). ""True Buddha Sect" has occupied the garden for three years and has made strong calls to ban cults". Wenweipo. Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  21. ""True Buddha Sect is a cult attached to Buddha". The seven major Buddhist groups list six illegal evidences". Sinchew.com. 2007-10-25. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  23. "Promote Dharma and speculate in stocks?! The leader of the True Buddha Sect has made hundreds of millions of dollars". China Television Corporation. 2012-11-02. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  24. "Refutation of "Next Weekly" for deliberately slandering the Living Buddha Lian". True Buddha Dharma Tibetan Library. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  25. "Untangling The Locke Campaign-Fund Probe -- Confusing Series Of Events Began At Buddhist Temple | The Seattle Times". archive.seattletimes.com. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  26. Rick, Anderson (September 5, 2001). "Sex and the buddha". Seattle Weekly.
  27. S.H.C. and F.M., Appellants, v. Sheng-Yen LU, an individual;  and Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple, Inc., a corporation, Respondents
  28. Lu, Sheng-yen (1997). An overview of the Buddhadharma. Janny Chow (1st ed.). San Bruno, CA: Purple Lotus Society. ISBN 1-881493-06-7. OCLC 36755794.

See also

References
  • Lu, Sheng-yen (1995). A Complete and Detailed Exposition on the True Buddha Tantric Dharma. San Bruno, CA: Purple Lotus Society. ISBN 1-881493-04-0
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