The apocryphal question of the Śūraṅgama sūtra has caused a great uproar in modern times. The China Institute of Inner Learning (Zhina Neixue Yuan 支那內學院) advocates that the Śūraṅgama sūtra should be composed in China. Lu Cheng even wrote the Śūraṅgama Hundred Falseness to prove that the Śūraṅgama sutra is apocryphal sutra item by item. Although there are many opponents in the academic circle, people in the Buddhist circle, mostly based on the standpoint of religious beliefs, defend the Śūraṅgama sūtra, such as Masters Yinguang, Xuyun, Taixu, etc. Among them, Master Mingsheng even wrote the Contradicting of Śūraṅgama Hundred Falseness to refute the doubts of the Śūraṅgama Hundred Falseness item by item.
As the heir of the Linji and Caodong, Master Shengyen attaches great importance toto Japan to obtain a doctorate degree, is also very clear about the modern academic circles' questions about the Śūraṅgama sūtra. Therefore, it is very interesting and meaningful to examine Shengyen's position and interpretation of the Śūraṅgama sūtra.
Firstly, this article analyzes the relationship between Shengyen and the Śūraṅgama sūtra in his early years, to see Shengyen’s emotions towards the Śūraṅgama sūtra and the benefits he obtained. Then the article explores, after studying in Japan in his middle age, how do Shengyen to deal with the relationship between personal feelings about the Śūraṅgama sūtra and the doubts about the Śūraṅgama sūtra by modern academic circles. At that time, what was Shengyen's position on the Śūraṅgama sūtra? Finally, the article sorts out the interpretation and promotion of the Śūraṅgama sūtra by Shengyen in his later years to see how he promotes the Śūraṅgama sūtra under the tension of academics and belief.
