This paper explores Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s views on the meaning of Chan by examining his answers to the important question: what is Chan? This paper has three parts. First, the paper describes Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s expression of Chan, showing a multitude of answers to this issue. The second part focuses on Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s main viewpoints on Chan’s meaning: Chan is the essence of Humanistic Buddhism. Thirdly, it describes in more depth Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s view of Chan and Humanistic Buddhism: Chan, essentially, is the true, good, and beautiful life. This paper concludes that Venerable Master Hsing Yun has expressed creative views about Chan, fusing Chan and Pure Land with an emphasis on tolerance.
