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

Master Sheng Yen died in February so it was with a very heavy heart that I read this beautiful book so humbly written by a very humble monk whose life was far from easy from the very beginning. One of the beautiful things about this great master is that he is able to write so succinctly cutting through so much of the verbiage and jargon out there today which makes his teachings so readily understood while encouraging us that progress can be made and we can arrive. He takes us right to where we need to be to get started and gently, and often not so gently but lovingly all the same and guides us along the path from which he knows so well by experience. The story of his life is sad, humbling and encouraging. From such humbling beginnings to striving for education finally getting a PHD in Buddhist studies from Japanese Universities and then starting a temple in NY and starting to teach. A wonderful book, a wonderful story and beautiful monk. Though his death leaves a great void, he lives on through us, his disciples, his teachings and his books and his life story is there to encourage us. If you've not read his books yet do start with Hoofprint of the Ox for it is like no other book on Buddhism. For beginners and those already well on their way on the path, this is straight to the heart of matter complete and ready to read and get going or get us going further while explaining in pure and simple language the steps and the reasons for these steps as we continue to make practice practice. A profoundly encouraging and humbling book.

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

Reviewed by Randy A. Lakin for RebeccasReads (2/09) I have to say that Sheng Yen's book, "Footprints in the Snow" is truly amazing. I normally do not care for autobiographies; however "Footprints in the Snow" really captivated me. The author was born in 1930, the year of the Horse, in a house near Xiaoniang Harbor. The Xiaoniang Harbor is just west of where the Yangzi River empties into the East China Sea. The author talks about life under Japanese rule and how the soldiers would rape girls and kill other people with their bayonets. The author had a life-changing event when in the summer of 1943 when a neighbor by the name of Dai Hanqing dropped by their house. During a conversation with the neighbor, Sheng Yen's mother stated, half joking, that with his poor health and lack of money, he should become a monk. Their neighbor asked if she was serious about him becoming a monk. It turned out that Dai Hanqing was on good terms with the monks at White Mountain Monastery and knew they were looking for an infusion of fresh young blood into the monastery. This was the start of his life as a monk and on his way as a gift to the world. The author tells how hard it was to be a monk after the Japanese left because of the fighting between the Nationalists and the Communists that started. The Communists took up residence at the monastery and they were polite at first, nothing like the Japanese. Then just a novice, "Master Sheng Yen," knew nothing about the Communists at the time. He tells in the book how things started to change with gunshots in the night and then the local government officials disappeared one by one. The Communists where lead by a man named "Mao." He tells how unsafe the monastery became, so he left with his master for Shanghai. This was a turning point for him and his life as a monk: the little country boy comes to the big city. The author explains how he studied under different masters and what he learned from them. During this time he started to get published in newsletters and eventually into writing books. This book lays out the whole story of Master Sheng Yen's life from a sickly little boy to a man who wanted to spread Buddhism and Dharma to the world. I have to say that the author does a fantastic job of relaying his life experiences to us. I think you will want to read more by Master Sheng Yen after reading this book; I know I do. This book is a must for anyone interested in Buddhism, Asian lifestyles or life in general. I thought this book was great and it kept my interest the whole way through.

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.

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.