Chanenlightenmentisattainedthroughasuddenencounter;or,itmaycomeaboutspontaneouslyafterseriousandsincereinvestigationandintrospection.
Chanphilosophyrepresentsaclearcurrentthatisemptyyetresponsive,detachedandmagnanimous,openandbroad-minded,brightandluminous.
Chanasawayoflifeispositiveandprogressive,freeandeasy,simpleandmodest,confidentandcomfortable.
Chanasawayofthinkingistoletgoofselfishness,self-deceit,self-pity,self-arrogance,andself-confinement,andonlythencantherebecompleteboundlessfreedom.
Chanmethodsteachpeopletofirstpracticeknowingtheself,affirmingtheself,andthenshatteringtheself,andthustheenlightenedstatewillappear.
—MasterShengYen—
禪宗的悟，或是不假階梯，一觸即悟；或是苦參實究，突然自發。
禪的思想是：空靈、豁達、開闊、明朗的人間清流。
禪的生活是：積極、自在、簡樸、自適的安心方式。
禪的理念是教人：首先學著放下自私、自欺、自怨、自慢、自我枷鎖，才能海闊天空地任運飛翔。
禪的方法是教人：首先練習認識自我、肯定自我，然後粉碎自我，才是悟境的現前。──聖嚴法師
