Lu Sheng-yen

Lu Sheng-Yen (Chinese: 盧勝彥; pinyin: Lú Shèngyàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lô Sèng-gān, born 27 June 1945), known by followers as Living Buddha Lian Sheng, is a Taiwanese-American Buddhist teacher, author of nearly 300 books, and founder of the True Buddha School (TBS). He is regarded by disciples as a Living Buddha and teaches tantric, Taoist, and Confucian-inflected spiritual practices.

Lu was born in Chiayi County, Taiwan, and raised in hardship during the Second World War. At age 26, he experienced a profound mystical awakening at a Taoist temple, where the Golden Mother of the Jade Pond opened his divine eye, revealing his nature as the White Mahapadmakumara, an emanation of Amitabha Buddha.

Before ordination, Lu practiced Christianity, Taoism, Zen, Mahayana, and Tantrayana Buddhism, culminating in his enlightenment known as anuttara samyaksambodhi. He was formally ordained in 1986 and established the international headquarters of the True Buddha School in Redmond, Washington, United States.

Lu holds lineages from all four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug and has transmitted numerous tantric dharma practices. His teachings emphasize a structured path of bodhicitta development, guru yoga, mantra recitation, yidam visualization, inner-fire cultivation (tummo), and daily ethical conduct.

His public discourses cover the Heart Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, Vajra Sutra, True Buddha Sutra, Ksitigarbha Sutra, and the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment, as well as advanced teachings such as the Hevajra Tantra, Lamdre, Dzogchen, and Madhyamaka philosophy. The True Buddha School is among the few Tantric lineages that openly publish pith instructions traditionally reserved for advanced initiates.

Lu's distinctive approach integrates Buddhist cultivation into family, work, and modern life, making his teachings accessible to householders and lay practitioners across cultures.

The True Buddha School currently has over 300 temples and cultivation centers globally, with a claimed following of more than five million disciples. From 2010 to 2019, his weekly dharma ceremonies in Taiwan regularly drew tens of thousands. His teachings are translated into multiple languages including English, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Japanese.

Lu has conferred empowerments to hundreds of masters and disciples and performed dharma ceremonies across Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. His influence is recognized across the Chinese-speaking world, Southeast Asia, and diaspora communities in North America.