Born Sheng-Yen Lu in Chiayi, Taiwan, in 1945 amid WWII, His Holiness experienced extreme poverty and hardship in his childhood. At the age of 26, his third eye was opened by the Golden Mother, and he came to the realization that he is a White Mahapadmakumara in human form, an emanation of Amitabha Buddha.

He attained the ultimate perfect enlightenment of anuttara samyaksambodhi through decades of arduous practice spanning Christianity, Taoism, Zen, Mahayana, and Tantrayana Buddhism. He holds lineages and has attained the highest fruitions in all four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism: Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug.

The profundity of his sublime realization empowers him to present the teachings of the Buddha in a new light. It is as if he is “re-packaging” the authentic buddhadharma for modern times.

Countless rinpoches venerate him as a living buddha, and his disciples address him fondly as Grandmaster Lu or Shizun.

His Holiness has resided in the Seattle area since 1982, where he went on a three-year retreat, and took monkhood ordination in 1986. He established the True Buddha School and built its head temple in Redmond, Washington. There are now nearly four hundred temples, chapters, and centers worldwide—from Sweden to South Africa, from Brazil to New Zealand.

Over decades, His Holiness has spread buddhadharma and conducted numerous grand ceremonies in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the USA, Canada, England, Australia, and more. From 2010–19, for six months of the year, his weekly ceremonies in Taiwan were regularly attended by tens of thousands of people from all over the world.

His teachings encompass over three hundred published books, thousands of paintings, weekly discourses, ceremonies, blessings, and initiations that have manifested miraculous events and life transformations.

“Tenacity is my only forte,” His Holiness often says. As a true guru, he exemplifies the best kind of diligence, discipline, perseverance, and willpower.

He dedicates every hour and minute of his life to the liberation of all beings. His vow to liberate every sentient being at the cost of his own life manifests powerfully in his great compassion and wisdom.