本文擬將聖嚴法師之禪法，置於由佛教禪觀於漢代傳入中國直至近代共約兩千年的發展歷程之背景，來考察聖嚴法師禪觀思想之歷史定位。並由聖嚴法師對經典與禪觀關係的闡釋，及其融會大乘經典與禪觀之修行方式，來探索其在漢傳禪修發展歷程中之特殊歷史意義。由於聖嚴法師之禪觀涵蓋範圍相當廣，其禪觀之解讀亦須以漢傳佛教禪法整體的發展為背景，方可更深入地解讀其禪法之歷史定位與歷史意義，並對於聖嚴法師所欲承襲之漢傳禪觀為何，其開展方式又為何，進行清晰的歷史溯源。由太虛大師漢傳禪法發展觀點來看，聖嚴法師之禪法承襲了漢傳禪法在禪宗成立於唐朝之前的一個重要特色，即以大乘經典為禪觀之本的修法，因此本文以聖嚴禪觀中之「法華禪觀」為考察重點，分析聖嚴法師禪觀之歷史意義。此一研究觀察角度之提出，乃源於筆者對下列幾個問題點之探索與思考。首先，聖嚴法師之傳承為臨濟及曹洞二宗，但此二宗之思想，甚至溯源至成立於唐朝之禪宗之整體思想特質，皆非以《妙法蓮華經》為中心。如印順導師在《中國禪宗史》分析禪宗思想而歸納出禪宗之整體走向為：由菩提達摩初傳四卷《楞伽阿跋多羅寶經》而至六祖之後，眾流逐漸匯歸於曹溪，轉為以《金剛般若波羅蜜多經》為主之發展歷程。此論已為學界普遍接受，然而由聖嚴法師整體思想及禪法來看，其禪法之一大特色乃為其對《妙法蓮華經》之特別推崇。聖嚴法師自身不但在閉關修行時期禮拜《妙法蓮華經》，在討論「默照禪法」及「話頭禪」時，亦常引用《妙法蓮華經》。此外，聖嚴法師一向強調之「觀音法門」亦出自《妙法蓮華經》。更引人深思的是聖嚴法師所創建之「法鼓山」之「法鼓」一詞可見於《妙法蓮華經》中，而不見於《金剛般若波羅蜜多經》或其他常被視為禪宗思想代表之大乘經典中。聖嚴法師更鑄造「法華鐘」為法鼓山之重要精神象徵之舉，明顯地標舉了《妙法蓮華經》在其「建設人間淨土」活動中之核心重要性。究竟聖嚴法師以禪師身分標舉《妙法蓮華經》之思想來源為何？聖嚴法師又如何看待《妙法蓮華經》與禪觀間之關係？聖嚴法師對於經典與禪觀間的關係之闡述及修行觀，對於中國禪史發展歷程，有何特殊義涵？本文藉由分析聖嚴法師禪法著作、《法華經》講記、傳記及其他相關著作來釐清聖嚴法師禪法中所蘊涵之「法華思想／禪觀」，並在追溯聖嚴法師「法華禪觀」源頭之過程中，探討「法華禪觀」在中國不同時代之發展及實踐，及「法華禪觀」在整體中國禪法中之重要性。

This paper is an examination of Master Sheng-yen’s Chan, especially his practice of the Lotus Samadhi, in the contexts of the evolution of Chinese meditation practice in general and the specific practices of the Lotus Samadhi. This focus is based on the following questions. First, Master Sheng-yen received transmission from both the Linji and the Caodong Chan school lineages, yet the sūtra related to Chan school has been in general either the Lankavatara Sūtra or the Diamond Sūtra . For example, the development of the Ch’an tradition before the eighth-century China was depicted by Master Yinshun as a transition of ch’an practices with the Lankavatara Sūtra expounded by Bodhidharma as its center to practices with the Diamond Sūtra exalted by the sixth patriarch Hui-neng as its focus. However, a careful analysis shows the special role of the Lotus Sūtra in Master Sheng-yen’s meditation system as well as his “pure land in human realm” movement. The Lotus Sūtra is not only the sūtra that he practiced during his retreat, but also was quoted very often when he was expounding both mozhao and huatou chan practice. Furthermore, the term “Dharma Drum” in the name of the Dharma Drum Mountain is derived from the Lotus Sūtra but not the Dimond Sūtra . Finally, a Lotus bell was also cast as the religious symbol of the Dharma Drum Mountain. What are some of the earlier sources or inspirations for Master Sheng-yen’s Lotus meditation practice? How does he sees the relationship between the Lotus Sūtra and meditation? In this paper, I will analyze Master Sheng-yen’s biographies and his writings to clarify the Louts Sūtra meditation in his meditation system. A historical survey of the practices of the Lotus Samadhi will also be made.