「漢傳禪佛教」一方面是聖嚴法師對漢傳佛教傳統精華與特色的總結，另一方面也是漢傳佛教在同時適應與超越現代性的創新，本文主要在討論其傳統之傳承與創新的過程中所涉及的幾個重要的現象：佛教中國化、宗教融合、佛教現代主義，嘗試說明「漢傳禪佛教」不可完全被解讀成「中國化的佛教」、「融合的佛教」、「現代化的佛教」的同時，事實上「漢傳禪佛教」在「中國化」、「融合」、「現代化」的過程中已經蘊涵對這三個現象的審視與超越。本文所探討的「漢傳禪佛教」以其中的天台思想為主，因為對聖嚴法師而言，天台思想是「漢傳禪佛教」之教理與禪觀根基。聖嚴法師說：「漢傳佛教的智慧，若以實修的廣大影響而言，當推禪宗為其巨擘；若以教觀義理的深入影響來說，則捨天台學便不能做第二家想。」而做為禪觀的根基，法師則如是說：「天台思想這樣的包容性、消融性、系統性、教觀並重的實用性，確是有待後起的佛弟子們繼續努力的一種模範。」最後筆者希望透過此討論將聖嚴法師「漢傳禪佛教」的建構置於宗教傳承與創新、佛教中國化與回歸印度佛教以及反思現代性的脈絡下展開一個新的研究面向。

“Chinese Chan Buddhism” constructed by Master Sheng Yen, is regarded by the Master as both characterized by the summit of traditional Chinese Buddhist value and wisdom on the one hand, and on the other an ever innovationary Buddhist religion that simultaneously adapts itself to and transcends modernity. This article aims at reflecting on the dialectic process and tradition and innovation, a process touches several key issues in the Study of Chinese Buddhism both historical and modern: “sinification,” “syncretism,” and “Buddhist modernism”. This article hopes to show that Master Sheng Yen’s “Chinese Chan Buddhism” should not be taken at face value as “sinified Buddhism,” “syncretized Buddhism,” and a product of sheer modernity. On the contrary, the “Chinese Chan Buddhism” in the process of sinification, syncretization, and modernization has challenged and attempted to transcend these three phenomena. The main object for this study is the Tiantai thought interpreted in Master Sheng Yen’s “Chinese Chan Buddhism” for the reason that Tiantai thought is construed by the Master as the foundations of his “Chinese Chan Buddhism” both doctrinally and meditationally. With this study, I intend to contextualize Master Sheng Yen’s construction “Chinese Chan Buddhism” in dynamics of religious transmission and innovation, “sinification and Indianization,” and “post-” modernization.