Born in the Ming Dynasty to a prestigious family in Hangzhou, China, Dharma Master Lianchi Zhuhong became a monk at 31 after awakening to life's impermanence as a result of the consecutive demise of his closest family members. Known for his analyses and extensive writings on the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, he was also remembered as the eighth Patriarch of the Pure Land School.

Originally the third son of an Indian king, Dharma Master Bodhidharma travelled to China and became the founder of Chan Buddhism in China. Often depicted in Buddhist art as fully-bearded and wide-eyed, Bodhidharma had many legendary accounts of his life, such as crossing the Yangtze River on a reed, meditating facing a wall for nine years, and creating the well-known Shaolin kungfu.

Master Dao Ji lived during the Song dynasty in southern China. At age 18, after his parents passed away, he took refuge under Master Huiyuan. But, unlike other monks, Dao Ji did not like following traditional monastic codes, which earned him the nickname "Ji the Crazy Monk." Despite that, he was well known for his kindheartedness to help people in need and seek justice for all.

Dharma Master Kukai was a renowned Buddhist monk in Japan. At age 30, he travelled to China and learned from Master Hui Guo. After returning to Japan, Master Kukai not only founded the Shingon school of Buddhism, but also made significant contributions to the development of Japanese art, literature, and public education.

The son of a distinguished general during the Tang Dynasty, Master Kui Ji was ordered to become a Buddhist monk at the age of 17. For a time, he refused to give up meat and women. Under the guidance of Master Xuang Zang, he eventually became one of the master's most prominent disciples and the second patriarch of the Consciousness Only School in China.

At the ripe age of 62, Dharma Master Fa Xian set out on an arduous trek from China to India in search of Buddhist teachings. He was regarded as the first Dharma master to have introduced Buddhism to China and had written a book on his travels, which has become an essential historical reference for scholars and travelers alike.

Originally surnamed Lu, Dharma Master Hui Neng came from an impoverished family and made a living as a firewood peddler. One day, when he was returning home after a day's work, he heard someone reciting the Diamond Sutra and was deeply inspired. How did he eventually become the sixth great patriarch of Chan Buddhism, and why is the compilation of his teachings, the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, now regarded as a fundamental text of Chan Buddhism?

Dharma Master Zhi Zhe, also known as Zhi Yi, turned to monastic life at the age of 18 after his parents passed away in war and chaos. At 23, he took refuge in Dharma Master Hui Si and eventually had an enlightenment experience through the meditative study of the Lotus Sutra. He was also known for being the first in the history of Chinese Buddhism to systematically classify the Buddha's teachings and to establish the first indigenous Buddhist school in China.

At the invitation of Japanese monks, Jian Zhen, an eminent Dharma master in Tang Dynasty in China, agreed to sail to Japan to help spread Buddhism and Buddhist precepts. This would be Ven. Jian Zhen's sixth attempt to go to Japan. As the journey across the sea was full of obstacles and even perishing, would Ven. Jian Zhen manage to arrive in Japan this time?

20 episodes

Born to a princess of the Kingdom of Kucha, Kumarajiva renounced the lay life along with his mother at the tender age of seven. Young as he was, he had already committed several texts and sutras to memory. After becoming ordained at 20 years old, his fame reached China. This later led to his capture by a Chinese general who imprisoned him after seizing Kucha. What would happen to Kumarajiva during his years of capture?

Master Xuan Zang became a monk when he was only 13 years old. What he was most famous for is his pilgrimage along the Silk Road to India amidst warfare and the harsh elements in his search for Buddhist scriptures. How did he manage to reach India and bring back Buddhist teachings to China, and what trials and tribulations did he have to face along the way?