Sheng-yen was an important Taiwanese Buddhist, with I believe Rinzai and Soto tranmission.
When describing the Buddhist path, he says that the 10 faiths are reached only after extensive success with koans, and adds that this is equivalent to stream entry. All very reasonable. However, I think it shows relative humility, compared to zen, about Theravada Buddhism.
I also believe that the formless realms are essential for advance to the 10 abodes in the Tientai model of the "complete" teaching.
So I wondered:
- when, according to Sheng-yen then, does the practitioner realize non-attachment within the formless realms?
- and is the stage of dry wisdom - form the Surangama Sutra - the same as the 5 grades in Tientai?