A Zen Master, more often called a Zen Teacher in the West, is a person who has completed their Zen training with a teacher and received Dharma Transmission. Training systems vary among Zen groups, but in general, a Zen Teacher has attended and helped facilitate decades worth of Zen retreats (sesshins), completed koan study, had many deep realization or enlightenment experiences, and refined their behaviors over time so they are acting in the world in ethical ways. It roughly takes between 15 and 30 years to complete Zen training in the White Plum Asanga and within the training system at GMZC. Very few complete this training. The following are the stages of development toward becoming a teacher.

A Senior Student is a practitioner whose commitment to the community and the teachers has progressed, and whose practice has matured. A Senior has mastered zendo etiquette, understands the foundational philisophical approach of Zen, has developed a daily meditation practice, has developed a degree of equanimity and is able to sit in the fire of their own mental and emotional ups and downs, has participated in many retreats over many years, and is ready to be in a position of mentorship and responsibility within the community. To become a Senior Student, a practioner will be assigned Shuso, Head Trainee, during ango, the 90-day intensified practice period, and will go through the Shuso Hossen, a ceremony marking the end of ango and the transition of the Zen student to Senior Student.

The first stage of transmission is Dharma Holder and signifies when a Zen student has penetrated deeply into their meditation practice, having had a profound realization that initiates a dramatic shift in their relationship to themselves and the world. The student has worked through much of their negative habits and is living an ethical life. A Dharma Holder has been empowered by the teacher to teach and have students, but they are not yet an independent teacher. A Dharma Holder continues their training with the teacher for some more years.

The next stage of transmission is when a Zen student has completed their training with the teacher and the student becomes a Sensei (teacher). A Sensei may teach independently and have students.

This stage of development or acknowledgment comes when a Sensei has been teaching for a significant period of time and has continued study and menteeship with a different teacher than the teacher who originally gave transmission. At this point, the Sensei may receive Inka (acknowledgement of enlightenment) and become a Roshi (great or old teacher).

That someone completes their training with their Zen Teacher is very rare. There are some teachers out there who have not completed their training and call themselves teachers. There are some Zen groups who have non-rigorous training systems and the teachers have not penetrated very deeply and someone can become a teacher relatively quickly. The teachers in the White Plum Asanga are generally of very high quality and have trained for decades before being given Dharma Transmission.