Becoming Kuan Yin: The Evolution of Compassion [PDF, ePub, Mobi]

In his long career as a poet, Buddhist teacher, spiritual advisor, and writer, Stephen Levine has changed our understanding of death and dying. In Becoming Kuan Yin, Levine's first new book in many years, he turns to the legend of Kuan Yin, the Bodhistitva venerated by East Asian Buddhists for her compassion.

In Becoming Kuan Yin, Levine shares the tale of Miao Shan, born centuries ago to a cruel king who wanted her to marry a wealthy but uncaring man. This is the story of how Miao Shan refused to follow the path her father had in mind and, instead, became Kuan Yin, the first acknowledged female Buddha who watches over the dying and those who work with them.

Levine weaves together story and practice and helps readers discover their own infinite capacity for mercy and compassion under difficult circumstances. This book will have resonance for Kuan Yin's millions of followers.

"Good news: the cosmos is compassionate, and Stephen Levine is a trustworthy guide to the Universal Portal. Profoundly nourishing. A real treasure. Please discover and enjoy for yourself the pilgrimage of but a foot and a half--from head to heart. Absolutely #1."
--Gary Gach, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Buddhism

"A heartfelt book [that] offers hope in the face of extraordinary pain."
--Publisher's Weekly

"Compassion is the root of healing. It's the doorway to the real miracle, which is an open heart. In this most extraordinary book, Stephen Levine shows us why, and how. Highly recommended."
--Dean Ornish, M.D., Founder and President, Preventive Medicine Research Institute

Stephen Levine is an American poet, author ,and teacher best known for his work on death and dying. He is one of a generation of pioneering teachers who, along with Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg, who have made the teachings of Theravada Buddhism more widely available to students in the West. He is the author of Who Dies?, Healing into Life and Death, and Turning Toward the Mystery.