The Promise of Kuan Yin by Martin Palmer

Author:Martin Palmer
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781612834610
Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing

Long, long ago, over four thousand years ago, there arose a usurper who overthrew the King of Hsing Lin and took the kingdom for his own. His reign title was Miao Chuang. His queen was called Pao Te and between them they ruled the land. Much as they longed for a son, the gods would not grant them one because of the bloodshed caused by Miao Chuang's usurpation of the throne. Despite the pleas of the king and queen, their ministers, and numerous priests and sages, the gods remained firm in their refusal and instead granted the royal pair three daughters. Now some say these daughters were the reincarnated souls of three worthy boys born to a devout Buddhist family who were murdered by brigands. But none can say for sure. What can be told is that Her Royal Majesty gave birth to these three beautiful daughters. The first to be born was called Miao Yen and the second one was called Miao Yin. But it is the last one who is the concern of our story.

At the moment of the conception of this last daughter, Queen Pao Te dreamed she had swallowed the moon. When the child was about to be born, the whole world shook with an earthquake, the air was laden with a most wondrous scent, and divine flowers sprang up all across the land. As soon as she came forth from the womb, this third daughter, named Miao Shan, was as fresh and clean as if she had been newly washed. Her countenance was of divine beauty and her body was covered by Heavenly clouds of diverse hues. To those who saw her birth there was no doubt that she was a goddess. But her parents, still hoping for a son, were furious and, ignoring these signs of divinity, took against her.

In his disappointment at the lack of a son and heir, the king could only take comfort in the hope of good marriages for his daughters. His chief minister pointed out that through the sons-in-law he was bound to gain through marrying off his three daughters, he would have a choice of three young men to take over his kingdom. So the king and queen set their hopes on the finding of suitable marriage partners for their daughters.

But from an early age, Miao Shan showed that her interests were not those of an ordinary girl. She spent her time in prayer and meditation. She chose to dress in plain and simple cloth, scorning the rich brocades of the court. Her diet was likewise simple, a bowl of rice and vegetables rather than the sumptuous feasts of the royal household. In her behavior and demeanor she showed, to those who could see, that she was a Bodhisattva. But to her parents and to her sisters, she seemed just odd and difficult.

As she grew to adulthood, her love of charity and kindness earned her the name of Maiden with the Heart of the Buddha. Through her example,

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