Handing Down the Light: The Biography of Venerable Master Hsing Yun
by Fu Chi-Ying
Category: Biography & Autobiography

Now in its third edition in English, Handing Down the Light, the inspirational biography of Venerable Master Hsing Yun, traces the extraordinary life and mission of one of the most influential spiritual leaders in the world today. It takes us back to the humble beginnings of a young and resilient Buddhist monastic in mainland China, who fortified his faith and strengthened his resolve to spread the Dharma under the most trying circumstances. In doing so, it sheds light on the indomitable spirit that distinguished Master Hsing Yun even at a young age.It is this same spirit that compelled the young charismatic monastic to cross the strait in 1949, bearing the light of Buddhism to Taiwan. Handing Down the Light not only offers an inspirational account of how Master Hsing Yun was able to overcome one adversity after another, but also illuminates the causes and conditions that allowed Buddhism to gain a firm foothold in Taiwan after decades of his efforts to propagate the Dharma and establish centers of education. This same vision and commitment led Master Hsing Yun to extend Humanistic Buddhism first to North America and then to all corners of the world. In essence, Handing Down the Light can be read as a comprehensive account of the building of a global Buddhist community.Full of lively anecdotes, penetrating insights and rich visual documentation that celebrate the lifetime vision and accomplishments of Master Hsing Yun, Handing Down the Light is a biography that itself transmits the ¡§light¡¨ of an exemplary spiritual leader for the 21st century.