The mind of clover : essays in Zen Buddhist ethics

Description: Aitken's approach is clear and sure as he shows how our minds can be as nurturing as clover, which enriches the soil and benefits the environment as it grows. The opening chapters discuss the Ten Grave Precepts of Zen, which, Aitken points out, are "not commandments etched in stone but expressions of inspiration written in something more fluid than water." Aitken approaches these precepts, the core of Zen ethics, from several perspectives, offering many layers of interpretation. Like ripples in a pond, the circles of his interpretation increasingly widen, and he expands his focus to confront corporate theft and oppression, the role of women in Zen and society, abortion, nuclear war, pollution of the environment, and other concerns.

The mind of clover champions the cause of personal responsibility in modern society, encouraging a nonviolent activism based on clear convictions. It is a guide that engages, that invites us to realize our own potential for confident and responsible action. -- from back cover

Table of Contents: Acknowledgments
The nature of precepts
The first grave precept: not killing
The second grave precept: not stealing
The third grave precept: not misusing sex
The fourth grave precept: not lying
The fifth grave precept: not giving or taking drugs
The sixth grave precept: not discussing faults of others
The seventh grave precept: not praising yourself while abusing others
The eighth grave precept: not sparing the dharma assets
The ninth grave precept: not indulging in anger
The tenth grave precept: not defaming the three treasures
Eating the blame
A note on samu
The self
The search for mind
Bringing forth the mind
The mind of clover
The morning star
The way and its virtue
Religious activism and the Tao (Dao)
Gandhi, Dogen, and deep ecology
Appendix: the Diamond Sangha Ceremony: On the Death of an Unborn Child
Table of Chinese-Japanses Equivalents, notes, glossary.

FY1988 /