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Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat,
This review is from: Living Affinity (Paperback)
Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Health Magazine Online
Living Affinity: Nurturing the Environment, Our Relationships and the Life of the Spirit Hsing Yun Lantern Books 02/04 Paperback $12.00 ISBN 1590560582 The Venerable Master Hsing Yun is the Taiwanese founder of Fo Guang Shan, an order dedicated to the promotion of Humanistic Buddhism. In this cogent work, he spins out teachings on the spiritual practice of affinity or what we in the West call interdependence. Thich Nhat Hanh means the same thing when he talks about inter-being. Hsing Yun is convinced that our relationships with others and with the environment give us plenty of opportunities to bring affinity to life. In a chapter on community, he discusses the four great all-embracing virtues: giving, speaking with kind words, conducting oneself for the benefit of others, and adapting oneself to others. He gives plenty of concrete examples of the kindness that lies behind these virtues. Hsing Yun then examines friendship and love as avenues of affinity. One of the best chapters is on the Buddhist tradition of protecting the environment. The author includes twelve guidelines for this practice: "Speak quietly - do not disturb others. Keep the ground clean - do not litter. Keep the air clean - do not smoke or pollute. Respect oneself and others - do not commit violent acts. Be polite - do not intrude upon others. Smile - do not face others with an angry expression. Speak kindly - do not utter abusive words. Follow the rules - do not seek exemptions or privileges. Be mindful of your actions - do not act unethically. Consume consciously - do not waste. Be grounded - do not live aimlessly. Practice kindness - do not create malice." Throughout the book, Hsing Yun includes sayings from sages such as the following one by Wang Yangming, a famous Confucian scholar of the Ming Dynasty: "To catch the bandit in the hills is easy; to arrest the thief in ourselves is tough." There are also several memorable teaching stories on compassion and enlightenment. Reviews and database copyright 1980-2005 by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. |
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Living Affinity by da shi Xingyun (Paperback - Feb. 2004)
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