Opening to Oneness: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to the Zen Precepts

Explore what it means to be fully human, without suppressing or hiding parts of yourself, through this accessible guide to the Zen precepts. This detailed path of practice is for anyone, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, interested in deepening their experiential study of ethical living. Author Nancy Mujo Baker reveals that there are three levels of each precept: a literal level (don't kill-not even a bug); a relative level that takes moral ambiguity into account (what if it's a malaria-spreading mosquito?); and an ultimate level-the paradoxical level of nonduality, in which the precepts are naturally expressed from a state of oneness. Through her profound exploration of the precepts in light of Dogen's teachings on nonduality and her innovative prompts for partner and group exercises, Baker extends a heartfelt invitation to cultivate a life of meaningful inquiry and compassionate action.