Living Affinity : Nurturing the Environment, Our Relationships, and the Life of the Spirit

by Xingyun; Yun, Hsing

• ISBN13: 9781590560587
• ISBN10: 1590560582
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-02-01
• Publisher: Rudolf Steiner Pr

Author Biography

Venerable Master Hsing Yun is the founder of Fo Guang Shan, an order of Buddhists

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
Living Affinity	ix
CHAPTER ONE Living Affinity in Community
The Web of Human Relationships	1	(24)
The four great all-embracing virtues	3	(13)
The six points of reverent harmony	16	(2)
Grounding relationships in oneness	18	(7)
CHAPTER TWO A Closer Look at Relationships
Affinity in Friendship, Emotions, and Love	25	(42)
Friendship	27	(3)
Healthy emotions, healthy love	30	(2)
Different levels of love and affection	32	(22)
1. Everyday Love	32	(9)
(i) When the object of our love is inappropriate	33	(1)
(ii) When our perspective of love in inappropriate	33	(1)
(iii) When the manner in which we love is inappropriate	34	(3)
(iv) When our attachment to love is inappropriate	37	(4)
2. Heroic Love	41	(13)
(i) Selfless love for your country	41	(2)
(ii) Selfless love for others	43	(1)
(iii) Selfless love for the Dharma	43	(4)
(iv) To love one's parents to the best of one's abilities	47	(1)
(v) To love one's students as oneself	48	(6)
3. Enlightened Love	54	(7)
4. The Buddha's Kind of Love	61	(6)
CHAPTER THREE Living Affinity through Protecting the Environment	67	(14)
The Buddhist tradition of protecting the environment	68	(4)
Inner sanctity and outer ecological balance	72	(9)
CHAPTER FOUR Living Affinity with the Material Aspect of Life	81	(22)
The material side of living according to the Diamond Sutra	82	(6)
The material side of living according to the Amitabha Sutra	88	(2)
Acquiring, using, and measuring wealth	90	(13)
Acquiring wealth	91	(4)
Using wealth	95	(2)
Measuring wealth	97	(6)
CHAPTER FIVE Living Affinity with Space and Time	103	(22)
A. Living Affinity with Space	105	(7)
From the space outside us to the space inside us	105	(2)
From the world ahead of us to the world behind us	107	(2)
From the phenomenal world to the transcendent world	109	(3)
B. Living Affinity with Time	112	(13)
Use every bit of time	113	(4)
Seize the present moment	117	(2)
Realize eternity through the brevity of life	119	(6)
CHAPTER SIX Living Affinity with the Spiritual Aspect of Life	125	(20)
The Noble Eightfold Path and right understanding	126	(2)
Selflessness	128	(4)
Repentance and the three doors of karma	132	(4)
Ethical living	136	(9)
Practice the Buddha's teaching	137	(1)
Ethical living as exemplified by cultivated monks and everyday heroes	138	(2)
Follow through with our intentions	140	(5)
NOTES	145	(2)
GLOSSARY	147