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

by Nancy Mujo Baker

Stop trying to become “better” by suppressing or hiding parts of yourself, and learn what it means to be fully human with this accessible guide to the core ethical teachings of Zen Buddhism.

In Opening to Oneness, Zen teacher Nancy Baker offers a detailed path of practice for Zen students planning to take the precepts and for anyone, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, interested in deepening their personal study of ethical living. She reveals that there are three levels of each 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.
 
Full of nuance, intelligence, and compassion, the first half of the book addresses the ten grave precepts mostly from the relative level, including instructions for how to practice these precepts individually and in pairs or groups.
 
The second half of the book takes a deep dive into looking at the precepts from the ultimate perspective, largely through an exploration of the writings of Dogen, the thirteenth-century religious genius who founded the Soto Zen school.
 
At once comprehensive and innovative, Opening to Oneness will take its place alongside classics like The Mind of Clover, The Heart of Being, and Being Upright as a cherished guide to Zen Buddhist ethics.

Genres: Zen, Buddhism, Philosophy, Spirituality, Nonfiction

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2023

Reviews

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Nancy Mujo Baker’s Opening to Oneness, a wonderfully thought-provoking book. It is an engaging read, providing insights into the Buddhist precepts, encouraging a practice of self-examination and contemplation to transform our lives.

Having known nothing of these precepts previously, I found the in-depth discussion and background of each precept fascinating and informative. The explanations and suggestions about various interpretations of the precepts, in an absolute / literal way, as well as relative / subtle ways, is instructive and powerful. The author suggests the idea of having a welcoming awareness of the ways we personally break the precepts, and as such, using the things that cause us to fall down, and the insights they offer, as a way out of the suffering we cause ourselves.

I will continue to reflect on the enriching material covered in this book as part of my ongoing spiritual practice. It is a truly valuable resource which can assist the reader in practical ways in their efforts to open themselves to experience oneness.

Thank you NetGalley and Shambhala Publications, for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[David Mcnaughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A challenging but worthwhile read. The book is based on a series of lectures, so there is some repetition across chapters, but given the complexity of the topic, this is almost certainly a good thing.
A favorite quote to give a sense of the book

One of the marks of the enlightened person is being satisfied. When we are satisfied with what we have, there is no inclination to steal. Being satisfied with what we have— money, status, possessions, looks, health, friends-might at first glance look easy. Actually, not being satisfied with any or all of those things pretty much describes the contemporary human being. (P 42)

[Ben Ingraham]

Like the “the left hand instinctively puts out the fire on the right hand” metaphor for the Boddhisattva. Letting the killer, liar, stealer into myself, being one with them, freeing myself from bondage. Special book to me bc it was our Jukai study text

[Lauro Krawall · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Einssein" erläutert die Zen-Meisterin Nancy Baker die 10 Gebote, welche in vielen Zen-Linien heute auf neue Schüler übertragen werden.

Das Buch setzt sich aus zwei Teilen zusammen: Der erste Teil besteht aus Dharma-Talks von Baker über die einzelnen Gebote. Im Zweiten Teil werden die Gebote im Kontext des "Einsseins" im Sinne des Zen genauer erläutert. Am Ende der Kapitel gibt es jeweils eine kurze Gesprächsübung, welche zu zweit gemacht werden kann. Im Anhang befinden sich die Kommentare von Bodhidharma und Dogen zu den Geboten, sowie ein themenrelevanter Text von Bernie Glassman.

Der erste Teil des Buches gibt Impulse zum Nachdenken, ausführliche Tiefe entwickelt das Buch aber erst im zweiten Teil. Das Buch wurde für Zen-Praktizierende verfasst, wodurch es für Ungeübte teilweise verschlossen bleiben kann. Der Text enthält gut recherchierte Querverweise und lockert sich regelmässig durch humorvolle Anmerkungen auf.

[Børge Holen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for working with the zen precepts.