ROOTS OF GOODNESS

Learn to nurture the eight qualities of an extraordinary person within yourself through the wisdom of Zen master Dgen.The Buddha taught that every person is capable of greatness by practicing eight key qualities in their life, from having few desires and not engaging in useless arguments to knowing what is enough. These timeless teachings were later expanded upon by the prolific thirteenthcentury Zen master Eihei Dgen in his final teaching before his deathvalues that, despite their age, perennially ring true.In The Roots of Goodness, the late Japanese Zen teacher Ksh Uchiyama Rshi bridges the gap between the eras of these ancient masters and today, delivering insightful, relatable, and rich commentary that brings these eight qualities into focus and directly applies them to the complexities of modern life. Translator Daits Tom Wright, a longtime student of Uchiyama, provides a full translation of Dgens original work as well as a faithful translation of Uchiyamas commentary, supplemented with a historical background of Dgen, an exploration of how the teaching of the eight qualities impacted Uchiyamas life and work, and a personal introduction that grounds the importance of this teaching in modernity. This book seamlessly weaves together ancient wisdom with Uchiyamas beloved humor and style, offering a path for using these qualities to more fully embrace Buddhist practice and answer the ageold question: How does one become a truly good person?