Robert Aitken is a retired master of the Diamond Sangha, a Buddhist community he and his wife, Anne, founded in Hawaii in 1959. The author of more than a dozen books, he has encouraged the real-world application of Buddhist principles through social justice and peace movements, in which he has been very active throughout his life. Aitken recently celebrated his 91st birthday and in this sprightly collection of 188 short texts, he offers brief stories, observations, memories, and commentaries. Those familiar with his book Encouraging Words (1993) will appreciate the further evidence of this Zen Master's wisdom. Here are a few examples of Aitken's miniatures:

Buddha's Birthday
"In the annual ceremony of pouring sweet tea over an image of the baby Buddha, we are purifying our own baby Buddha. Our baby Buddha is our own innocent nature. It is the silence and total absence of thought about a separate me. Once a year on the Buddha's birthday we overtly share our promises to restore our own original innocence. Once a moment we share them by example."

Do Not Kill
"The Dharma is pure and simple. 'Do not kill.' Denial of this truth can be convoluted and complex. 'Git along little doggie,' chants the cowboy affectionately on the way to the slaughterhouse. 'Do your patriotic duty,' advises the leader on this or that side of a war. Come on! Start at the beginning. Killing is killing. Build your case there and make your presentation there, if you have the fortitude."