The Oxford Handbook of Buddhist Ethics: (Oxford Handbooks)

Many forms of Buddhism, divergent in philosophy and style, emerged as Buddhism filtered out of India into other parts of Asia. Nonetheless, all of them embodied an ethical core that is remarkably consistent. Articulated by the historical Buddha in his first sermon, this moral core is founded on the concept of karma--that intentions and actions have future consequences for an individual--and is summarized as Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood, three of the elements of the Eightfold Path. Although they were later elaborated and interpreted in a multitude of ways, none of these core principles were ever abandoned. The Oxford Handbook of Buddhist Ethics provides a comprehensive overview of the field of Buddhist ethics in the twenty-first century.The Handbook discusses the foundations of Buddhist ethics focusing on karma and the precepts looking at abstinence from harming others, stealing, and intoxication. It considers ethics in the different Buddhist traditions and the similarities they share, and compares Buddhist ethics to Western ethics and the psychology of moral judgments. The volume also investigates Buddhism and society analysing economics, environmental ethics, and Just War ethics. The final section focuses on contemporary issues surrounding Buddhist ethics, including gender, sexuality, animal rights, and euthanasia. This groundbreaking collection offers an indispensable reference work for students and scholars of Buddhist ethics and comparative moral philosophy.

Table of Contents:
Daniel Cozort and James Mark Shields: Introduction Part I: Foundations 1: Peter Harvey: Karma 2: Paul Groner: The Bodhisattva Precepts 3: Justin Whitaker and Douglass Smith: Ethics, Meditation, and Wisdom Part II: Ethics and Buddhist Traditions 4: Martin T. Adams: Moral Development in Early Buddhist Literature 5: Charles S. Prebish: The Vinaya 6: Bhikkhu Analayo: Bhiksuni Ordination 7: Barbra Clayton: The Changing Way of the Bodhisattva 8: Bronwyn Finnegan: Madhyamaka Ethics 9: Michael Conway: Ethics in Pure Land Schools 10: Gene Reeves: A Perspective on Ethics in the Lotus Sutra 11: Christopher Ives: Ethics in Zen 12: Gareth Sparham: Tantric Ethics 13: Juliana Essen: Buddhist Ethics in South and Southeast Asia 14: Richard Madsen: East Asian Buddhist Ethics 15: Holly Gayley: Buddhist Ethics in Contemporary Tibet Part III: Comparative Perspectives 16: Sīlavādin Meynard Vasen: Buddhist Ethics Compared to Western Ethics 17: Emily McRae: Buddhism and the Psychology of Moral Judgments 18: Dan Arnold: Buddhist Reductionism and the Logical Space of Reasons Part IV: Buddhism and Society 19: Peter Harvey: The Buddhist Just Society 20: James Mark Shields: Buddhist Economics 21: Stephanie Kaza: Buddhist Environmental Ethics 22: Michael Jerryson: Buddhism, War, and Violence 23: Sallie B. King: The Ethics of Engaged Buddhism in Asia 24: Christopher Queen: The Ethics of Engaged Buddhism in the West Part V: Contemporary Issues 25: Damien Keown: The Buddhist Basis for a Doctrine of Human Rights 26: Alice Collett: Buddhism and Women 27: Amy Paris Langenberg: Buddhism and Sexuality 28: Michael Barnhart: Buddhist Perspectives on Abortion and Reproduction 29: Damien Keown: Buddhism and Euthanasia 30: Martin Kovan: Suicide in Buddhist Ethics 31: Paul Waldau: Buddhism and Animal Rights

About the Author :
Daniel Cozort is Professor of Religion at Dickinson College. He is the author of Unique Tenets of the Middle Way Consequence School (Snow Lion Publications, 2013) and Highest Yoga Tantra (Snow Lion Publications, 2005). James Mark Shields is Associate Professor of Comparative Humanities and Asian Thought at Bucknell University. His publications include Against Harmony: Progressive and Radical Buddhism in Modern Japan (Oxford University Press, 2017) and Critical Buddhism: Engaging with Modern Japanese Buddhist Thought (Ashgate, 2011).

Review :
This volume offers newcomers solid orientation to the field and to specific ethical issues, and brings seasoned scholars up to date on advances in Buddhist thinking... Summing Up: Recommended.