The book has the following chapters.
Introduction – The Hurdy Gurdy Man; The Age of Enlightenment; Civility as a Path and the Layout of this Book
Chapter One: Civility, Passion, and Compassion – Basic Goodness; The Three Poisons; Beings of Passion; A Survival State of Mind; Digital Communication; The Speed of Life; Passion, Love, and Compassion
Chapter Two: Wisdom, Compassion, and Civil Action – Prescence and the Six Perfections; Time and Timing; Tone, Morality, and the Four Levels of Compassion; Skillful Means and Wisdom; The Five Steps to Wise Action; The Four Levels of Compassion Expounded; Civil Disobedience
Chapter Three: Proper Speech and Civil Dialogue
Chapter Four: Mind Training and Civility – Tong Len Meditation: The Practice of Taking and Sending
Chapter Five: The Rules of Civility
Appendix: Mind Training Slogans
This is a small book that discusses the importance of having manners and being civil with others. I like the topic of the three poisons and the six perfections. There is a lot of comparisons between George Washington’s book on civility and the words of the Buddha. Even though I am very interested in the subject matter, I had a hard time getting into this book. I had to start it several times before I was able to finish it. I am not sure what the author could have done to make it more interesting for me.
