AITKEN, Robert (Baker)

AITKEN, Robert (Baker). American, b. 1917. Genres: Poetry, Essays, Translations. Career: Executive secretary of community associations in Honolulu, HI, and Wahiawa, HI, 1948-53; bookseller in South Pasadena, CA, 1953-55; English teacher and assistant director of a school in Ojai, CA, 1955-58; bookseller in Honolulu, 1958-61; East-West Center, Honolulu, counselor and director of student activities, 1961-65; University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, assistant director of Hawaii Upward Bound, 1966-68; Kapiolani Community College, Honolulu, English teacher and editor, 1968-69; Diamond Sangha, Honolulu, cofounder, 1959, junior teacher, 1969-74, apprentice teacher, 1974-85, master, 1985-, retired, 1996. Associated with peace, social justice, and environmental organizations. Publications: Zen Training: A Personal Account, 1960; A Zen Wave: Basho's Haiku and Zen, 1978; Taking the Path of Zen, 1982; The Mind of Clover: Essays in Zen Buddhist Ethics, 1984; The Dragon Who Never Sleeps: Zen Buddhist Practice, 1990; The Gateless Barrier, the Wumen kuan (Mumonkan): Translated with a Commentary, 1992; Encouraging Words: Zen Buddhist Teachings for Western Students, 1993; (with D. Steindl-Rast) The Ground We Share: Everyday Practice, Buddhist and Christian, 1994; The Practice of Perfection: The Paramitas from a Zen Buddhist Perspective, 1994; Original Dwelling Place: Zen Buddhist Essays, 1996; Zen Master Raven: Sayings and Doings of a Wise Bird, 2002; The Morning Star: New and Selected Zen Writings, 2003.