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DHARMA
The Buddhist Newsletter Serving the Inmate and Ex-offender Sangha
"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is tied
up with mine, then let us work together." -- Lilla Watson, Aboriginal activist
Volume X , Issue VI
Accepting Change
By Steven Wilkinson SCI Cresson, PA.
NOV-DEC
2012
do anything. I count to ten and think of the positive
outlooks and how it will benefit others, or the suffering
I may cause. I guess you could say that I’m getting
love and compassion in my heart because I’ve lost a
lot of materialistic things. I lost my family members,
relatives and friends, but I’ve gained my health back,
faith (in others, religion and myself) and I will always
have my meditation and the Sangha. I hope this letter
finds everyone in this world who is suffering filled with
peace of mind and compassion for all. May love fill
your heart, mind and soul. Thank you and may you all
be blessed with enlightenment.
I have or use to be a very hostile, angry and
aggressive individual. I have harmed and hurt
everyone and everybody who ever crossed me
including my family, loved ones, relatives and
enemies. I have been or use to be evil and have done
a lot of evil in my life. I was selfish, non-caring and
self-centered. I was full of much hatred and anger at
society, authority figures, family and life in general. I
had the biggest chip on my shoulders with so much
prejudice, ignorance, misunderstanding, with no
values and anything negative or evil I was for.
Response to Steven
Relationships were to use and
Dom Lupo Inside Dharma
abuse because of my lack of
Editor
love and compassion for them. I
My motto now is a healthy
was my own worst enemy. I
body leads to a positive mind
Dear Steven,
overdosed three times on drugs
I don’t usually respond to
and alcohol. I’ve been sent to
and ways. I wish I would have
submissions but your letter I
psych wards and numerous
found very impactful. I wanted
learned this many years ago.
drug treatment programs on the
to let you know that the journey
streets and in prison. I
Before I was trying to be
you are on is a great journey
demanded “respect” because I
that others have taken but
something and someone I
felt I earned it or had put in my
different for each person who
time. I was self-destructive, a
wasn’t.
Now
I’m
trying
to
takes it. Sharing your story can
time bomb who was on a path to
demonstrate to others that it’s
change my life and be a
prison, death and hell! When I
never too late to take the
fell on my sentence this time in
positive person with positive
journey of self-discovery. Zen is
1991 I received close to 27
all about self-discovery, and the
years. Being 56 years old, now
thought and emotions.
self-discovery in Zen leads to a
with almost 35 years in prison, I
practice,
the
practice
of
said enough is enough. There
meditation, the practice of compassion, the practice of
had to be a better way of life than this revolving door
loving-kindness, and the practice of mindfulness. You
to prison, drugs and these self-destructive ways. I’m a
start where you are, no matter where that is, and
Native American and Buddhist and practice yoga and
meditate, then meditate some more. The more you
meditation. I work out with weights, cardio, running
meditate, the more you see how your mind works, and
and take part in sports. My motto now is a healthy
the more you see how your mind works the more
body leads to a positive mind and ways. I wish I would
mindful you can be, the more mindful you can be the
have learned this many years ago. Before I was trying
more compassionate you can be, and the more
to be something and someone I wasn’t. Now I’m trying
compassionate you can be the more you act with
to change my life and be a positive person with
loving-kindness. Zen is definitely a journey not a
positive thought and emotions. Sometimes its hard
destination, but a journey that can lead you to some
and I slip-up but a lot of people have seen a drastic
amazing moments along the way. Good luck with your
change in my thoughts, emotions and my general way
practice.
of thinking, But I really can’t hardly believe what they
see. I try to weigh all the pros and cons before I say or
Spooks
By Dr. Chezeray M. Moore SCC Joliet IL.
Spooky things go “bump” in the night
So you shun the darkness in search of the light
Your pulse races as you prepare to fight
Then you realize you’re a coward, so you take flight
You run and run with your eyes opened wide
Searching and searching for a place to hide
From the fiercely raging, roaring tide
Of the One whose voice you hear deep inside
The voice that condemns you
While trying to befriend you
The voice that pretends to
Love and defend you
But whose voice is it that you have heard
Who obscures reality with mysterious words
Have you ever thought you’re being absurd
That your mind is cloudy and your vision blurred
I tell you now, because I care
No matter how long you search, there’s no one there
So take this opportunity, which is very rare
To relax yourself and become aware
There are no spooks of any kind
Who haunt anything beyond your mind
So turn your attention inward, and leave behind
All the spooky delusions, so you can experience the
divine
Religion vs. Philosophy
By Joshua Katus USP Marion IL.
Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy? Some people
call it one while some people call it the other. I've been
told lime and again that it doesn't matter what you call
it; what matters is how you practice it. Still, call me a
newbie, call me weak, call me a fool or whatever, but
as an aspiring writer I still find myself awfully attached
to words and which ones get used when. Inasmuch,
l’ve decided to put my thoughts on this subject down
on paper. A trip to the dictionary tells us that these two
ideas are indeed separate. Philosophy is defined in
the 11th edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate
Dictionary as, “all learning exclusive of technical
precepts and practical arts; the sciences and liberal
arts exclusive of medicine," law, and theology.” By
definition, this exclusion of theology separates
philosophy from religion. However, a further definition
from the same source says philosophy is, the most
basic beliefs, concepts, and attitude of an individual or
group. This definition does not blatantly exclude
religious beliefs from basic beliefs and therefore
allows the possibility of a combination of the two.
Religion on the other hand is defined as, "a personal
set or -institutionalized system of religious attitudes,
beliefs, and practices; a cause, principal, or system of
beliefs held to with ardor and faith.” Nothing in this
definition precludes religion (any religion) from being
thought of as philosophy. At the same time, the above
definition has a certain depth to it that suggest that a
religion is somehow more than just a simple
philosophy. The question now becomes, which of
these two terms should be applied to Buddhism? As is
often the case, I feel that the answer to this question
relies largely upon the perspective of the person
answering it. I think many Westerners tend to consider
Buddhism a philosophy simply because it is so
different from any of the traditional religions they are
used to. The lack of an omnipotent, omnipresent god;
the lack of a creation story; and the idea that
enlightenment/ "salvation" comes from within rather
than from without all make it hard for the typical
Westerner to fit Buddhism into their preconceived
notion of religion. I feel that the other groups of people
who tend to label Buddhism as a philosophy as
opposed to a religion are those who simply want to
use the teachings as a quick fix, self-help tool. They
don't hold to the teachings with “ardor and faith" as
described in the definition of religion. They use the fact
that they are learning the Buddhist teachings as way
to stroke and reinforce their ego rather than
deconstruct it. While this may not have any
immediately negative effects (it may even provide
temporary happiness), it will not lead to
enlightenment, but rather leave one stuck in the grasp
of cyclic existence. So why could Buddhism be called
a religion right along with the likes of Christianity,
Islam, and Judaism? I think that this can clearly be
seen if we shift the focus of our personal definitions of
religion from the object of worship to the reason for
worship. After all, what do we have if we take Jesus or
Allah or Yahweh out of the equation for a second? We
are left with a set of instructions on how to live our life
now in order to prepare us for the best results when
we die. Call the destination what you want (heaven,
hell, or nirvana) the goal of religion seems to focus on
what comes next. Even Buddhism teaches us to attain
enlightenment and escape this cycle of suffering
existence or to at least attain a higher rebirth so we
can continue to practice and avoid the worst fates.
Buddhism can definitely be seen as an
“institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs,
and practices“, that can be "held to with ardor and
faith”. This does not mean that we have to follow the
teachings with blind faith if we adopt them as our
religion. We can still question them and toss out what
we find to be untrue. At the same time, we need not
discount a teaching just because we have not
experienced it ourselves. After all, we look to our
teachers because they are further along their paths
than we and have experienced things we have not,
and we have to trust them to give us proper guidance
and not mislead us. So yes, ultimately, I agree that the
use of the term religion or philosophy comes down to
a question of semantics. For many though, I feel it can
also be used as a mirror to reflect our motivation for,
and commitment to our practice. So if you call yourself
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a Buddhist, whether it’s your religion or just a
philosophy you’ve adopted, take a look in your mirror.
After all, our motivation can always stand to be
monitored and adjusted to keep us on the path.
Much Metta,
to avoid (prolonged) suffering, which is the
fundamental wish of all living beings." A wise man
once said, "Death doesn't cause suffering, but
resisting death causes suffering." Most of us fear
death, but death is just another one of life's transitions
- no different than birth. What is most important is to
live this life well. We need to look at every situation as
an opportunity to wake up and open our hearts by
appreciating the moment we have now and to live in
this world in a loving and compassion way.
3 Steps To Practice Acceptance &
Have a Peaceful Life
by Axel Gjertsen From tinybuddha.com
“Every day may not be good, but there’s something
good in every day.” ~Unknown
I was in a motorbike accident in 1987. Believe it or not,
it was on September the 11th. The physician in the
emergency room delivered the bad news and told me
the right knee cap had cracked. That day changed my
life forever. How could I accept that I wouldn’t ever be
able to run again? The physical injury took years to
heal, and a lot of time passed before I slowly started to
accept my new situation. In the meantime, I got
depressed.
Monthly Buddhist Column
Lama Chuck Stanford
(Lama Changchup Konchok Dorje)
Rime Buddhist Center
Dear Dharma Friends:
Below is a copy of my monthly
Buddhist column. This column will
appear in the Kansas City Star newspaper on
Saturday,
Question: "My mother has suffered a long time and
wants us sibling to let her die, so should we?"
Answer: I am so sorry to hear about your mother's
declining health. Watching a parent slowly go
downhill, physically, is especially difficult. From the
Buddhist perspective great sanctity is placed upon all
life and we can do nothing to facilitate a person's
death. Suffering that is experienced at death is
viewed as part of our karma. It is sometime said that
karma is like a broom that is sweeping away our
negative karma. The well-known 20th century Tibetan
Lama, Kalu Rinpoche, said, "The person who decides
that they have had enough suffering and wish to be
allowed to die (naturally) is in a situation that we
cannot call virtuous or non-virtuous. We certainly
cannot blame someone who for making that decision.
It is not karmically a negative act. It is simply the wish
Life Can Be Beautiful
That might seem like an ironic heading coming after
the preceding line, but hear me out. Life is beautiful
every time you’re able to accept something that has
gone wrong. When you can feel good on the whole
even though things aren’t going your way you know
emotional freedom. What more could you ask for? The
opposite would be the guy who shouts in despair, “Not
again, for God’s sake!” when his sports car breaks
down in the middle of nowhere or needs thousands of
dollars of work on that car. Neither is a fun situation to
be in. But what about people that don’t even have food
to eat? It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? Are you
looking at life through Ray Bans or from a refugee
camp? We must learn to see and appreciate what we
have and shift our attention from what we’ve lost. So,
let me point out three steps that can make your life
truly beautiful. While it’s true that people who have
experienced trauma are often more likely to see things
differently, you don’t need to go through some lifeshattering experience to become more accepting and
peaceful. You can start out from where you’re at now.
1. Find Solutions Instead of Complaining
It is completely meaningless to complain about things.
Negative people drain everyone around them—and
complaining won’t change your situation for the better
either. You may think it makes you feel better, but it
actually just keeps you down—and it’s fruitless. Don’t
waste your energy complaining. Use it more wisely.
You could complain for a lifetime about the leaking
roof on your house but as long as you don’t do
anything about it, you’re stuck in the situation. Instead,
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ask yourself, “What can I do to solve the problem?”
And if you can’t solve it, where can you focus your
energy more productively? What things can you
control?
2. Practice Letting Go
How can you accept a devastating loss or change, for
example that you won’t ever be able to run again?
From my way of looking at it, you have two choices.
One is to hold on to the way things were. Personally, I
loved jogging which made it harder to accept the
physical impairment. But if you can’t accept life the
way it is, you have a big problem–because we cannot
change what already has happened. Resisting the
flow of life will only make you unhappy. The other
choice is to bite the bullet and accept life the way it is.
That takes courage but the process will empower you
enormously. The ability to let go of things in everyday
life makes for happiness and ease. You can even
laugh when you miss a bus that’s departed five
minutes early. Start out by accepting small things,
such as stepping on a chewing gum or losing some
change. You’ll be surprised–bit by bit you’ll be able to
let go of most mishaps
that come your way.
3. Let Beauty In
When you’re focused on
everything that’s lacking,
it’s hard to fully notice,
appreciate and enjoy
what’s
there.
Look
around
you,
there’s
beauty all around—what
an
amazing
planet!
Beaches and mountains,
colorful fish in the
ocean,
birds
flying
across the sky, music and culture, blueberry ice
cream, kissing in the sunset and lifelong friendships.
There is so much to live for; this could potentially be
paradise. Learn to see and appreciate what you have
as opposed to giving too much attention to what
you’ve lost. Open up to what is truly beautiful and
important in life. For example, look at a flower and
enjoy its fragile beauty; take your mom on a surprise
picnic or give yourself a day to relax. Most of us keep
the blinds shut, closing off to life. Some of us even
repeat the mantra, “Been there, done that.” The truth
is every experience is new, and it’s up to you how
complete or lacking it seems. Take on the curiosity of
a child. Open up and explore life as if it were your first
day here, regardless of what you’ve had or lost. You
can choose to focus on either. What’s your choice?
Shit Nose
Rev. Kalen McAllister,
Founder and Spiritual
Director of Shinzo Sangha &
Co-founder of Inside Dharma
I was recently re-watching “How
To Cook Your Life” which is a
movie where Zen Chef Edward
Espe Brown discusses cooking
while giving lessons on life. I
was struck by one of his teachings where he says “If
you have shit on your nose, no matter where you go,
everything smells like shit.” I laughed for a long time
about this but then I thought, “Well, if you have honey
on your nose, then everything smells like honey.” In
either case, neither reflects reality – both are just our
reflections on life. While I’d rather smell honey than
shit, I would also prefer to see and smell life just as it
is. Sometimes it is rather ugly and sometimes it is so
beautiful that it is hard to bear. The Buddha says to
walk the middle path, neither
being caught up by beauty
nor ugliness. This sounds so
very easy but it is one of the
hardest things to do. Our
emotions are strong and we
are often thrown from one
side to another because of
the way we want things to
be. We can’t see the beauty
in shit (that it will ultimately
feed the plants which
produce the sweet apples
that we all love). Or that the
beautiful plants in the vase
will in just a few days fade and the resulting decaying
flowers can smell even worse than shit. So how do we
deal with all this? My teacher, Shoken, says that we
just need to face life just as it is, moment by moment,
and do the best we can with what we have at that
moment. This takes a lot of pressure off of it for me.
All I have to do is face the next moment and do the
best with just that moment that I can do. If I can take it
minute by minute, I can somehow deal with it. I don’t
project expectations into the next moment – my wishes
or my fears. I just deal with now. My mother is in the
state of dying soon. If I sit and watch her and think
about how much I’m going to miss her, it becomes
almost unbearable. If I just pay attention to her at this
time and do whatever I can to make her more
comfortable, I am able to be totally present for her –
not lost in my own feelings of loss or fear. We are all
cooking our lives each moment. The heat may be
higher at times and more comfortable at others.
Sometimes we have shit on our nose and sometimes
honey. We all play many roles. But the important
thing to realize is that we just have this moment and
what we do with it will effect the next moment.
All I have to do is face the next
moment and do the best with just that
moment that I can do. If I can take it
minute by minute, I can somehow deal
with it. I don’t project expectations
into the next moment – my wishes or
my fears. I just deal with now.
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What you are is
What you have been
What you will be is
What you do now
~ BUDDHA ~
understand the beauty of sunset as he cannot see it.
But you can enjoy the sunset as you can see it.
Similarly, if you want to enjoy the present moment
then your attention has to be there in the present
moment and meditation is the art of being conscious
or present in the each passing moment. Meditation
means mind is not there and we are fully conscious in
the present moment. Meditation is the art of living life
moment to moment, living life as it comes, without
planning, without worrying about it. Meditation is the
way to live life and Mind is the way to miss life.
Meditation is the art of living life in the
present moment
From meditationquotes.com
Most of the time we are either thinking about the past
or making plans for the future. It’s very rare that we
are fully conscious in the present moment. When we
are fully conscious or living in the present moment
then we do not have any thought in the mind or one
can say in the present moment mind is no longer
working and you are without any thought. This is a
very rare phenomenon in the life of most people. It’s
very rare that our mind is no longer working and we
have no thoughts in our consciousness. Most of the
time our mind is continuously working, thinking and
thinking. Meditation is the only way to give rest to this
ever working mind. Whenever we put the mind to rest,
it recharges the mind and mind becomes more sharp
and useful instrument. Mind is always living in the past
or in the future. But life is always in the present
moment. We miss life because of our mind which is
either in the past or in the future. In fact, Mind can only
exist in the past or in the future but never in the
present moment. Whenever we are in the present
moment then mind is no longer there. In the present
moment, mind is at rest which means there is no
thought in our consciousness. When we do not use
mind then we live life moment to moment with
awareness or being fully present in each passing
moment. This is the only way to live life - that is living
moment to moment with awareness. Whenever we are
living in past or future then we miss the present life.
Life is always in this present moment. The past is
already gone and the future has not come. We only
have this present moment and life will always come to
us moment by moment. So to live life we have to be
present or conscious in this present moment. If our
mind is active in the moment then we can never be in
the present moment as mind means past or future.
The moment mind becomes active, our attention
moves to past or future and we miss this present
moment. To enjoy this present moment we have to be
alive in this present moment. Suppose there is a
sunset and you are enjoying watching the sunset and
you call your friend on phone and tell him about the
beautiful sunset. But still if he won't be able to
Getting to the Point
By Will Holcomb
Shinzo Zen Meditation Center
St. Louis, Mo.
The title of Zen Master Dōgen’s
Genjō Kōan can be translated
“Actualizing the Fundamental Point” – getting to the
point, the point of practice, the point of our lives. A
section of this work we recently discussed starts like
this:
A fish swims in the ocean, and no matter how far it
swims there is no end to the water. A bird flies in the
sky, and no matter how far it flies there is no end to
the air. However, the fish and the bird have never left
their elements. When their activity is large their field is
large. When their need is small their field is small.
Thus, each of them totally covers its full range, and
each of them totally experiences its realm.
Among other things, this passage is about
limitlessness and about limits. A catfish can’t fly from
branch to branch. A sparrow can’t cruise the river
bottom for food. But within its element each has
limitless possibilities for movement. A white crane
may migrate thousands of miles. A sparrow may live
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out its life within a quarter mile radius.
No
matter…each totally experiences its realm. So we too
are limited by biology, and by our past experiences
and choices. I can’t bear a child or lift two hundred
pounds or play Mozart on the piano. Yet my options in
any situation, at any time, are countless – not just one,
or two. So practice is not magic. It’s not turning a fish
into a bird, or a bird into a fish. It’s a fish thoroughly
experiencing its realm, wholeheartedly being fish.
Dōgen continues:
Now if a bird or a fish tries to reach the end of its
element before moving in it, this bird or this fish will
not find its way or its place. When you find your place
where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the
fundamental point. When you find your place at this
moment, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental
point; for the place, the way is neither large nor small,
neither yours nor others.
So where will practice take me, what is it to be
awakened? Dōgen cautions that these questions are
paralyzing. They stop us. We just need to know
where to start, which is right here, with this fallible,
distracted, and deluded mind and body, just making
an effort – an effort to avoid harming self and others, to
be of benefit when possible, and to face reality square
on. Maybe this effort involves action, maybe inaction
and patience, or maybe just acceptance of not
knowing. But in wholeheartedly making this effort
practice/awakening occurs. Whether it leads to a
large place or a small place is of no consequence, for,
as Master Dōgen reminds us, “the way is neither large
nor small, neither yours nor others.” So we keep
asking ourselves, how can I be of benefit in this
situation, right here, right now? This is our continual
practice.
(translations by Robert Aitken and Kazuaki
Tanahashi)
To Be A Buddhist
By Tom Blankenship TSPHU Huntsville Texas
A friend laid a copy of the Sept-Oct 2012 Inside
Dharma Newsletter on my bunk. In it on page 3 is a
short article titled “I Just Didn’t Get It”. The article
states: “to be a Buddhist, is to never claim to be a
Buddhist”.
Hmmm… I have a copy of the
Dhammapada on the table of the cubicle in the dorm
I’m housed in. A Christian pointed at it the other day
and asked me “is that what you believe in”? I thought
about that for a second, in Christianity belief is a
requirement for salvation. So I answered: “yes, it is
what I believe, but more than belief – it is what I realize
through experience. I’m a Buddhist”. He then asked
“Do Buddhist believe in God”? There it was, the
question. My answer would determine in this man’s
mind whether Buddhism is good or bad. I replied
“Buddhism does not reject anything that is wholesome
and non-harming, and practices what is good”. I asked
him “do you believe in God”? He said “of course I do,
I’m a Christian”. I replied “Then that is what is
important, what you believe in your mind because
what you believe in your mind is real to you, and
Buddhism has a deep respect and love for you, the
power of the mind and for Jesus Christ, to avoid all
evil, to cultivate good and cleanse one’s mind. This is
the teaching of the Buddha (Dph 183). We have that
deep teaching in common as well as many others”. He
said “That’s good, I’m glad to know that”. The Buddha
refused to give answers that didn’t lead to the end of
suffering. He also refused to give answers that would
cause further confusion (ie. The story of Vacchagatta
the Wanderer). We live and interact in conventional
reality where names and titles identify. If you claim to
be Christian, Muslim, a doctor, lawyer or a Buddhist,
these titles are necessary in conventional reality. In
Buddhism we practice non-attachment. I’m a
Buddhist, but I’m not attached to the title, concept or
teaching. The teachings are simply guide-lines to
follow that lead to the other shore, the shore of
enlightenment, where names and titles fall away. The
teachings are a finger pointing at the moon, they are
not the moon. The teachings are the raft that carries
us to the other shore, the shore of absolute reality.
There we no longer need the teachings, we are the
teachings. There we no longer need the Buddha, we
are the Buddha. The raft is set aside as we stand on
the shore of the deathless. Gate Gate Paragate
Parasamgate Bodhi Svahdl.
Editor’s Notes
New Way To Get The Newsletter
Dom Lupo
Dear Friends,
Happy upcoming holidays to you all. Another year
winds down and hopefully we have all learned a little
something along the way to lessen our suffering and
the suffering of others. I would like to remind everyone
that we are revamping our web site, insidedharma.net,
and we are going to start offering an electronic version
of the newsletter to our subscribers saving Inside
Dharma printing and postage costs. This is a
completely voluntary opportunity; if you would like to
start receiving your newsletter electronically contact
[email protected]
and request this
service by supplying your name, address and the email you would like it sent to. If you don’t want any
change, do nothing and you’ll continue to receive the
printed form. Our newsletter is available to anyone,
but if you are not an incarcerated person there is a
$12.00 a year subscription rate. It is always free to the
incarcerated and the newly released. At this time I
would like to thank everyone for all the positive
feedback we’re getting on the newsletter. But I want to
thank all the readers that continue to contribute to the
understanding of practice with their submissions to
this Sangha. If it weren’t for the articles and questions
that are sent in we would have a very short newsletter.
So what will we start the new year with. Many people
always make a resolution for the new year but most
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never follow through on their resolutions. So I was
thinking, when we make a commitment to practice,
how do we keep it? Do we set up a routine that we
follow every day? Do we put up notes to remind us
practice? So for our next issue let’s hear about how
we keep our commitment to practice. The methods
that you use just might be what someone else needs
to read to help them deepen their commitment to their
own practice. We will need your submissions by Dec
15, 2012 to eligible for the JAN-FEB 2013 issue.
Please remember to let us know as soon as you can if
your address changes to help us make sure you get
your newsletter and to help us cut down and mailing
costs.
GOING HOME
By Rob Becker DCC Danville, IL
Here in the penitentiary when guys talk about "going
home," they are referring to being released from
prison and returning to some sort of residence in the
outside world, but for now, in reality, my prison cell is
my only home: all 62 square feet of cement splendor.
Accounting for the steel bunk beds, wall-mounted
shelving unit, and stainless steel toilet/sink
combination, my cellmate and I are left to share an
area of usable floor space about the size of a standard
yoga mat around which we maneuver to conduct our
daily exercise routines and hygiene rituals. Our cell is
kept clean and organized. It smells good and we make
sure it stays free of clutter and conflict as it contains all
of our personal possessions and politics. This cell is
where I lay my head each night and where I awake
each day. It is where I meditate, defecate, cogitate,
and communicate through letters to those on the other
side of the concrete walls and razor wire. The reality of
my situation is that, for now, my community consists of
convicts and correctional officers; this prison cell is my
home. When returning to their cell house from chow
hall, gymnasium, or exercise yard, most inmates
grumble and moan about being locked up in their
dungeon or being caged like a dog in a kennel.
However, appreciating the power of perspective, I
choose to regard returning to my cell as returning to
my familiar living quarters: to be "going home." After
all, everything I have is here in my cell. Everything I
create and value is here in my cell. Nearly everything I
do will be mindfully done here in my office, den,
lounge, library, parlor, pantry, kitchen, dining room,
rest room, bed room .... Thus I have come to consider
returning to “lock-back-up" in my cell as "going home"
-home to my concrete chrysalis of contemplation, my
cement sanctum of serenity, my embassy of
equanimity, my world headquarters - for now.
New Resources
FREE
Correspondence Course
Administered by the Buddhist Association of the US
(BAUS)
A comprehensive series of reading assignments that covers
Buddhist concepts, theory and practice, as well as the major
schools of Buddhism and practice methods. Each student will
be assigned a faculty mentor. A Certificate of Buddhist
Studies will be awarded upon successful completion of the
course.
TO ENROLL, WRITE TO:
Buddhist Association of the U. S.
Rev. Richard Baksa
Correspondence Course
2020 Route 301 Carmel, NY 10512
BUDDHAS BEHIND BARS
A New Book from the Milwaukee Zen
In their own words three incarcerated members of the
Milwaukee Zen Center prison sangha describe how their lives
went wrong and how the teachings of the Buddha and the Tao
are transforming their experiences into positive and beneficial
actions inside. Edited by Soto Zen priest, Rev. Tonen
O’Connor.
The book may be purchased online at Amazon.com
PRISONER EXPRESS NEWSLETTER
The bridge between prisoners and the outside world
Sponsored by Cornell University, each issue offers
information, education, and the opportunity for creative selfexpression in a public forum. Here you’ll find essays, journals,
artwork and poetry by inmates across the country, as well as
other programs offered by the university.
TO SUBSCRIBE, WRITE TO:
CTA/Durland Alternatives Library
127 Anabel Taylor Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-1001
www.PrisonerExpress.org
As always we encourage
your question, comments
and contributions!
SEND your letters to:
Letters to the Editor
Inside Dharma
P.O. Box 220721
Kirkwood, Mo. 63122
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Inside Dharma
P.O. Box 220721
Kirkwood, Missouri
63122
NONPROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE PAID
ST. LOUIS MO
PERMIT NO. 1129
Return Service Requested
This issue is
dedicated to
Bill, with his great
compassion
and musical ability
Inside Dharma is a bi-monthly Buddhist newsletter published
by Inside Dharma, a not-for-profit organization based in St.
Louis, Missouri. We publish Buddhist articles, stories, humor,
and other writing submitted by current and former residents of
correctional facilities, as well as friends, supporters, and
spiritual teachers. Inside Dharma is dedicated to the free
giving of the Dharma (Buddhist teachings). There is no charge
to offenders or ex-offenders for subscriptions. However,
donations are always appreciated. If you are interested in
distributing this newsletter, please write to the editor or just
send us the addresses to be added to the mailing list. This
newsletter may be reproduced, whole or in part, for free
distribution. Prior permission from the editor is required for
any use for which a charge is applied. All submissions are
subject to editing and Inside Dharma has the right to publish
submissions, in whatever format and by whatever means it
deems appropriate in its own or other Buddhist
publications.
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