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  • 8/6/2019 BCCN Newsletter, Vol. 7, Issue 3

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    Inside this issueRecognizing Stress and Tension

    Randall Cash .........................1

    Guided Meditaon: SoundsJames L. Halbirt ....................2

    HandsMujin (Travis L. Adams) ........3

    Fear of a Buddhist BookZ. L. King ................................3

    ShandevaJames L. Halbirt ....................3

    SitJames Davis ..........................4

    The Great ComplainerTenshin Hyon Sek ................4

    The Emperors New Clothes?Paul Stavenjord ....................5

    Two PoemsGregory Howard ...................5

    Pages of Sacred SagesBrian Alberer ........................6

    A Wonderful ThingPaul Pickens .........................5

    Wood CarvingJames Davie .........................7

    Twinkle, TwinkleMyron Stebbins ....................7

    Fear is Almost EverywhereZ. L. King ..............................7

    Our AtudesWillie E. Campbell, III ............8

    Passing AwayJames Bes .........................9

    NowChad Frank ...........................9

    Back to the OriginMujin (Travis L. Adams) ........10

    Recognizing Stress and TensionRandall Cash (Lincoln, IL)When I frst went to death row in San Quenn in 1992 I was a stressed out

    mess. I was very nave as to how the appeal process worked, how long Id be

    sing there awaing execuon or reversal of penalty. Tension was a tangible

    enty there. You could cut it with a buer knife.

    Later, years later, in 1998-99, a friend turned me onto the Upanishads. I learned

    how to do breath meditaon and found an elephant-sized weight lied o me.

    It felt great, but I sll had no true mental discipline. Id let things get under my

    skin and are o at people.

    Then I le death row in 2005 and sat in Recepon Center, which was a real pow-

    der keg. No respect, noise 24/7, making concentrang on anything very dicult.

    I lost the ability to meditate! It was just too noisy. I was so tense. I had to nd a

    way to embrace the chaos and be able to breathe and meditate or I was going

    to go nuts. And just that easy I stopped ghng the noise and was able just to be

    aware of my breath. Though I knew the noise was sll there, I no longer heard

    it.

    I sll do that here at High Desert. My cellie is a loud individual, deaf in one ear

    so he over-compensates by yelling instead of talking. At rst it was unbearable. I

    know its not his fault. Hes deaf! We have been cellies for over two years now.

    Were like family. Wouldnt give him up for a new cellie if you paid me. And hes

    louder than ever! He sll stresses me out at mes. I feel tense, but I recognize it

    for what and why it is and it turns to vapor and just dissolves away.

    When I realize I have won over a tense moment, it makes me smile because I

    know I have evolved. Five years ago if someone yelled in my ear like this guy

    does, wed be ghng. Now I realize the conversaon is going to be over in a

    minute and it will be quiet again so theres no point in geng angry at a man

    who is not aware of his volume level.

    This is one example. The same scenario plays out while walking on the yard. Ill

    hear guys talking about someone they saw on the news. A child molester gets

    convicted and, Boy, if that guy would ever come to this yard, wed show him

    some jusce and so on. Ill nd myself starng to get caught up in the old tes-

    tosterone fesval and join in the dialogue only to hear an inner voice telling me,

    (Connued on page 2)

    July-September 2011

    Volume 7, Issue 3

    NEWSLETTERB u d d h i s t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e C o u r s e

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    The BCCN is distribut-

    ed at no charge to

    those taking the Bud-dhist Correspondence

    Course. This is your

    newsleerby you, about you, and

    for you. You are the major contribu-

    tors, so send us your quesons,

    problems, soluons youve found to

    dicules in pracce, thoughts you

    have on pracce, artwork, poetry,

    etc. Due to limited space, some ed-

    ing may be necessary. We also

    welcome your comments on the

    newsleer and suggesons for ways

    we might improve it to serve you

    beer. Please mail all correspond-

    ence to:

    Buddhist Correspondence Coursec/o Rev. Richard Baksa

    2020 Route 301Carmel, NY 10512

    Let us know if we may use your

    full name or just your inials.

    Who am I to judge someone else? By my own hand, Ive taken four human

    lives during three events in my life. What right do I have to say, I may be a

    murderer, but at least Im not a child molester?

    When I feel these things, my whole body ghtens up. I get so tense and

    stressed because not only have I wrongly judged another personits not my

    placebut I also have dredged up my own personal dukkha. What does thefact I have robbed four human beings of their lives mean to my karma? What

    will happen when I leave this life? I meditate on it but its sll right here star-

    ing back at me in the mirror. Can I cleanse my karma in this life or will I have

    to keep returning and die at the hands of another killer or escape the circle of

    birth and death and move on eventually? This is what gives me tension.

    I try to be helpful to others in any way I can. I am tolerant of my comrades and

    try not to harbor any ill will, anger, or animosity. It is not easy.

    (Connued from page 1)

    2

    Find a comfortable posture. Lying

    in bed, sitting up straight in your

    chair, take a few cleansing breaths.

    Keep your eyes open, but not ixedupon anything.

    Be aware of your body, lying or

    sitting there. Just feel it as it is and

    let it relax.

    Now pay attention to sounds in

    your body. Maybe you hear a gurgle

    or a faint sigh.

    Do not create or imagine any

    sounds, Just listen to the silence if

    you cannot hear anything.

    Now expand your awareness tothe sounds around you, inside the

    room.

    Do not grasp or rejectany sounds.

    Just listen.

    Now expand your awareness to

    include all sounds, the birds, the

    wind, the trafic, singing, speakers,

    all the sounds you hear.

    Do not name the sounds. Do not

    make up a story around the sounds,

    Just open your ears to the sounds of

    the world.

    If you become distracted, remem-

    ber your intention to be present, to

    be aware, to meditate. Come back

    again and again to just listening.

    Now look deeply into listening:

    where does sound stop and hearing

    start? Experience this seamless

    experience.

    Notice how ephemeral sounds

    are. They come and go. They do not

    remain exactly the same for verylong.

    Open yourselfto the music of the

    world without any grasping.

    Rest in the quietness and clarity

    of this experience.

    Stretch your body, move your

    limbs. Gently get up, trying to main-

    tain this quality of attention and

    non-grasping throughout the day.

    Guided Meditation: SoundsJames Halbirt (San Louis Obispo, CA)

    What right do I have to say, I may be a murderer,

    but at least Im not a child molester?

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    Fear of a Buddhist BookZ. L. King (Galesburg, IL)

    For more than four months

    I was blessed with a copy of a

    great and noble book

    Guide to a Bodhisavas Way

    of Life by Shandeva

    I kept pung o the reading of

    this book

    Because of my fear

    For twelve years I have been

    reading excerpts

    From Guide to a Bodhisavas

    Way of Life

    So I knew this book held gems

    for me

    Yet I did not read it because of

    my fear

    Fear that the book would

    cause me to change

    And begin to love people

    Today I nally nished reading

    Guide to a Bodhisavas Wayof Life

    Yes, this book has caused me

    to change

    And become more like the

    Buddhas and Bodhisavas

    HandsMujin (Travis L. Adams) (Sarasota, FL)Sing in my cave on this rainy day once again, I ponder this newsleer.

    Again and again, I cannot nd the Tao. I - ME - MINE: these words I see.

    Talk of the Way! Talk of the Path! And at the same me grasping, even

    for the pracce. Lost are the ones who talk of empness within these

    pages. Not yet do they have the view. Grasping at the words of the prac-

    ce, they miss the mark with eyes of duality. Not yet have they found

    the sll point nor understood the Nectar of Death. Seeking the inner re

    thruway of the chakras, seek the pure teachings of the 16 drops, and

    arouse the kundalini. The thoughts within these pages are not yet of the

    Tao, for without empness, the last of the three principals, you are

    not of the Way. For without these threerenunciaon, bodhicia, and

    empnessyou cannot enter upon the Great Mahayana Path. Without

    the Great Compassion of true bodhicia, you can never be a Bodhisa-

    va, nor conduct the deeds. Without the armor of Great Compassion, you

    will be forever in samsara, the realms of the lower six.

    Have you ever stopped to look at your hands? Put your hand in front of

    your face! What do you see? You may speak of so many condions that

    arise from these

    hands. Tell me, how

    can this be? What do

    you see, my Dharma

    friend? Close your

    eyes. Now you see,

    nothing is before you!

    You are looking

    through the eyes of

    duality, lost in the illu-

    sions of the mind. Thehands as you call

    them, the label you

    prefer, I cannot see.

    Therefore, they have

    never hindered nor served me. In this way one can see there is no reali-

    ty. Everything is empty, exisng solely upon condions that give rise to

    the thing you see.

    The king of empness dwells within the Great Palace of karma and the

    Four Truths guard the palace gates from the Five Horsemen. Stand guard

    over your mind, for the Five Horsemen ride seeking those of duality,

    placing upon them the magic spell of the Black Pig. Lost in the illusionary

    world, those beings we must save. Hold ght to the Three Jewels forthey have your ank. Never forsake them.

    May the great deies manifest within you for the me is short, and the

    Dharma is slipping away. Beware my Dharma friends of the magical

    Black Pig, for he alone has sent the Five Horsemen to the great Dharma

    king. Dwelling in the abode of the great karmic Palace of the Universe,

    this is the place of pracce. You must make it your abode.

    3

    Shandeva

    (James Halbirt, San Luis Obispo, CA)

    In this way one can see

    there is no reality.

    Everything is empty,

    existing solely upon

    conditions that give rise

    to the thing you see.

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    The Great ComplainerTenshin Hyon Sek (Jeremy Jones) (Bunker Hill, IN)There is this guy in my cell house

    who seems to cry and complain

    about everything. Anyone familiar

    with my past arcles will know that

    my people skills are somewhat

    lacking when it comes to compas-

    sion and empathy towards others.

    Not good or very Buddhist, I know,

    but it is what it is.

    In my spiritual philosophy, God, the

    Universe, whatever label you want

    to aach to it, brings around

    chance aer chance for growth and

    development in a consistent and

    progressive manner. I have been

    geng the opportunity to change

    my worldview in regard to under-

    standing other peoples pain.

    The gentleman I dubbed the great

    complainer has for months now

    been trying to share with me the

    pain his leg has been giving him. At

    mes I can be a jerk. I did not care

    about his suering, and listening to

    him was causing me to suer.

    Why am I like this? Who knows.Maybe I learned it as a kid when

    my mom would say things like,

    Stop crying, you lile baby, or

    Its too far from your heart to kill

    you.

    Last week I slipped a disc in my

    lower back. I have been in constant

    pain and cannot pracce my kung

    fu. Maral arts is my passion my

    soul, and I may not be able to train

    again. I began to cry about it. What

    a turn of events.

    Aer a few days, I recognized my

    own complaining and realized that

    I was acng just like the guy who

    bothered me so much over the

    past few months. The fruits of kar-

    ma. It smiled its black-tooth grin,

    yet within that menacing grin lies

    the spiritual light of opportunity.

    Now I am asking myself things likeAm I and the pain the same or

    dierent? Who is it that feels the

    pain? What does pain look like?

    Koans take a while so I will be back

    to this in a future arcle.

    For now I want to impart to you

    what I have learned from this.

    When someone is suering physi-

    cally or mentally, imagine that you

    are the one who is suering. Truly

    feel the pain. Once you understand

    this type of misery, dedicate a

    pracce to the healing of him or

    her, or me, if you dont mind. Then,

    thank God, Buddha, whomever,

    that you have your health.

    If you are suering, try to under-

    stand your pain and your reacon

    to it. Do not run away from it be-

    cause that will only increase its

    intensity. Like a living beast it will

    stalk you.

    I am leng the pain run its course.

    I am opening up to it and learning

    what it has to teach me. This isdicult, but all things will come to

    an end. My pain is not eternal. Nor

    are you and I.

    4

    SITJAMES M. DAVIS

    (BOISE, ID)

    Sit, no thoughtThe truth comes fromLessons taughtEmptinessAnd the appearance of

    thingsThree times, the singing

    bowl rings

    Offerings made andThen a bow; bare

    attentionThe mind is presentHere and nowAttachment and aver-

    sionThoughts deludedA path begunEight steps included

    In my spiritual philosophy, God,

    the Universe, whatever label you

    want to attach to it, brings

    around chance after chance for

    growth and development in a

    consistent and progressive

    manner.

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    5

    To receive copies of any of the re-

    sources listed below, please write to

    Rev. Richard Baksa at the address on

    p. 2.

    A lisng by state of Buddhist

    groups that may be able to sendvolunteers to your prison to

    conduct Buddhist acvies.

    The Religious Land Use and

    Instuonalized Persons Act of

    2000: This guarantees equal

    access to all religions to prison

    facilies for the purpose of

    religious meengs.

    What is the Religious Land Use

    and Instuonalized Persons

    Act?: This explains the act and

    how it is to be applied.

    Two PoemsGregory Howard (Pittsburgh, PA)Men yell out in the middle Bow, to the world in peace

    Of the night, haunted by Uplift, the poor in the world

    The nightmares of their Develop, true kindness in others

    Mind, seeking relief Deliver, truth to the people

    From the pain and Help, the old and little children

    Suffering of the world . Accomplish, love to the world.

    I give you four coins

    That are priceless, and

    Eight bottles of water to drink .

    Look into my treasure chest

    And take any three gems you

    Want. Believe, understand,

    Dig deep, hear, apply .

    I guess its a direct reecon on how old I am. The other day I was talking

    with someone, and menoned The Emperors New Clothes. He didnt have

    a clue what I was talking about.

    The subject was science and how science (a lot of science) is believed because

    everyone else believes it, not because it produces any facts. If a book were

    wrien, entled The Facts of Science, you would have the front and back

    covers and a lot of blank pages. There are no facts of science. (Ill bet I get

    some aenon with that statement.)

    Everything is in constant change. Interdependent originaon. Facts would

    be considered non-changing. Eternal. There can be a lot of confusion in using

    the wrong word. Words are only symbols and may or may not clearly and

    fully express the meaning intended and, moreover, words may be understood

    quite dierently from what was intended by the speaker.

    Fact is only one of the many words that we use without fully understanding

    the meaning. Truth is another word that I have problems with. Truth

    doesnt change. If it does change, call it something else. People say, My truth

    might be dierent from your truth. Impossible if we are talking about

    (Connued on page 8)

    The Emperors New Clothes?Paul Stavenjord (Seward, AK)

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    Pages of Sacred Sages

    Brian Alberer (Smyrna, DE)Turn the pages of great sages in holy booksOnly to nd that your best friends can be lying crooks

    Stories of lives that have suered bloodshed

    Is the way it begins

    I keep on turning pages of this book full of strife

    Only to nd that kindness and compassion

    Are never brought to life

    I read on and tears wet the ancient pages

    I cry for the sacrice of these wise sages

    Please someone stop me from turning pages

    As I pray for the sacrice of the sages

    As spiteful feelings build into rage,

    Dear Creator dont let me turn the next page,

    Dont make me the next sacrice on these pages

    Time to close the sacred book of sages.

    Please, dear Creator, no more pages.

    A Wonderful ThingPaul Pickens (San Diego, CA)

    Buddhism is a wonderful thing. It gives you peace of mind, insight, mindfulness, and

    compassion. You can look at life for what it is. We are born. We live. We die. A lot of people get

    stuck on dying. Me not so much. Even in prison I dont really think about it. I have learned tolive for the moment. Prison is a strange place to ind Buddhism with all the madness, violence,

    and chaos. I can still ind refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, which by the way I am

    still getting used to but I know it is there. I once never thought about anything that Buddhism

    teaches us, but now I think about these things all the time. It is a daily practice but a good one.

    I just wish more people knew and understood what we know. I know the world would be a lot

    more peaceful. I used to think it was all about me. Nobody else mattered. Doing drugs, stealing,

    robbery. Stupid stuff. But now I see things in a whole new light. My attitude, my way of

    thinking, even doing my time has changed. They say inside every fat person there is a skinny

    person trying to get out. Thats the way I felt. I needed to step aside and let my Buddha nature

    come through, and it felt great. I read all the BCCNs of all my Buddhist brothers and sisters and

    I cannot only hear the change but I can feel it too. I have eight years left and I will continue my

    Buddhist practice. I would like to become a Buddhist chaplain, so I can continue to learn and

    teach this awesome thing called Buddhism.

    To Rev. Richard Baksa and everyone in your organization, thank you for all that you do. You

    have changed a lot of minds and hearts. I know today I am a better person because of the

    Buddhas teaching and all of your support. To all Buddhist programs throughout the country,

    from all of us inside, thank you.

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    Fear is Almost

    EverywhereZ. L. King (Galesburg, IL)

    Today is the birthday of mybeloved grandmother.

    She was a great and noble

    woman that has died.

    In life she was a farmer, teach-

    er, and washerwoman, too.

    Today is also the day that my

    mother died.

    She died on her mothers birth-

    day.

    Mother was voted Mother of

    the Year

    Two or three mes,

    And worked as nurse for 35

    years.

    The last sixteen years of her

    life

    She was a nursing supervisor.

    My fear is that prison will block

    My desire to give back

    Something of value

    I am trying to live to be 87,

    But many teach we do not

    know

    The hour of death.

    Death comes as a thief in the

    night.

    Twinkle, TwinkleMyron Stebbins (French Camp, CA)I think of, and dream of,

    All the lile stars in the universe oan free

    Creang empty yet full pictures on the biggest canvas called the galaxy

    Look how each and every star shines so bright

    Even at night, yeah, I mean it shines so bright

    Me? Oh, I sit like right over there

    Right next to him and her

    Yeah, like right over there

    I stand amongst greatness;

    I see through the sea

    My enlightenment is so bright somemes it blinds even me

    Full blast head-on,

    I dig deep from within

    No me wasn I gots to push to the end

    What you mean I might not win?

    Well, regardless of the outcome Ill give it my all

    110% of what is or may be

    I see in dimensions above the 33rd and the third degree

    What, you want a challenge?

    Nah I submit, yes, you win

    cuz its beer to be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt

    and secrets cant be passed to just anybody

    So I bole up what I know

    And give it to those who show

    True compassion amongst all mankind

    I dont think that was you, so let me speak to whos next in line

    Thank you for your me,

    Nah man, Im serious, I mean it,

    Thank you for your me

    And please connue to shine

    Twinkle, Twinkle 7

    Wood CarvingJames Davie (Brent, AL)

    I carved this wood picture of the Bud-

    dha and donated it to the Saraha Bud-

    dhist Center in San Francisco. Aer

    studying wood carving with a profes-

    sional wood carver here in prison a

    few years ago, I recently began wood

    relief carving. Everything I have carved

    so far is Buddhist related. I send my

    carvings to various monks and monas-

    teries in the country.

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    You are you, a unique individual. Only by walking, only by living your life, will

    you nd the Way. This is something of great value.From The Spiritual Path: Buddha, Zen, Tao, Tantra, by Osho

    There are animals trained to serve humans. Dogs, certain breeds of pri-

    mates, cats, birdsand it is a most unique relaonship at that. Figure that:

    these creatures are sorta tuned in to your (human) mental and emoonal

    energiesour atudes and personalies. So much so that they are able to,

    by insnct, grasp our most subtle ways of conduct, be it our tones of voice,

    bodily gestures. Amazingly, they can pick up when certain elements about

    our nature are about to changebefore the change occurs. Intriguing phe-

    nomenon this is.

    Humans, too, are able to intuit things about other humans. Unfortunately,

    we dont oen take advantage of these natural gis. Worst of all, we mys-

    fy them and treat them as something apart from our natural way of being,

    calling these natural aspects of our character ESP. Then breaking ESP

    down into its smallest parts, separang the parts into smaller parts, treang

    them all as if they are

    something outside of our

    natural makeup. The fact is

    that clairvoyance, clairau-

    dience, telekinesis, and

    other gis are as natural

    to us as is blinking our

    eyes, or breathing.

    One would think that since

    these are natural for our

    construct as human be-

    ings, then we should have

    lile trouble being much

    more in tune with one

    another, to the point that

    we are fully capable of pung forth a much more focused eort in recogniz-

    ing when our fellow human beings are not receiving our compassionate

    best.

    Do our atudes aect non-human beings (viz: plants and animals)? Whatabout inanimate objects like stones, soil, water air, houses, vehicles, etc.?

    Simple answer: YES! to all of the above. Yes. And since we know that our

    atudes aect inanimate objects, how much so do our atudes have an

    impact on our fellow human brothers and sisters. Think of it: something is

    seriously wrong with us when we are kinder, gentler, and more thoughul

    of plants and animals than we are toward our fellow manminding how we

    conduct ourselves in the presence of animals, but caring less about our con-

    (Connued on page 9)

    Truth in the ulmate sense. In

    the convenonal sense, howev-

    er, your truth might be dierent

    than mine.

    Modern science is built upon

    the atude of objecvity. First,

    we observe what our senses

    detect. Then we make assump-

    ons about reality based upon

    these observaons. Next, we

    build logical systems upon these

    assumpons. Every scienc

    conclusion, no maer how sim-

    ple or complex, has come about

    in this fashion. These logical

    systems are connuously grow-

    ing, being changed, and becom-

    ing more realisc as man strives

    to make his theories t the ob-

    servable universe.

    Buddhas teachings on emp-

    ness say that, All dharmas are

    marked with empness. ALL

    dharmas, not most or some. So

    if we understand Interdepend-

    ent Originaon, there are no

    facts of science. Science is

    very helpful and very, very in-

    teresng, but when we look at

    science as facts, we are looking

    at the Emperors New Clothes.

    The Emperor was walking

    around naked!

    Nobody likes to be lied to, and

    Im sure that my parents didnt

    do it intenonally. It took me

    almost 60 years to realize that

    what I was taught wasnt the

    truth. Oh! Look at the Emper-

    ors beauful new clothes!

    Beer to realize it at 60 than

    not realize it at all.

    Ive only found one fact that

    doesnt change, and thats the

    truth.

    (Connued from page 5)

    8

    Willie E. Campbell, III (St. Gabriel, LA)Our Attitudes

    There is always that

    something inside of

    us that tells us when we

    are conducting

    ourselves less than our

    human best toward

    others and ourselves.

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    9

    duct in the presence of other human beings. Not dis-

    playing any negave atudes so as not to provide

    dogs, cats, bears, moose, and snakes, yet quick are we

    to nd the most hurul, insulng, and dehumanizing

    things to say, do, and feel toward other humans

    feeling jused in doing sounder the false noon

    that such muck is for their own good.

    Humanity connues to grow in our understanding of

    compassion. One of the areas we are kinda-sorta uc-

    tuang in is our understanding of the interconnected-

    ness of all beings. This is not an easy thing to realize

    with the depth of a Buddha, Guru, Christ, or an Ava-

    tar. And, unlike the bears, the alligators, tortoises, and

    cockroaches, even though we are born with every

    insnct necessary for basic survival, as our caretakers,

    friends, and life coaches get hold of our minds, we

    change into something we later need to learn that we

    are not and are not born to be.

    The struggle to truly awaken to the god-sparks we are

    is a long and arduous adventure that somehow has a

    way of introducing us to what we look like when we

    are not at our human bestmainly when that less-

    than-the-best part of us has digressed into some-

    thing horrendous and unpleasing to look upon with

    our own eyes. Insncvely we just know we are much

    beer than the way we choose to mistreat others.

    Like the bears, the poodles, billygoats, and pigeons,

    were born just as we are made to be. Human nature

    doesnt change, We change and twist in our minds

    what nature unashamedly is.

    Another (and most honorable) gi we are born with is

    compassion. We are born blessed with love and trust

    for others. With care and concern for the feelings of

    others. With consideraon for the eects our

    thoughts, words, and deeds can have on one another.

    There is always that something inside of us that tells

    us when we are conducng ourselves less than our

    human best toward others and ourselves. There are

    no magical incantaons, spells, and no amount of

    prayer necessary. Just STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, and FEEL

    before we think speak and act toward others.

    A genuine love for fellow man is encoded in the uni-

    verse abroad and the universe within our beings.

    Were growing, and geng beer. I think were grow-

    ing closer, and geng closer to there. Our original

    nature. Brotherhood. Universal Brotherhoodnot just

    as a concept but a fact of life, living, and being. Peace,

    Love, and Blessings.

    (Connued from page 8)

    Passing away is not hard

    Like a dandelion

    Its a beauful ower

    Then goes to seedBut the seeds blow on

    More dandelions appear

    As beauful as the rst

    Passing away is never the end

    Just the beginning of a new life

    Passing AwayJames Bettis (Clarinda, IA)

    No past

    no future

    only now.

    NowChad Frank (Butner, NC)

  • 8/6/2019 BCCN Newsletter, Vol. 7, Issue 3

    10/10

    1010

    It would not be correct to say that a young man in

    prison bears the whole responsibility for his crime. He

    is the product of his family, his schooling and his socie-

    ty. If we look deeply we may ind that when he was

    younger, his parents often fought and caused each oth-

    er and their child to suffer. Perhaps he was abused.

    Lacking love, lacking education, he tried to forget him-

    self in drugs. With drugs, his ability to make good

    choices diminished even further. Committing a crime

    was the result.

    Looking deeply, we see that the conditions for this

    young man's actions did not arise only from his own

    mind and experiences. All of us bear some responsibil-

    ity for creating the conditions that led him into the

    cycle of crime and addiction. If we only condemn and

    punish him, it will not help. People use drugs because

    they are in pain and want to run away from life. Put-

    ting someone who is suffering like this in prison is not

    the way to solve the problem. There has to be love and

    understanding, some means of bringing him back intolife, offering him joy, clarity, and purpose.

    Thich Nhat Hanh,

    from Understanding Our Mind

    Back to the OriginMujin (Travis L. Adams) (Sarasota, FL)Sing on a cli

    Looking down upon The Rivers of Time

    Deep are the Valleys of Red Flowers

    The water drop falls between Heaven

    and Earth

    Wind blows upon the clis sharp edge

    As the sword of Manjushri

    Feel the Thunder!

    Smell the Earth,

    Time,

    Movement - Impermanence - Life

    Shuuuu....

    Close your eyes, now you see

    Be sll!!

    Feel the ancient Earth within you

    See the impermanence of Life

    Flash of lightening!!

    The sword of Manjushri lances yourmind!

    Sing on the clis of Time

    Back to the origin

    The Rivers ow, and the owers are red

    Nothing else can be said.

    http://www.parallax.org/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=BOOKUOMhttp://www.parallax.org/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=BOOKUOMhttp://www.parallax.org/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=BOOKUOM