vol 7 issue 2-final

Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter

Volume 7, Issue 2April-June 2011 Just as, of all trees, the balsam is foremost in terms of softness and pliancy,in the same way I don't envision a single thing that,when developed & cultivated, is as soft & pliant as the mind.Mudu Sutta

buddhist correspondence coursenewsletterINSIDE THIS ISSUE...ArticlesLove, Willie E. Campbell IIIFrom Prison Blues to the Robe ofLiberation, Mujin KarunaGuided Meditation,James L. Halbirt (GenKan)What is Generosity?,James L. Halbirt (GenKan)The Heart Sutra, MelissaPoetryEnergy, Brian AlbererIf Only I Was a Bird, Brian AlbererThe Eagle, James BettisContemplating Englightenment,James DaviesKathmandu, Eric FiteSit and Watch, Gregory HowardSuffering, Gregory HowardSearch for a Comb, Z. L. KingThe Thief, Z. L. KingWhat is Emptiness?, Andre MarzettaLucidity, Alton OverwegArtZen Monkey,Derrick R. Asher-JohnsonBird, Arelio LendoKuan Yin, Tom ReevesBuddha, Nhut VoLettersAndre R. MarzettaAngie Oakes

From Prison Blues to the Robe of LiberationMujin Karuna (Travis Adams) (Sarasota, FL)Year after year I studied and practiced the Dharma from under the gun towersat Florida State Prison, Raiford. As so many know, fighting the system dayafter day just to be able to practice as a Buddhist and receive books and studymaterial deemed voodoo by the D.O.C Chaplains, is enough to drive a person tojust give up on everything that they so believe. It blows me away now that I lookback it all. But still, unlike the words within the Bible, the Dharma is a livingbreathing Thing. It’s who you are, and impossible to shake once touched by it.Walking the yard watching the Holy Rollers preach the word of the Bible to theirflocks, just looking for a way out without having to take responsibility. The verysame mind that landed them in the place called prison. Day after day listening totheir cries to God, swearing they have it right this time, how their lives have beentouched and change forever by the hands of God. “I gave it to God; I will nevercome back to this PLACE.”So time goes by and they are seen leaving the main gate, nothing but the Bible intheir hands and that gift from the preacher man, the Chaplains, and God. So thesunsets and the moon rises, months go by and there they are, standing at thecanteen window, back on a CRD violation, and back to the preacher man, andthe Bible.Tick-tock, and there I was, the free world. Wondering what was so different, as Itweak and freak adjusting to the World. Falling to This and That, losing all that Iput so much into, the Dharma blanket of security. There it was. The day hadcome. I had fallen so far away from the Dharma, from myself. It was just a matterof time and it would be me standing at the canteen window. I had become so lostand far from everything and everyone, I couldn`t even face the Dharma and opena book. It was then that I was closest to the Dharma. Blinded by the very condi-tions that had landed me in prison, I couldn’t even see it. It was one of the realistteachings, one that cannot be found in any book nor set forth by any teacher. Itwasn`t till I said FUCK-IT, that the Dharma showed its face. Mumon and his moonwere always watching. He never left, and I understood then, he had been alwaysthere, lifetime after lifetime.So I sat for a year and karma just unfolded without effort. The Dharma carried meto my teacher who guided me over the years while in prison. I found myself on acontinued on p. 4


MENTOR'S CORNERThe Heart SutraMelissaThe Heart Sutra has been paramount in my practice to help me ‘feel’ and un-derstand Compassion. When I read it or remember it, I remember the five ag-gregates are empty. I remember the law of Karma. I remember DependentOrigination, Impermanence, Equanimity. The required learning of these funda-mental teachings of the Buddha, I cannot help being in touch with a feeling ofCompassion and of “the poise of a dying man.”I say “required learning” because without embracing them as the Truth, one’spractice will be too pragmatic. Dare I say, one’s practice will be too loose, will re-main too studious, like an intellectual Buddhist. What do I mean by ‘Truth’?1/ There is suffering, this is suffering and there is a way out of suffering. (Dham-macakkappavattana Sutta, SN 56.11)2/ To say this is true and all others are false is not preserving the Truth. (CankiSutta, MN 95)3/ Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believein anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe inanything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believein anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe intraditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But afterobservation (but one has to observe) and analysis (one has to practice and ana-lyze), when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to thegood and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. (Kalama Sutta,AN 3.65)The Buddha did not mean do not believe anything. He wanted you to learn histeachings and practice them. When you indeed practice them, you will see theTruth that he teaches. When you see the Truth, you will have unshakeablefaith/conviction in the Triple Gem. With conviction in the Truth, The Way It Is andCompassion that comes from a place of equanimity, understanding and content-ment, you will not suffer and you will be able to be present for others who are suf-fering. What is compassion? It is deep awareness of the suffering of another,without the need to relieve it, feeling total appreciation for its value; a state ofnon-judgment.And what is “the poise of a dying man”? This is from the teachings of Master Hsu-Yun (Master Xu Yun). “Beyond meditation practice, there is attitude. A beginnermust learn to cultivate what is called, ‘the poise of a dying man.’ What is thispoise? It is the poise of knowing what is important and what is not, and of beingaccepting and forgiving. Anyone who has ever been at the bedside of a dyingman will understand this poise. What would the dying man do if someone wereto insult him? Nothing. What would the dying man do if someone were to strikehim? Nothing. As he lay there, would he scheme to become famous or wealthy?No. If someone who had once offended him were to ask him for his forgivenesswould he not give it? Of course he would. A dying man knows the pointlessnessof enmity. Hatred is always such a wretched feeling. Who wishes to die feelinghatred in his heart? No one. The dying seek love and peace.”

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To receive copies of any of theresources listed below, pleasewrite to Rev. Richard Baksa atthe address above.• A listing by state of Buddhistgroups that may be able to sendvolunteers to your prison toconduct Buddhist activities.• The "Religious Land Use andInstitutionalized Persons Act of2000." This guarantees equalaccess for all religions to prisonfacilities for the purpose of religious meetings.• “What is the Religious LandUse and Institutionalized Persons Act?” This explains the Actand how it is to be applied.


Heart Sutra of the Perfection of WisdomAvalokitesvara Bodhisattvapracticing deeply on the Perfection of Wisdomclearly saw that all five Skandhas are empty,passed beyond all suffering and distress.Shariputra,form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness not differ from form.Form is exactly emptiness; emptiness is exactly form.Sensation, thought, impulse and consciousness are also like this.Shariputra,all these kinds of things are empty.They are not produced and not ceased,not stained and not pure,not deficient and not complete.Therefore, in emptiness there is no form,no sensation, no thought, no impulse, no consciousness,no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind,no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, knowledge,no realm of sight...until we arrive to: no realm of thought,no ignorance, also no end of ignorance,and ...until we arrive to: no aging and death, also no end of aging and death,no suffering, no gathering, no annihilation and no path.no wisdom, also no attainment.As nothing is attained, therefore the Bodhisattvasfollow the Perfection of Wisdom and therebythe mind is no hindrance or obstruction.As there no hindrance or obstructionthey have no fear.Far away from incoherent thought and fantasy.And eventually reach Nirvana.All the Buddhas of the three generationsfollow the Perfection of Wisdom and therebyreach the perfect and complete enlightenment.Therefore, knowledge of the Perfection of Wisdomis the great divine mantra,is the great enlightening mantra,is the incomparable mantra,able to eliminate all suffering.This is all true and not in vain,so propagate the Perfection of Wisdom mantra,set forth this mantra and say:gone, gone, gone beyondgone, gone, gone beyondgone together beyondglory to illumination

The ThiefZ. L. King (Galesburg, IL)

For quite some time nowI have watched and observedInmates at Hill PrisonAs they move about each day,stealing.In more than forty years of prison lifeMore stealing has been observed atHill PrisonThan any other prison.It appears that many inmatesHave never had anythingIn their entire lifeBecause they are obsessedWith stealing, each day.I have prided myselfOn not being a thief.At least one thousand times

I was not temptedTo steal.Suddenly, for no good reasonOne bar of soap was seizedFrom a public toilet.The bar of soapIntended for public useWas stolen by me.This shameful deedTook place on August 6, 2010.This poem is my way to atoneFor stealing one bar of soapFrom the public toilet,As a Buddhist,I have much work to doBefore Buddha’s teachings

are defined by me.A Buddhist should not stealEven one bar of soapFrom a public toilet.Enough said – yeah!!


flight to LAX with $39 on a food stamp card from Florida, not a dimeon me, and one set of clothes. My friends saw something in me that Icouldn’t: a monk. They were the ones that came together, bought myticket, and saw me off in Tampa. So on February 26, 2011, (twoyears from my February 9, 2009, release date), I was ordained un-der the Pure Land Vietnamese Zen tradition. It was just as DaidoRoshi had always said: a monk is a monk before he’s a monk. Therobe of liberation, once just words in a book, in a place so far fromwhere I stand NOW. And now I can sit here and truly via experi-ence say, the Dharma is who you are, not just words that soundgood from a preacher man. It shows you the ugly, and makes youstand up and face yourself and take responsibility. So just keep itreal, and have faith in yourself, nothing but yourself and all that theDharma has given to you.Keep your head up, and your practice strong!!Metta!!Ven. Mujin Karuna

Robes, cont'd from p. 1

EnergyBrian Alberer (Smyrna, DE)Energy comes, energy goes.Energy never ceases, because energy flowsThrough everything.This body, this vessel, is just a harness for energy.Coming and going, never ceasing to be.It flows like the river that feeds the vast seas and great oceans,with waves crashing down on the shores causing a commotion.Returning from where it came.This energy thing is a serious game.Sometimes it’s violent, sometimes it’s tame.Positive and negative they sometimes collideAnd make booming sounds that make you go inside.Man, this energy thing is a serious thing.It can even be powerful enough to make you sing.Me, you, them and us, all have energy inside.So glorious to just be, that it is energy that makes us exist.Energy, Energy, Energy.

What is Emptiness?Andre Marzetta (Delano, CA)

Nothing.How do you know from justbreathing!What is breathing?It is emptiness!Why do you say?It forms everything.Who is form?Invisible wind!Giving and receiving.Cool and calm.What is everything?Exactly emptiness!Why haven’t you answered thequestion

of what is emptiness?Because no question really exists!Like the breath and you.Without it you have nothing.That is emptiness.

Think in this way of all this fleeting world;As a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream,A dewdrop, a flash of lightning in a cloud,A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a Dream.

~ The Buddha


What is Generosity?James L. Halbirt (GenKan)(San Luis Obispo, CA)

Contemplating generosity, I see thatgenerosity removes us from beingselfish, stingy, grasping, and cravingindividuals. I have seen suffering that ismuch greater than my own, As a result,my compassion for those less fortunateis the spontaneous expression of an un-derstanding, is in the giving open-heartedly of my time, energy, materialobjects, kindness, and love to thoseless fortunate. Every day I give effortand generosity in some form or man-ner.The view is that practicing generosity islearning to be kind to one another.Practicing the kindness of generositybreaks down the barriers betweenourselves and others. The view is thatwe connect with people rather than dis-miss them or ignore them. We care forourselves by caring for the welfare ofothers. Our generous nature activatesfreedom from the isolating prison ofour ego.From a prison point of view, we makeourselves felt in the society, which givesus strength of mind for an authenticatonement for our evil karmicobstacles. Our generosity and compas-sion are connected—a strong feelingfor all beings that suffer. Generosityfrees the energy of compassion withinus to suffer together with others. Thepain of your suffering is the reflectionof our own shared suffering.Contemplating generosity, I see com-passion for the suffering of others anda way to assist in ending it. We em-brace the sorrow into our own heart. Atthe turn of the twenty-first century, onemillion people were murdered. I was apart of that aversion to humanity.When we connect with all peoples, itcreates a joy of happiness and bringsus together. Our generosity breaksdown the walls of our prison, and we

are free in the mind.I see that we become intimate with lifeand the precious nature of life and thetrue equanimity to all aspects of life.Generosity gives into the joy of facingour own sadness, fear, anxiety, allow-ing us to die to our limited ideas ofhow things should be and to love andaccept the truth of things as they are.We face the world with a clean, puri-fied heart of the moment to moment ofradiant pure Being. This generosity be-

LoveWillie E. Campbell III (St. Gabriel, LA)Strive not to become holy for yourself.Strive to become holy as others striveto become holy, but only that you canforget yourself for others. Love neverseeks self for self. Love always seeks togive. Love is the first step on the up-ward way. It is all intermediate stepsand it is the last, if indeed there be alast. Love is also the last and highestinitiation on earth—impersonal love,for such love is divine. (G. de Purucker)How fantastic is it that not even thelimits of imprisonment can thwartthe radiant magnificence of love.Love’s doing isn’t bound by conditions,nor subservient to the human attemptsto have the final word on it. Love justloves. For the sake of love.My brothers and sisters—bonded orfree—no matter your spiritual practice,race, whatever, know that. We owenothing but love to one another, ourimmediate surroundings, to every per-son we’ve ever encountered, and thosewe’re soon to meet. To those who com-passionately think of us when those wefeel who should do so, don’t. To Chris-tians, Jews, Muslims, Jehovah’s Wit-nesses, Mormons, Jains, atheists,theists of all walks—they’re sojournerslike everyone else. Sojourners all.For whom are we holy? For whom doour lights shine?Along the way, we’ll be given abundle of endless opportunities to dothe best we can for ourselves so thatwe can put others first. No need toswell with pride. Love loves to give loveso that whatsoever things we gain inlife through much study and practice(no matter our faiths) will be freely giv-en to all those around.May you know peace in times oftrouble, joy in times of sorrow, bless-ings when all seems to crash aroundyou. Peace. Love. Blessings.

Stilling of painunchained from fear

Unbound in timeand moving free

Bright as a full moonthoroughly clear …

Intrepid mindrapt in ecstasy

LucidityAlton Overweg (Jackson, MI)

continued on p. 9


Guided Meditation: CompassionJames L. Halbirt (GenKan)(San Luis Obispo, CA)

Get comfortable, back straight, feetbalanced, eyes at a 45 degreeangle, if slightly open. Take a few cleans-ing breaths.Settle yourself in this place, at this time.There is nothing else to do but to be in themoment. Nothing else to do but offer em-pathy and compassion, in this moment, toyourself and others.Now open your heart and place yourawareness on yourself. Look beyond whatyou think you are like. Reach out to the hu-man being who can feel pain and suffer-ing, and wish yourself well, steadily repeating this verse:

May I be free from pain.May I be free from sorrow.May I be free from danger.

Now expand your awareness and bring your concern to the people around you.Take each person in turn. Look beyond what you think they are like, and reach outto the human being who is alive and suffers like you. Wish each one well, whilerepeating the verse several times.Now expand your compassion to everything that is alive outside—plants, trees,insects, animals, people. Like you, they, too, do not want to suffer. Open yourheart and wish them well, repeating the verse.Now open your empathy to people you like. Look beyond what you like aboutthem and reach out to the human being who is breathing and can be in pain.Wishing them well, repeat the verse.Now expand your awareness to the people you feel neutral toward: an inmate,guard, neighbor. They, too, have a history that is very real to them. They, too, loveand suffer. Take each of them in turn and wish them well, repeating the compas-sion verse.Now bring your compassion to people you have difficulties with. Look beyondwhat you dislike about them and reach out to the human being who, like yourself,suffers from pain. Wish them well, inwardly repeating the verse.Finally, expand your awareness and open your heart and concern to all beings:

May all beings be free from pain.May all beings be free from sorrow.May all beings be free from anger.May you all find peace and happiness in your equanimity,living in the moment to moment of radiant pure being.

Search for a CombZ. L. King (Galesburg, IL)Tonight a black inmate came to ourcellAnd asked my cellie and I about hiscombLast week his comb was left in theshowerAnd he wanted to know if we hadseen itA comb left in one of the showers lastweekThere are four showersAnd each day something is left therePants, shirts, tshirts, boxer shorts,Socks, shorts, soap, soap dish, dagotshirts,And so much more has been leftIncluding I.D. cards.The warden, lieutenants, sergeants,and officersAll say that items left in the showerAre to be thrown in the trashI have personally observed lieutenantsAnd officers as they tossed itemsThat were left in the showers.The first time I witnessed a lieutenantToss items left in the showerI was a little shocked and stunnedOf all the items left in the showerA comb is by farThe least expensiveCombs sell on the inmate commissaryfor eight centsA toothbrush, soap dish, or soapSells for three to ten times moreWhy oh why would any inmateBurden others about an eightcentcomb?Since the comb incidentWas motivated to break my peaceI have decided to record somethoughts on paperThis is how I feel about an eightcentcomb.

Kuan YinTom Reeves (Florence, AZ)


BirdArelio Lendo (Susanville, CA)

If Only I Was a BirdBrian Alberer (Smyrna, DE)

I wish I was a bird, so I could fly up and up so very highLike an eagle soars on a breeze.

I’d float above buildings, mountains, hills, and trees.If only I was a bird,

I’d escape these walls, concrete barriers, and long hollow halls.No bad food, no people that stare,

Just me and my wings and the open air.The sad part is I’m a captive of a messed-up fate,

Stuck behind some fifty different gates.In the outside world, I’m just a convict or inmate.

People like that get my temper and my blood boiling hot.I wish for once I had a decent shot …

Damn, if only I was a bird.If I was a bird, bright and colorful is how I’d be.

I’d be free to see everything there is to see.Freedom would be my safe haven.

Like the free, I’d be forgiven of all the sins that I’ve been livingIf only I was a bird, soaring the skies with the wind that never dies.

Hey, world below, can you hear my cries?Can you see all the beauty from my eyes?

Right now, you should see things from my current vantage point,Locked down in the joint.Man, if only I was a bird.

KathmanduErik Fite (Draper, UT)Awakened! Eyes closedstill seeing Nepal clearly …my mind projects imagesOn my cell’s ceiling.

Upon a precipice playing chesssit Jesus and Siddhartha Gautamadrinking snow and celebratingRamadan.

A noise shatters ignoranceand startles my all!Eight spoke revolutionsas the Dharma wheel rolls.

Careening toward medeflecting off crags and cliffs –opening my arms for impactrefusing to flinch.

Not far below flames burntraces of familiar afflictions.Smoke signals remind meI must light my heart’s incense.

Fortifying myself, I liefurther from leisure hiatus.Breathing in, breathing out, I trekcerebral Himalayas.

Eventually discoveringa cave of internal formations;ancient stalactites glazed withjealousy, anger, fear, and hatred.

Holding my hand, pulling myselftoward virtue’s elevation.Transcending attachment’ssheer inclination.

Clouds of illusion disappearclearing noble consciousness …atop nirvana’s summitGrows love’s lotus blossom.

I can see the city below.


Zen MonkeyDerrick R. Asher-Johnson (Carlisle, IN)

Contemplating EnlightenmentJames Davie (Brent, AL)I contemplate Enlightenment – for the welfare of all beingsAnd give thanks to the Buddha – for all that I’m seeingI’m seeing a new way – to live out each dayAs I get ready for another – and begin to prayI pray for peace – for everyone’s mindLoving kindness – is what I hope they will findTo find it and hold it – close to their heartsMay it stay and grow – may it never depart

The EagleJames Bettis (Clarinda, IA)

The eagle soars highSo majesticNo worries

No matter whereThe eagle soarsIt is always free

Sit and WatchGregory Howard (Pittsburgh, PA)

Sit and watch TVFor an hour andLearn nothing.

Sit and focus onYour breathing and

Relax your mind andFind enlightenment …

SufferingGregory Howard (Pittsburgh, PA)All you behold is sufferingAll you understand is sufferingAll you do is sufferingAll you do not want to do is sufferingAll you hold on to is sufferingAll you ask for is sufferingClear your mind and you willSee, you will understand

BuddhaNhut Vo (Delano, CA)


YOUR LETTERScomes the natural expression of a con-nected and loving heart.Our time, our energy, our forgiveness,and willingness to be fair and just withall people mean we are creating agood world in which to live. Generositybreaks down the barriers of fear of aconvicted felon, but more importantly, itconnects us with the extended family ofhumanity. Contemplating generosity isevidence of our compassion mind.Compassion and generosity begin toflow when we contemplate the feelingof extending it to all beings.This contemplation is helpful in open-ing up the path for generosity to flour-ish. This strengthens our commitment tobeing helpful in the cessation of suffer-ing. Generosity removes the cloud ofour self-centeredness and allows forcompassion to flow unabated. We ex-tend it to our family, friends, and partic-ularly those in dire need. It is evidentthat compassion and generosity are themixture of a loving and caring mind. Incontemplating the nature of generosityin ourselves, we remove the soiled anddirty nature of our negative emotionsand fathom the greater good of the vir-tues of compassion and generosity.When we contemplate the importanceof generosity, we adhere to the pre-ciousness of human life—we put othersfirst. In doing so, we conquer our anxi-ety, our agitation, our self-centerednessand become a partner in the appreci-ation of our good fortune and gratitudeof being born human. We extend oursense of peace and goodwill for thewell-being of all humans. As SakyongMipham Rinpoche might say: We haveraised the windhorse into the manifest-ation into the light of the day. It burnsbrightly in our hearts.

Generosity, cont'd from p. 5

I would like to pose a question tothose reading the BCCN. The Sanghawe have here has been running for ayear now. The ladies here and I wouldlike to know what any of you are do-ing in your Sanghas. We read achapter of a book, do a discussion,then sit for thirty minutes. How long doyou get for Sangha? We get one andone half hours. We are open to sug-gestions. Thank you and much mettato all.Angie Oakes

Lincoln, IL

Maybe it’s just me or maybe anotherego trip. I think some people miss thepower that lies within the teachings ofBuddhism, like how could somethingjust change your mind with a smilefrom realizing suffering is a part ofnature. A basic core to the truth! I wasrebellious toward religions. Only be-cause most seemed so confusing. Any-way the first time the Buddhaappeared to me was in the process ofa crime. Never thought nothing of it,little gold statue of a little healthy guy.The second time he appeared mademe remember the first time. I couldn’thelp but to think wow, could it be asign. Now I don’t profess to be aBuddhist. Buddha nature, now that’s adifferent story. I started readingdharma books, one after the other atfirst just for something to read. Then Iwanted to understand, it got to thepoint where it just started to grow onme. Literally sometimes I am even in-vited to sitting. Don’t believe I am theauthor of this letter. I tell you the BCCNpeople who wrote in the January-March newsletter we’ll give the creditto them. Which would explain thespark and power spoken of above. MeI only consider Buddhism a religion in

certain ways, which could be com-pared to the divine truth. For the mostpart I think it’s the most natural part ofnature, like a rose blossoming or aglass of water after walking throughthe desert. The mind is openedthrough the process. The most power-ful part is when you can just sit withyourself. And others appear to be sit-ting too. What’s more powerful thanthat is just to be content with a smile.Andre R. Marzetta

Delano, CAYour BCCNThis is your newsletter. How manytimes have you read an article or apoem and thought, "I could do that"?You can! Writing for the BCCN is awonderful way to share your experi-ences, insights, and problems.Whatever you are thinking or feeling,you can be sure that someone elsewho reads the BCCN is, too. Needideas? Here are a few.- What is your favorite method formanaging anger? difficult people?- When noise and activity make it diffi-cult to do formal meditation, how doyou adapt your practice?- When other people ask you aboutyour practice, what do you say?- What is your favorite Buddhist bookand why?- What is your favorite meditationpractice?- What problems in your life has med-itation most helped you with?Don't worry about whether your gram-mar and spelling are perfect. We'll fixyour spelling, and grammar matters alot less than you may think! What mat-ters is expressing your sincere thoughtsand ideas. So pick up a pen and getstarted! We welcome submissions ofessays, poems, stories, and originalartwork. News items that are of in-terest to other students are also appro-priate.


A Day of Mindfulness at San QuentinCaleb Cushing

Adecade ago, on the infamous exercise yard of San Quentin State Prison, an inmate sat upright by himself along thefence. A few close friends approached and asked what he was doing. He said he was practicing Zen meditation, andthey sat down with him. All of them were older inmates, “lifers” who were serving long sentences, all veterans of the war inVietnam. Eventually, under the auspices of the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), they established a congregation fullyrecognized by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Now, for two hours every Sunday evening, asmany as thirty inmates gather in a well-heated classroom to practice as the Buddhadharma Sangha. In the prison industriesworkshops, they’ve expertly crafted an altar, cushions, pads, and benches, and on the chalk-tray of the blackboard, they seta framed calligraphy by Thay [Thich Nhat Hanh] — The kingdom is now or never.The SFZC facilitators regularly ask the men to prepare talks that focus on their practice and then to respond to follow-upquestions from the Sangha. Many of the men are mature, insightful practitioners. When the SFZC officials are unable toattend, they sometimes ask members of the Community of Mindful Living [Editor’s note: Sanghas in the tradition of ThichNhat Hanh] to facilitate. They appreciate our being there; their practice brings us joy and inspiration as well. The men likeour practices of listening to the big bell, mindful eating, and especially Dharma discussion. For the Dharma talks, we ask themen to suggest topics in advance, and we invite an inmate to give the talk alongside us.They have a library with several books by Thay. After we had showed up with some regularity, the inmates said they wereinterested in learning some of our practices, so we arranged an extended period of practice — a Day of Mindfulness at SanQuentin. We provided homemade picnic lunches for everyone, and some said it was the first time in years that they hadfresh raw vegetables.Two guests and two inmates gave a joint Dharma talk about using mindfulness to deal with anger, and then took questionsfrom the Sangha. One of the inmates who spoke on that panel, Michael Gallardo, wrote an article for the San QuentinNews about the Day of Mindfulness:On Monday, February 16, 2009, amidst heavy rain and strong wind, the fifth annual Day of Mindfulness was held in theBuddhadharma Sangha at San Quentin State Prison in California. Inside the fifty-by-twenty-foot room located at the GardenChapel area on the prison grounds, fourteen inmates and fourteen visitors from the Community of Mindful Living of NorthernCalifornia celebrated the day with sitting meditation, walking meditation, and Dharma talks....The group shared a mindful lunch together, eating in silence, while sitting on chairs, zafu (sitting cushions) and zabuton(meditation mats). Inmate Lindsey, from the prison Sangha, solemnly walked to the altar, offered the Buddha a portion of hislunch and later said to the group, “I am completely overwhelmed. Today is a very beautiful day.”Mindful living, the practice of complete awareness, is based on the teaching of Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh,who has founded several Mindful Living communities located around the world.“Mindfulness gives us the tools to live our lives in peace in the midst of prison chaos,” inmate Russo said about the practice.“Although this event was a Buddhist Religious program, the cornerstone of our practice has always been ‘we are here foranyone, of any belief’,” Russo added.Most of the visitors are involved in mindfulness and meditation programs in various jails, prisons, or community centers inNorthern California. They are proactive in their practice, which radiates into the community.The Buddhadharma Sangha was established almost ten years ago. Five inmates spent a year, rain or shine, sitting inmeditation on the lower-yard. On September 5, 1999, in the midst of a partial lock-down in the prison, the Sangha held itsfirst service with Zen priest Roshi Seido Lee de Barros, from Green Gulch Farm in Marin County.The prison Sangha, with volunteers from San Francisco Zen Center, Berkeley Zen Center, Green Gulch Farm, and about thirtyinmates, meet on Sunday evenings, practicing and studying the Buddha’s teachings in the Soto Zen tradition. It also offers,from its library, a wide selection of books on all Buddhist traditions....

(Reprinted from The Mindfulness Bell, Autumn 2009)

vol 7 issue 2-final

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