buddhist correspondence course
newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 1
January-March 2009
INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
Articles
Instant Karma, Randall Cash
Basic Ways of Mindfulness, Bill Ford
Peace, Thomas L. Bond
A Few More Truths, James L. Halbirt
Give a Gift, Jonathan Miller
Four Obstructions to Letting Go,
Christopher Brainerd
Silencing the Monkey, James Davie
Analogy of Karma, Ariya Bantu
Another Night in Prison, Bobby Thiem
Find the Truth, James L. Halbirt
Poetry
Awake, John Lehman
Art
Bird, Cliff Marvin Nowell
Letters
Michael Collier
Sanderson Becker
Tim Burns
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind —
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Dhammapada, 183
A Condemned Man’s Catharsis
on Instant Karma
Randall Cash (San Quentin, CA)
I have learned on my path of studying the Dhamma that nothing is permanent. We are in
constant flux, changing with every breath. Physically, every seven years our whole body
replaces itself, morphing into the next stage of this life cycle.
I am on many levels acutely aware of this flux after being incarcerated for 23 plus years. I
am in no way the same man who came to San Quentin in 1992 after seven years of trials
that began in 1985. I stepped into my cell on California’s Condemned Row, never expect-
ing to leave that building alive. I was indeed a dead man walking for 13 years. I don’t
have the words—and neither does my dictionary—to express how it felt to sit in my 4-1/2
foot by 10-1/2 foot cell 21 to 24 hours a day, when the last appeal ran out and the
warden walks up to your cell with a death warrant for you to sign. You see the date of
your death in black and white on that sheet of paper. That’s pretty final.
We tried to spend our days as full and productive as possible. I drew artwork to sell in the
hobby shop. We don’t think about that last day... Everybody has to die someday, right?
So what’s the big deal? That’s how most of us rationalize our situation.
I received a reversal of my death penalty in 2002 and the conviction was upheld. I sat for
three more years still on the “row” un-sentenced until the county decided to no longer seek
death for several reasons. For one, my 20 years of clean time with no disciplinary write-
ups (20 years!) and also, in case law, my reversal mode would make it very hard to pick
a new jury. Anyway, I was re-sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. I am still
appealing for a new trial.
Meanwhile, I started meditating in 2001 without any training or guidance other than read-
ing the Upanishads and a yoga book. Naturally, I didn’t get too far. But I did benefit from
the quietness I found in meditation on the breath, so I stuck with it. This gave me much
needed peace in a very negative, tangibly evil place.
Now, three years later, I am still waiting in San Quentin’s reception center for endorse-
ment to a facility to serve out my sentence. I have achieved much in studying with Rev. Ad-
rienne’s guidance. I am indebted to her generous patience as it is very difficult for me to
read, takes me forever! This is due to damage to my eyes here from laser surgery that
went very bad and left me impaired almost to a state of blindness.
I was torn in many directions in what to do. I strive to stay on my path, no more anger or
violence. This doctor could not have hurt me more deeply even if he’d taken my life. The
cruelty of this is that I was a proliferate portrait artist. Now I can barely see to write.
Being in the Dhamma, I didn’t know if litigation is an acceptable, skillful path. I asked Rev.
Adrienne and she gave me the answer that was really in my heart all along. As long as
my motivation was to go forward with a suit to right a wrong, and not done in anger or
vindictiveness, it’s all good.
So, I am going on. When I do realize a settlement, it’s all going to causes that will best be
served by direct aid, such as the BAUS. My point is to remove this doctor from the medical
(continued on p. 4)

The BCCN is distributed at no charge
to those taking the Buddhist
Correspondence Course. This is your
newsletter, by you, about you, and for
you. You are the major contributors,
so send us your questions, problems,
solutions you've found to difficulties in
practice, thoughts you have on
practice, artwork, poetry, etc. Due to
limited space, some editing may be
necessary. We also welcome your
comments on the newsletter and
suggestions for ways we might
improve it to serve you better.
Please mail all correspondence to:
Buddhist Correspondence Course
c/o Rev. Richard Baksa
2020 Route 301
Carmel, NY 10512
Let us know if we may use your full
name or just your initials.
Peace
Thomas L. Bond (Ridgeland, SC)
Over the years, I’ve come to realize
that most people will never know true
peace or harmony. I’ve also come to
see that in many religious groups,
peace has many different meanings.
Peace, to me, is being happy, joyful,
in harmony with nature and being bal-
anced in all aspects of your life. If
you are not balanced in your life,
chaos will seep into your life, and
slow down your progress to en-
lightenment. You need to be at peace
with yourself first, and then go into try-
ing to be at peace with those per-
sons, animals, plants, energies, and
divine forces around you.
You should meditate, at least to me,
to see what you feel you need to
change about yourself, and those
things you need to improve on or fo-
cus on more directly.
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
The Basic Ways of Mindfulness
Rev. Bill Ford
We talk about mindfulness a great deal, but
what is it? What is the basic way to do it?
Practicing mindfulness is at its simplest level,
making a commitment to stay present—in this
moment. While being present, we allow things
to register on our conscious mind, and we give them enough attention so that we can
observe them—one at a time—and see what they look like, sound like, smell like, taste like
or feel like. We don't put energy into imagining where they came from, why they exist or
what they “mean.” We observe the one we have chosen to observe as it rises and falls,
and as it changes.
According the Buddha’s wonderful Satipatthana Sutta, there are four categories of items
that can be observed in this way; the easiest one of these with which to start is our own
body. Most people observe their breathing, but any part of the body can be observed,
including the movement of one’s arms or legs. As we observe this chosen body aspect, we
see how it changes. We observe that whatever happens begins, sticks around a while,
then ends.
Most of us who meditate want to leave a little room in our meditating minds to observe our
thoughts as they begin, stick around, then end. We don’t think of thoughts as something
that spoils our practice. We notice that they seem to happen by themselves. The more we
practice, the more we see that they do happen without being done by anyone called “me.”
We accept that they’re happening, and don’t criticize ourselves for their activity.
How do we leave a little room in our minds to observe thoughts? Well, this takes some
time, and no one can tell you exactly how to do it. But, basically, we can consider our
chosen object of meditation (breath, for example) as a kind of anchor. We start out giving
it our attention, and it’s always there for us to return to with our attention. When some
other phenomenon jumps in there and demands some attention, we give it. We make a
note as to what it is. We might silently say the word “thought” or “thinking” to remind
ourselves to observe it as an event, not to believe in it and follow it and get lost in it.
Naturally, and inevitably, we will get drawn into some of our thoughts, and find ourselves
lost in them. Again, we don’t scold ourselves or feel that we’ve failed. We simply return
our attention to our chosen anchor.
Is there more? Of course there’s more. But this process is a good starting practice to
understand our own nature, as well as the nature of the phenomena that we observe. 
In Memoriam: Robert Saunders
Robert Saunders, a mentor in the BCC, died on January 25, 2009. at the age of 82.
Robert's devotion to his BCC students reflected his own deep practice of Buddhism and
confidence in the potential of the practice to bring relief from suffering. Robert served in
World War II and subsequently earned a doctorate in art education. He worked as a
teacher and then as an art consultant to the Connecticut Department of Education. A
poet and an active volunteer for the Wadsworth Athenaeum art museum in Hartford,
Robert maintained his vital interest in the arts after his retirement in 1992. He was an
early member and graduate of Ven. Thich Tri Hoang's Dharma training class and was an
ordained Dharma teacher. He shared the Dharma in local prisons and as a member of
the Connecticut Council for Interreligious Understanding. On January 31, over 120
friends gathered at Hai An Pagoda in New Britain, CT, where he was a member of the
English-speaking sangha, to remember Robert. He is survived by his son. His wife, Jean,
died in 1992.
page 2
A Few More Truths We need to make sane choices. Your Neither lie about your past, nor carry on
James Halbirt (San Luis Obispo, CA) world may seem complex and overwhelm- about it. Let them meet a real adult who
ing, but only if you allow it. We have a has been humbled by his or her pain, and

I no longer believe I need anger, as it

does not protect me from myself or in
fact others.
The best reason to move beyond anger is
because it is beneath our dignity. Anger,
hatred, revenge, greed, arrogance, addic-
tions, fears, and lust all are unworthy of
us. When we love, we are loved. If we act
accordingly, we find profound peace and
freedom. If we keep fighting it, we never
cease to do time. You might not remember
it in your next life, but you will be the
product of how well or poorly you use
your time in this life.
Violence should never be used in the ser-
vice of a personal grudge, but to defend
the weak or to uphold order and justice.
We are opposed every step of the way in
our journey if we let it. We grapple with
good and evil, loss and gain, pleasure
and pain, hope and despair, compassion
and apathy, generosity and greed, per-
severance and laziness, courage and cow-
ardice, love and hate. These forces are
within us.
It is easy to pick the correct path. We are
put here to love, respect, and help each
other. When we do so, we are connected
to a deeper meaning of life. When we
get lost in our ego of protecting ourselves,
we miss the point of being born.Be gener-
ous to those who need it, whether you
know them or not. It is mercy you are ex-
pressing, not personal affection. Forgive
those who have wronged you, not be-
cause they deserve it, but because forgive-
ness brings you closer to your true self,
choice of opposites we can make, selfish-
ness or unselfishness, greed or generosity,
faith or fear, love or hate, acceptance or
is transforming it into compassion, peace,
and happiness. There are karmic and cos-
mic forces so far beyond our understand-
rejection in your life. It is really simple and ing concerning one's “ripeness” for
a refreshing gift to be aware of the correct enlightenment.
choices, those that bring harmony to your
world.
Self-centered love is contraction and pos-
sessive, while spiritual love is expansive
and generous. How is your romance and
marriage? You know it can lead either
way. Small love is perfumes and
Valentine's Day gifts, movies, etc. Real
love is support and service promoting love
fulfilled. A commitment to each other to
spill over compassion and empathy for
each other. We see all the sides of each
other.
The classic moral values common to us all
are mercy, kindness, justice, courage, and
love. We need nourishment for our body,
but more importantly, self-reliance is the T he dahlia is so commonplace
that most people do not
truly see it. When you hear its
core of self-respect and common sense.
eternal song and see its
When we develop self-discipline and ad-
miraculous smile, it is no longer
aptability, we will not fail during hard
an ordinary flower. It is an
times. We will choose the correct path in
ambassador from the cosmos.
the great scheme of life, a sense of re-
sponsibility to the common good.
Thich Nhat Hanh
In order to feel connected to life, we must
contribute something positive toward the
common good. Freedom is not doing what
we want, when we want, without obliga-
tion to others. This is an infant's view of
freedom. Real freedom cannot be separ-
ated from responsibility to others. If we
are unskilled, self-centered, addicted, or Give a Gift
greedy, we will not be very free. Jonathan Miller (Repressa, CA)

while grudges and vengeance bring the
world one step closer to destruction.
To choose well, you must live well. We
must respect our minds, bodies, and spirit.
Self-discipline and tolerance are essential
to good will. We create our own reality
when we create our attitudes through re-
sponsibility and dedication to spiritual
laws. Self-respect requires self-discipline.
Decency requires conscience and cour-
age. Kindness requires forgiveness and pa-
tience.
If my heart believes it's wrong to steal,
then in order to let myself steal something,
I may close off a little part of the way I re-
ceive messages from my heart. If I believe
in kindness, then in order to be cruel, I
may close off another little part of my
heart. If I believe in courage, then cow-
ardice may close off another little part of
my heart. Where will you be when you
close everything off? Maybe it is a pit of
self-hatred.
What is so hypnotic about this notion of
personal freedom that we're not noticing
any objective indicators of how things are
or are not working? We have obligations
and responsibilities to our family, our com-
munity, our country, our world, and the
journey we take to stabilize our true
nature. True self-esteem is like a smile: it
arises naturally in a life lived well.
We worship individuality, as though we
each exist in our own separate universe,
which of course is untrue. And because it
is untrue, what may have once been indi-
viduality has now mutated into alienation.
Community esteem has been sacrificed to
self-esteem. Our society is terribly un-
happy precisely because our true nature is
divine and generous and merciful, and
we're not acting like it. The Kingdom of
Heaven is a way of life, a path of kind-
ness and service and unselfishness. Such a
lifestyle enables us to feel our true nature
now, even while the larger problems exist.
T
o me, only Dharma practice defeats
dukkha. The Eightfold path. This is the
only way. I have tried just about
everything and found the only way to de-
feat dukkha is the Dharma. Although I do
fail at times to be happy, I know the an-
swer lies near. The answer lies within. If I
search myself, then usually I am humbled
by my imperfections. When I see my
wrongs, I can change.
I have found lately my generosity is
viewed as a sign of weakness by some
people in my environment. I see this as I
have been used for nothing more than
what I have. I have been ripped off and
looked down upon as a result of being so
generous. It’s not just me. Others who are
generous are treated this way, too. “What
evil lurks to find kind men weak?” It is
much easier not to sacrifice and to indulge
in material pleasures without caring.
(continued on p. 4)

Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter page 3

Give a Gift cont. from p. 3
When people expect, depend, and take
for granted your giving and your generos-
ity, you have to ask yourself: Am I helping
this person? Am I creating a dependent?
Am I feeding his greedy desires? Greed is
a burden based on desire. We all know
that mixing these two things is not good. It
all depends on the relationship you have
with the person you’re giving to and what
type of attitude they have. I am not saying
not to give and be generous. I am saying
not to let people use and take advantage
of you.
Examples I can give: Anything from
canteen is a luxury because half the popu-
lation or more doesn’t have it. So when I
give someone a soup, I am giving them a
luxury. Now, I have given to people who
take the soup and say, “Thank you,” and
have done with it what they will. And I
have given to some people who have only
asked for more and more right away. It’s
as if they were not happy with what I gave
them or they were just greedy.
When one becomes dependent on you
they expect you to give them something
every time you have something. When
you don’t, they treat you differently.
I am not saying it is bad to be generous
or to give wholeheartedly, but I am saying
that it doesn’t really help everybody we
give to all the time. If I am feeding
someone’s greed or someone’s lust, what
am I feeding them? If people are viewing
me as weak for being generous or kind,
then they obviously aren’t receiving the gift
that I’m giving. Again, I am not saying not
to be generous; I am just sharing an
awareness I have reached.
I find myself going without the luxuries of
canteen 90% of the time. I go without cof-
fee, but when I get some, everybody asks
me for some. I usually give to them and to
some people who don’t ask. But I find
only a few give back when the table’s
turned. That’s okay because I never give
expecting anything in return, maybe a
“thank you.” I like to see people happy,
but some people need the Dharma more
than coffee or soup. 
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
Instant Karma cont. from p. 1
community, so he can’t do what he did to
me to anyone else. This isn’t about person-
al gain.
There are those who believe there are no
coincidences in life, all things happen for
a reason or by our own actions. Instant
Karma. I believe that we can realize the
fruits of our karma in this same lifetime.
Even though I have been what they call a
model prisoner for 23 years, the actions of
my hands in the past are what they are. I
took four human lives in my life. Now my
vision has been destroyed. Could this be
instant karma or just incompetent surgery?
I accept the burden either way and per-
severe. I have no choice but to continue
on my path to enlightenment and a final
end to suffering in this human condition.
Thank you, Rev. Adrienne for “coaxing”
me to write something for the BCCN. You
knew, huh? That it would feel good to ex-
press these pent up emotions to an ear
that hears and understands where I’m com-
ing from. It truly is a personal catharsis.
Peace to you. In the Dharma. 
Four Obstructions to Letting Go
Christopher Brainerd (Eloy, AZ)
Deprivation: Letting Go is not self-depriva-
tion or martyrdom. Those are extremes, at-
tachments to letting go. Follow the Middle
Way. Let go of positive or negative intent.
Go with the flow, the true intention of
Buddha nature.
Passive: Letting Go is not being passive, un-
caring, indifferent, or ignorant. Be mindful.
Be aware of the surroundings. Just don’t re-
act. Instead, act with compassion, always.
Passive-Aggressive: Letting Go is not being
passive-aggressive, disdainful, contemptu-
ous, selfish, or suppressing anger. Motiva-
tion for acts of humility and kindness is
selfless, not selfish.
Careless: Letting Go is not being careless,
negligent, aloof, or unvigilant. We must cul-
tivate good and discourage evil. Choices
are made. Are they selfless and rooted in
compassion? I do not leave myself to my
unskillful and allegedly good intentions!
Letting Go is removing the cloud of delu-
sion and self-judgment to see things are
they really are, without intent. Notice. Act.
Non-React. 
Sri Lankan Buddha, by Val Clark
Buddhism in Sri Lanka is pri-
marily of the Theravada school. Accord-
ing to traditional Sri Lankan chron-
icles, Buddhism was introduced there
in the 2nd century BCE. The Pali Can-
on, having previously been preserved
as an oral tradition, was first commit-
ted to writing in Sri Lanka around 30
BCE. Sri Lanka has the longest con-
tinuous history of Buddhism of any
Buddhist nation, with the Sangha hav-
ing existed in a largely unbroken lin-
eage since its introduction in the 2nd
century.
Monks from Sri Lanka had an
important role in spreading both
Theravada and Mahayana throughout
Southeast Asia. It was in Sri Lanka, in
the 1st century AD, that Buddhist
monks assembled in Aloka-Vihara and
wrote down the Tripitaka, the three
basket of the Teachings known as the
Pali scriptures, for the first time. It was
Sri Lankan nuns who introduced the
Sangha of nuns into China in 433AD.
During periods of decline, the
Sri Lankan monastic lineage was re-
vived through contact with Myanmar
and Thailand. Periods of Mahayana in-
fluence, as well as official neglect un-
der colonial rule, created great
challenges for Theravada Buddhist in-
stitutions in Sri Lanka, but repeated re-
vivals and resurgences—most recently
in the 19th century CE—have kept the
Theravada tradition alive for over 2000
years.
From the 16th century on-
ward, Christian missionaries and Por-
tuguese, Dutch and English colonizers
of Sri Lanka attempted to convert the
local population to Christianity. When
the British won control at the
beginning of the 19th century
Buddhism was well into decline, a
situation that encouraged the English
missionaries that then began to flood
the island. But against all expectations
the monastic and lay community
brought about a major revival from
about 1860 onwards, a movement that
went hand in hand with growing
nationalism, inspired in part by the
American Buddhist Henry Steel Olcott.
page 4
 Analogy of Karma An old hymn symbolizing liberation and
Silencing the Monkey Ariya Bantu (Kincheloe, MI) new beginnings was expressed through

James Davie (Brent, AL)
Daily I reverently enter the sanctuary
of silence and am fulfilled there,
since it is my source of strength. The
effective action that arises from my
silence gives me a clear sense of be-
ing. The quality of my silence con-
veys more than a long speech. In
order to know my inner wisdom, I
have to be still. Silently still I em-
brace the peaceful stillness of my si-
lent mind.
My mind used to be like a monkey
swinging from tree to tree. The mon-
key still shows up from time to time,
but now I am able to tame him. Be-
ing mindful of the monkey enables
me to catch and skillfully embrace
him in order to wisely use my know-
ledge and abilities to make my life
worthwhile and to benefit others.
With silence knowledge
And a clear sense of being
My moments are filled. 
C
onsider the dream during the night. Be-
fore falling into the sleeping state, you
sometimes concentrate your mind on
something, like thoughts of your woman,
friend or job. Then when finally you fall
asleep, you sometimes dream about the
thoughts you previously concentrated your
mind on prior to falling asleep. The thought
was planted in your mind, and by its crav-
ing force to exist, took root in the dream
state. The seed was planted through
thought-action, and when the conditions
were ripe—you fell asleep, ready to
dream—the seed grew to fruition, the
thoughts concentrated upon while in the
state immediately prior to falling asleep.
Karma works like this. Karma is a created
energy which exists within another energy
and has a craving energy to exist in order
to perpetuate its volition. Prana energy, the
subtle wind element, directs the karmic en-
ergy to its desired destination through the
sense of smell. This is how karma comes to
fruition.
The Buddha said everything is conditional.
It’s a mixture of subtle energies working in
unison to bring this phenomenon into exist-
ence. If you create the karma to be assaul-
ted, then these energies, present within
yourself, work together to place you in a
condition where the karmic debt is paid.
This is similar to gravity. Due to the collab-
oration of cosmic energies, gravity exists
and functions to push matter in a specific
direction. Karma, likewise, works like this. 
Another Night in Prison
Bobby Thiem (Florence, AZ)
baritone vocal cords and emotional tears.
Seventeen of them walked into a cage
with multiple purposes. A plastic trough
about three feet high and four feet wide
was filled with water. Two men dressed in
street clothes (buttoned-up dress shirts and
pressed slacks), raised their arms high and
sung above the rest. These two men, one
tall and dark, the other stocky and
Caucasian, guided each man, one by
one, into the blue tub of water. Each of the
seventeen men crossed their brazas (uno
por uno) at their corazon, closed their
ojos, and with radillas scrunched up close
to their torso, the two ministers guided the
men’s cabeza y cuerpo under aqua fria. A
moment of peace and silence for them.
When they emerged from the water, the
mass clapped loudly with smiles and tears.
This went on for a half hour, beneath a
dark peaceful sky. Never had “Amazing
Grace” been sung with more passion.
As I sung from outside the caged area,
observing as I did, I felt interconnected to
this peace movement. It was something
special for sure. Wet, dark, serene.
Another two songs entered my mind, the
first by Aaron Neville: So I’m walking
through this desert/and I’m not scared
though it’s so hot./I have everything that I
ever requested/and I do not want what I
have not got.
The second is a soulful 50s song, “Stand
by Me”: When the night has come/and
the land is dark/and the moon is the only
light I see./No, I won’t be afraid. No, I
won’t be afraid./Just as long as you
stand,/Stand by me.
With harmony and flowing peace
surrounding this prison environment, I trust

I t was Saturday night, the first of

November in 2008. A crescent moon
shone bright with a hue of deep peace
all is how it should be. Karma leads like a
ripple in a pond, flowing toward distant
shores. Just like these seventeen men being
surrounded by darkness. Venus was higher baptized, I too gain a newness with each
in the southern hemisphere while Jupiter passing night, each passing breath. Sitting
hung close to the moon in the east. The in calm meditation, cultivating the
three shining orbs painted an evening sky Buddhist’s Eightfold Path, I sense
with a unique blend of beauty and ancient beginnings of Buddha’s birth, inside me. 
mystery. These three sparkling jewels were
the first to make an appearance.
Otherwise, the sky was empty, covered in
deep, intelligent blue.
Flowing out of a small windowless metal
door, attached to a large windowless
cement block room, were hoards of men
dressed in state orange. It was a mass
transit movement, like liquid lava flowing
out of an erupted volcano. They spewed
Original art by
out into the night, making a luminous glow
Cliff Marvin Nowell
against the backdrop of a dark sky, too
much razor wire and tall, chain link fences.

Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter page 5

Find the Truth tions sustain and comfort us and teach us a They call it safety, but it is overkill control,
James Halbirt (San Luis Obispo, CA) way to liberation and freedom from our bur- based upon fear. Haven’t we all lived in
dens. When our mind is very quiet and fear? “Get down on the ground,” when in

T he truth and our practice is day to day,

moment to moment grateful living. As
they say: “The truth is never the same, and
still, not inventing or projecting, we can
know the moment-to-moment of wholeness
that is complete. It takes time and practice.
fact, the disturbance is a mile away. They
call it discipline! No love there. It's uncivil-
ized controlled fear being imposed upon
each time you discover it, it is the same.” We are enlightened because we practice. sentient beings, prisoners in our midst.
Truth must be discovered in the moment-to-
moment of living. Our relative truth is and To be integrated implies a sense of free- When we have true love, it leads to Right
has been that we are living in an inner dom. But where do you find integration, Action. Right Effort will bring order into the
prison. There is no substantial freedom in justice, peace, and happiness? It obviously world. Love needs to exist for Right Under-
prison. In another sense, freedom lies out- must begin and end with the mind. There standing and Right Action to flourish. Let
side the walls, outside the patterns of our would be no need for discipline with equal- love do what it will. Real love is not blind.
behavior. Those in society are in more of a ity. I don’t see it in this world at the present It is kind, generous, considerate, and has
prison than we are. We just don’t think it time, so it has to begin with each individu- a timeless effect. It has its own eternity,
is so. We are the product of our own cre- al. Integration to me means being totally and when it really exists, there is no evil to
ation in prison or out in society. pursue. It is connection to the ex-
treme.
This is why it is important to find
our true self-knowledge. When Awake Furthermore, unless you have
our minds are sensitive, alert, and John Lehman (Perry, FL) touched your inner true being,
clear, and mindfulness is present, you will not know who you really
we can eliminate our mental pris- Awakened I look at my life, are. You might be able to quote
ons. We can find freedom any- The joy, happiness, sorrow, and strife. all the nice words of the masters,
where, even within our walled, Into the future through clear glass? but unless you tame the ego and
fortified prison. We just need to Or into a mirror, reflecting of the past? are able to see your true nature,
change the channel—our biased you are just like a parrot without
attitudes and our long-held delu- What is the purpose, the meaning in all creativity, wisdom, mindfulness,
sional belief—and humble If I manifest just to fall? and being awake. You are still in
ourselves to the reality of compas- To fight, in order to loose slumber. Your Buddha nature has
sion and kindness. With humility, The ego that couldn’t bear a bruise! not arrived.
we can remove the rigid patterns Sure, we all say, “Freedom lies
of unskillful thinking and behavior Changed my life by changing my mind. outside these walls,” but the truth
that brought us to prison. Our du- No easy feat, but done in due time. of the matter is that freedom is
ality does not exist in an absolute Empathy and compassion, forgiveness too, wishful thinking. The truth of the
reality. Obviously we are split in Or anger and hate, it’s up to you! matter is, freedom lies within the
two worlds, causing us divisive- patterns of our mindful behavior
ness and suffering. We cannot Like the prodigal son, ‘I’ came from above, and outside the patterns of our so-
find ourselves when we are split To experience phenomena and practice love! ciety as it now exists. When our
from everything else. ‘I’ needed contrast for which to compare, minds become sensitive, alert with
so ‘I’ brought my ‘self’ down into despair. clarity, sharpness, and mindful-
If you cannot find empathy in
your heart for those who suffer, ness, we can eliminate
With eyes closed, I saw the light! hindrances and free ourselves
then you will suffer. When we
A bit of reason, a flash of insight. from the mental containment of
share suffering, it becomes less of
Me, my‘self,’ and ‘I’, understanding the trinity, our madness. We can find free-
a problem for us. Compassion for
Realizing ’I’ deceive my‘self.’ And that ‘I’ is not me! dom anywhere, even in our
others indicates our conscious-
ness is good. How you walk, talk, walled, fortified, razor-wired pris-
and treat people is an indication ons. Isn’t freedom associated with
of who you are, what you repres- happiness? We just need to
connected on all the same levels with each change the channel of our attitudes and
ent, how keenly you fathom your role,
other. How can you find in a relative world long-held delusional beliefs and humble
chanced or chosen. It is not what you do
integration without conflicting desires? Dis- ourselves to the reality of compassion to
that matters, but how you do it. It is how
cipline does not set you free in a society of make friends with ourselves, our enemies,
you react in service and caring to your
your inner prison. All discipline in this in- other people, and the universe. We are all
brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers,
stance is to make you conform to a political a part of the mystery, and the awe-inspir-
those who represent you. All these con-
creed or an ideological pattern. Every- ing nature of the universe. With humility,
cepts act as mirrors that show you as you
where you look in our society is divisive- we can void our rigid patterns of thinking,
are. If you are alert and mindful, you dis-
ness. Prison confinement can make your feeling, and acting in a harmful ways.
cover your true essence. The task is to
mind dull and in conformity if you let it.
tame our big egos and cleanse our little If you cannot find empathy for those who
minds by living in the moment-to-moment We need a different kind of discipline, one suffer just like you do, then you are not
of our radiant pure being. that is not mechanical and forced, a discip- connected to life. We all want to be loved,
line that brings about creative understand- but we don’t know how to love ourselves,
Moreover, our real life needs to be dis-
ing and real compassionate love. A others, and life. We get lost in words, spec-
covered, experienced, and lived accord-
discipline that is not ugly or destructive. As ulation, and patterns of ignorance.
ingly. This is the reason for our meditation
prisoners, we see those in charge much the
and why we follow the Buddha, the (continued on p. 7)
same as trained seals reacting to a bell.
Dharma, and the Sangha. Those revela-
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter page 6
 Find the Truth, cont'd. from p. 6 flux and flow they talk about. No under- is found when one continues meditation
standing, no concentration, only a mind with deliberation and perseverance. The
Why do we meditate? To rest the mind. It that is out of control. So in meditation, we
has been said, and I don’t mind repeating splendor is in our hearts and minds, but at
slow the mind down with our rest, sitting, present, it is in a cage and locked up in
it, that the mind is the master and the and breathing practice.
body is the servant. Like a conductor that our prisons. Many of us will not unlock the
controls the symphony, the mind has to dir- Moreover the great renunciation is to drop mind because we do not know what the
ect the servant, the body. Think about it. all thoughts, let go of our ego. In fact, a key is. It is the entrance to the living vibrant
The body gets tired, we rest it. So the med- path to spiritual attainment is built around mind in which we can unlock the contents
itator looks after and tends to the mind. As renunciation, letting go, of our condi- for the light to shine. We can eliminate our
Thich Nhat Hanh might say, we need to tioned habits, attachments, afflictions, and darkness and our dividedness.
take care of the mind like we would our hindrances that cause us to be addicted to Personally, while meditating, any thoughts
baby: wash it, clean it up, feed it the right clinging, grasping, and desires, such as that are not conducive to sane living, I la-
nutrients, soothe it, and watch it. Hanh lust and our violent hateful thoughts. bel and let go. To me this is purification
says the same thing about our anger and and renunciation of letting go. I spend this
Furthermore, the only time the mind can
other afflictions. time being a watcher of my mind, particu-
rest is when it stops thinking, stills itself,
The mind can only be cleansed by the and experiences the intuitive wisdom and larly of wholesome and skillful thoughts I
mind. What is put in the mind can be absolute reality we all have within us. You can use in daily living. More importantly,
taken out—very hard but possible. The may have noticed the ego wants to think. when you learn to think what you want to
mind can only do one thing at a time, so if It thinks something is amiss. However, let- think, your attitudes become more of a
you want to see and experience the truth, ting go brings insight the Buddha taught truth, you become free not to be stressed,
we need to purify what the mind has as impermanence, suffering, and non-self. and happiness can exist. This occurs in
grasped and entered into it. In resting the Meditation is a way to find out the truth. It spite of our prison environment. If we use
mind from time to time through meditation, may take a while, but keep at it, give our minds well, no one can define us, and
we polish it and remove the hindrances much effort toward the practice. It will treat we don't look for anyone's approval. I am
and defilements. We clean the rough you well. beyond feeling proud or worthless. No
spots. We do this by keeping the mind on one can cast a shadow across my path. I
What we learn from the practice, we use don't mind being nobody. I wish
our meditative subject. Due to the meditat-
to give service to others that cross our happiness and peace for you. It is
ive practice, I have found that even my
path. A person who has learned to think obtainable. I think it is so. 
dream states have more clarity, and are
what they want to think which would be
easier to remember without even trying.
appropriate to the various situations is
But, more importantly, the essence of it, is
enlightened. I may not be there fully, but
we have the ability to train the mind. As
compared to what I was, I am en-
you may have noticed, it runs from one sub-
lightened. I wish it for you. It is a different
ject to another. We just let it be, let it go.
life than what a convict knows or experi-
I have found that when the mind is ences.
troubled with overwhelming anxiety, it is
The key is called mindfulness of breath. It
much like a merry-go-round, not very pleas-
is the front door to the mind. A real mind
ant or mindful. This is the constant state of
fold along the dotted lines to make a convenient, business-card

Gathas
Please feel free to cut out this sheet along the solid lines and

size. May these gathas inspire and benefit your practice!

for
Your
Practice

Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter page 7


Open Letter to BCCN Contributors
Michael Collier (Iowa Park, TX)
I recently read that the first wave of demo-
cratic protesters in Myanmar have been
convicted and sentenced for their particip-
ation in last year’s demonstrations. The
small news brief which ran a few weeks
ago in the Austin American Statesman
said that each of the convicted protesters
had received sentences of well over a hun-
dred years. For me, it was a sobering re-
minder of how blessed we are to live in
America, where even as prisoners we
have the right to worship freely.
It concerns me that so many of us who con-
tribute to the BCCN don’t seem to under-
stand this. It’s absurd for us to complain
about our inability to practice Buddhism
under the very circumstances we have de-
vised for ourselves. Frankly, it’s ridiculous
to complain about anything. How many of
you know that in China, Buddhist prison-
ers are beaten by their guards if they are
even suspected of meditating. It’s ap-
palling to read the plebeian criticisms of
the prison industrial complex which ap-
peared in the October–December 2008
BCCN. The fact that you complain about
the lack of programs, which some of you
seem to think of as a right, amazes me. In
almost every issue of the BCCN someone
writes in whining about their emotional
problems or the routine, and sometimes ne-
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
cessary violence that is an integral part of
the reality of prison.
Instead of complaining, why not do what
you can to improve your conditions? Start
by working on you. There aren’t any
boundaries preventing us from having a
positive effect on the lives of others except
the ones we choose to accept.
The ebb and flow of life can’t be
changed. We shall always have problems.
However, the nature of our problems can
be improved and their quantity can be re-
duced. By reacting to our problems, we al-
low ourselves to be distracted from the
path of right action. Reaction is instinctive,
and while that can sometimes be helpful
in a specific situation, in most cases it only
serves to continue the cycle of irrational be-
havior that created the very problem we’re
reacting to. To be mindful, rational, and
civil, in both our behavior and discourse,
is the proper and proactive stance we
must develop and maintain if we are to be
successful in our bid for personal libera-
tion and service to others.
One may use whichever language or sym-
bols one likes as long as it is substance
rather than style we are pursuing. The
truth, friends, enlightenment, freedom from
ignorance, however we describe it, is
what we’re searching for. And while it
may be a tad cliché to quote a line from a
movie, the character Jack Nicholson
played in “A Few Good Men” said it best:
“You want the truth. You can’t handle the
truth!” None of us can. If we could, no
one would be reading this and I wouldn’t
have written it. 
In the last issue of the BCCN, James Hal-
birt wrote about prison life. This letter from
an inmate on the waiting list for the Corres-
pondence Course includes a response:
First off, I would like to thank you for
adding me to the Correspondence Course.
I thought I’d write to any and all who wish
to read this letter. I am very new to
Buddhist philosophy and realize I have a
long way to go in understanding it. I just
know that I must change something in my
life and following a spiritual path seems a
good start. Buddhism, Zen in particular,
clicks with me. I cannot put faith or belief
in some mystical being that is based on
myth. A path based on self-reflection, self-
analysis, and belief in your own compas-
sion and wisdom appeals to me. I’ve been
studying Zen for only four months now and
I meditate several times a week. I suppose
I could write about how hard it is to medit-
ate in prison or how little compassion
there is here, but we all know these things.
That how we deal with adversity is a meas-
ure of how far we have come in our under-
standing, or lack of, in life’s events. For me
in my life I see my need to become a bet-
ter, different person and have started to
act upon it. Is Buddha’s way the right
way? I don’t know. I do know what the
wrong way is. I cannot, will not, live that
life any more. I like that Buddha says
something like, “Don’t take what I say as
truth, but discover the truth for yourself.”
And I intend to do just that.
I am at Pelican Bay State Prison and be-
lieve me when I say the atmosphere is not
conducive to compassion, self-improve-
page 8
ment, brotherhood, or any of a hundred
positive things I could write. I was sent to
this cesspool from receptions center under
CDCR’s broad reason, “lack of bed-
space.” So I feel the need to address a
couple of comments by Mr. James Halbirt.
I apologize if I sound angry or bitter. I’m
not—well, maybe a little.
Mr. Halbirt, you have no right to claim to
“empathize with prisoners in super-max
prisons.” Have you been to a “hard level
4?” You sit in a soft, cushy program prison
where one can have the freedom to pur-
sue a path of wisdom and compassion in
ease and without recrimination from other
inmates. Mr. Halbirt, you go on to further
say, “What did you do to get yourself into
that position.” How can you claim to em-
pathize with a person, and then ask a
question of that nature?
Sometimes choices are made for us. Other
times choices are made as a matter of sur-
vival. You would know this if you had true
empathy with a super-max prison. Gran-
ted 90% of the inmates here are more con-
cerned with how other inmates view them
than about their future. I suggest you take
a minute to be thankful for where you are
as opposed to where you could be. I
would give my left eye to trade places
with you.
Anyway, again, I apologize if it seemed I
was attacking you. That was not my intent.
With respect.
Sanderson Becker
Crescent City, CA
In the last issue of the BCCN, Steve wrote
about the problems he was having doing
meditation in a prison environment. Here’s
another response for Steve:
Hello, my brother. I could feel your pain
and the strain of wanting to practice, but
the external situation is not conducive for
formal practice. My first piece of advice is
to remember Master Shantideva’s advice:
If you can do something about a problem,
why be angry? If you can’t do anything
about a problem, why be angry? Having
said that, my first question to myself if I
were you would be: how do I take advant-
age of the precious human life while un-
able to meditate? Please contact:
Prison Liberation Project
Post Office Box 31527
San Francisco, CA 94131
Ask them for the book, “Transforming Prob-
lems into Happiness” by Lama Zopa
Rinpoche. Learn to use these distractions
as teachings. Be like Milarepa who kept
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
his hand at his ear making everything a
teaching. Problems purify negative karma
and provide the chance to be truly pa-
tient—patient in seeing your cellmates and
fellow prisoners as the same as you in
wanting happiness and not wanting suffer-
ing. Every time you see any sentient being,
remind yourself this has been my mother in
infinite past lives and this person has taken
care of my every need. Now is the time for
me to repay this kindness and the best
way to do that is to transform my mind.
Having this thought alone is such a
change from our usual self-cherishing. Any
time you give things to others or give a
smile, a word, etc., remind yourself that all
the Buddhas cherish and think about is sen-
tient beings. So serving them pleases the
Buddhas. “To please” is the meaning of
the word “puja." It is an offering to the
Buddhas. Every act of kindness and ser-
vice is an offering to all of the Buddhas
pervading infinite space. Imagine the mer-
it you can gain within a single action!
Then rejoice in those actions over and over
before you go to sleep. Another excellent
book that will definitely help you is “Mak-
ing Life Meaningful,” also by Lama Zopa
Rinpoche. He teaches you how to use go-
ing to the bathroom, opening the door, go-
ing up and down stairs, walking, eating,
etc., as Dharma practice. All of it can
serve as excellent meditations on renunci-
ation, bodhicitta, and emptiness. Please
do not give up, Steve. Your human birth is
way too precious. We have come to the is-
land of jewels, and we don’t know how
long we have until we will be reborn, and
the chances of having such an opportunity
again is as rare as its causes (virtue). I
hope this was somewhat helpful. The
books will explain much better than I can.
Thank you. In the Dharma.
Tim Burns
Lawrenceville, VA
To receive copies of any of the re-
sources listed below, please write to
Rev. Richard Baksa (see address on
p. 2):
• A listing by state of Buddhist
groups that may be able to send vo-
lunteers to your prison to conduct
Buddhist activities.
• The "Religious Land Use and Insti-
tutionalized Persons Act of 2000."
This guarantees equal access for all
religions to prison facilities for the
purpose of religious meetings.
• “What is the Religious Land Use
and Institutionalized Persons Act?”
This explains the Act and how it is
to be applied.
The Dharma Wheel is an ancient
symbol with many meanings.
The eight divisions of this image
represent the Noble Eightfold
Path. It also refers to the sutta
that records the Buddha's first
teaching after he attained
enlightenment, the Dhamma-
cakkappavattana Sutta, "Setting
the Wheel of the Dhamma in
Motion."
Thoughts on Balancing
Study and Practice
While we may concentrate on one
particular aspect of the path at a
time, it is important to have an
overall balance between the different
aspects. Meditation should progress
hand in hand with study, without
either one being neglected. Having
cleared away doubts intellectually,
we should integrate our
understanding with the experience of
meditation. In this way our practice
will be balanced and complete.
The Dalai Lama
The interrelationship of study and
scholarship with practice is, I feel, a
complex issue about which there is
no single answer suitable for
everyone. Some people will naturally
gravitate towards one or another of
these two poles. What can be said
unequivocally is that scholarly
knowledge without practical
application is barren; vigorous
meditation practice without the
guiding light of clear conceptual
understanding is futile. Without
knowledge of the texts, I fear, within
a couple of generations a practice
tradition will easily become diluted,
chewed up and digested by the
surrounding culture, especially when
that culture is a theistic or a
materialistic one.
Bhikkhu Bodhi
page 9
Laying Down the Rod
by Bhikkhu Bodhi

The textbooks of history come into our hands bound in decorative covers and set in crisp clear types. To the discerning reader, however,
their glossy pages are stained with blood and wet with streams of tears. The story of man's sojourn on this planet has generally not been
a very pretty one. For sure, deeds of virtue and flashes of the sublime light up the tale like meteorites shooting across the night time sky.
But the pageant of events that the records spell out for us unfolds according to a repeated pattern in which the dominant motifs are greed
and ambition, deceit and distrust, aggression, destruction and revenge.
Each age, when the dust of its own battles clears, tends to see itself as standing at the threshold of a new era in which peace and
harmony will at last prevail. This appears to be particularly true of our own time, with its high ideals and great expectations aroused by
dramatic shifts in international relations. It would be ingenuous, however, to think that a package solution to the tensions inherent in
human coexistence can be devised as easily as a solution to a problem in data management. To cherish the dream that we have arrived
at the brink of a new world order in which all conflict, in obedience to our good intentions, will be relegated to the past is to lose sight of
the grim obstinacy of those deep dark drives that stir in the human heart: the defilements of greed, hatred and delusion. It is these drives
that have brought us into this world of strife and suffering, and it is these same drives that keep the wheel of history turning, erupting
periodically in orgies of senseless violence.
Like any other stream, the stream of mundane existence inevitably flows in the direction of least resistance: downwards. The task the
Buddha sets before us is not the impossible one of reversing the direction of the flow, but the feasible one of crossing the stream, of
arriving safely at the far shore where we will be free from the dangers that beset us as we are swept along by the stream. To cross the
stream requires a struggle, not against the current itself, but against the forces that carry us down the current, a struggle against the
defilements lodged in the depths of our own minds.
Though violence, either overt or subtle, may hold sway over the world in which we are afloat, the Buddha's path to freedom requires of us
that we make a total break with prevailing norms. Thus one of the essential steps in our endeavor to reach the abode of safety is to "lay
down the rod," to put away violence, aggression and harmfulness towards all living beings. In the Buddha's teaching the "laying down of
the rod" is not merely an ethical principle, a prescription for right action. It is a comprehensive strategy of self-training that spans all stages
of the Buddhist path, enabling us to subdue our inclinations towards ill will, animosity and cruelty.
The key to developing a mind of harmlessness is found in the ancient maxim stated in the Dhammapada: "Putting oneself in the place of
another, one should not slay or incite others to slay." The reason we should avoid harming others is because all living beings, in their
innermost nature, share the same essential concern for their own well being and happiness When we look into our own minds, we can
immediately see with intuitive certainty that the fundamental desire at the root of our being is the desire to be well and happy, to be free
from all harm, danger and distress. We see at once that we wish to live, not to die; that we wish to be happy, not to suffer; that we wish
to pursue our goals freely, without hindrance and obstruction by others.
When we see that this wish for well being and happiness is the most basic desire at the root of our own being, by a simple imaginative
projection we can then recognize, again with intuitive certainty, that the same fundamental desire animates the minds of all other living
beings as well. Just as we wish to be well, so every other being wishes to be well; just as we wish to be happy, so every other being
wishes to be happy; just as we wish to pursue our goals freely, so all other beings wish to pursue their goals freely, without hindrance and
obstruction.
This fundamental identity of aim that we share with all other beings has implications for each stage of the threefold Buddhist training in
morality, mental purification and wisdom. Since all other beings, like ourselves, are intent on their welfare and happiness, by putting
ourselves in their place we can recognize the need to regulate our conduct by principles of restraint that hold in check all harmful bodily
and verbal deeds. Because afflictive deeds originate from the mind, from thoughts of animosity and cruelty, it becomes necessary for us to
purify our minds of these taints through the practice of concentration, developing as their specific antidotes the "divine abodes" of
lovingkindness and compassion. And because all defiled thoughts tending towards harm for others arise from roots lodged deep in the
recesses of the mind, we need to undertake the development of wisdom, which alone can extricate the hidden roots of evil.
Since the state of the world is a manifestation and reflection of the minds of its inhabitants, the achievement of a permanent universal
peace would require nothing short of a radical and widespread transformation in the minds of these inhabitants -- a beautiful but
unrealistic fantasy. What lies within the scope of real possibility is the attainment of a lasting individual peace within ourselves, a peace
that comes with the fulfillment of the Buddha's threefold training. This internal peace, however, will not remain locked up in our hearts.
Overflowing its source, it will radiate outwards, exercising a gentle and uplifting influence upon the lives of those who come within its
range. As the old Indian adage says, one can never make the earth safe for one's feet by sweeping away all thorns and gravel, but if one
wears a pair of shoes one's feet will be comfortable everywhere. One can never be free from enmity by eliminating all one's foes, but if
one strikes down one thing -- the thought of hate -- one will see no enemies anywhere.

Buddhist Publication Society Newsletter cover essay #18 (Spring 1991)

Copyright © 1991 Buddhist Publication Society
For free distribution only

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi is an American Buddhist scholar-monk. He currently lives part-time at Chuang Yen Monastery. He is the founder of
Buddhist Global Relief, which provides relief to the poor and needy throughout the world regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, or
religion.

Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter page 10