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By Incarcerated People

Reflections, essays, and poems by people in prison about their Dharma practice.

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All Posts in By Incarcerated People

Man crouched down, holding his head in his hands.
On Self-Worth

Depression and Buddha nature

A person in prison gives advice to a student with depression from his own personal…

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Face of a snarling tiger.
On Overcoming Anger

The internal tiger: anger and fear

Having struck out in anger many times, an incarcerated person shares responding to his fear…

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On Overcoming Anger

My tiger

Old tiger, new face. It is the mind, not the environment, that makes the difference.

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A small, puffy white cloud and moon in front of clear blue sky.
On Overcoming Anger

Noble silence

How the practice of Noble Silence helps to bring peace to our mind and be…

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A slice of chocolate cake on a plate.
On Attachment

Letting go of attachments

A chocolate cake, a chuck steak or the love of another person—can they make us…

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Statue of a bodhisattva.
On Overcoming Anger

A test of my bodhisattva vows

Keeping oneself free of violence by remembering the vows and showing compassion.

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The word 'forgiveness' written into red and orange tile.
On Self-Worth

The liberation of self-forgiveness

An incarcerated person shares his experience of transforming self-hatred to open up his heart for…

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The word 'love' stamped into metal.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Opening up to love

Being stuck in a selfish lifestyle centered on "me" keeps us from realizing the interdependence…

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Black and white image of a young man meditating.
By Incarcerated People

Inside-out practice

An incarcerated person narrates practicing inside the prison to practicing outside and compares that to…

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The word 'forgive' spray painted on a red wall.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

A thought …

The essence of insight during life in prison: compassion.

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Statue of a Buddha.
On Attachment

On attachment

Attachment brings suffering, but what does non-attachment bring us?

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Young man holding a sign that says 'The power to choose... the power to change."
On Cultivating Wisdom

Choice and changing

A courageous look at the selfish mind and the suffering it creates in life.

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