Prison Dharma

People in prison and volunteers who work in prisons reflect on how to apply the Dharma in prison settings and beyond.

All Posts in Prison Dharma

Metal bars of a solitary prison cell.
By Incarcerated People

A long-awaited vacation

How Dharma offered an important choice for an incarcerated person to transform.

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Bars on a window with dead tree inside against red bricks
On Self-Worth

Shame

Finding self-respect in the respect we have for our own Buddha nature.

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Cigarettes stacked neatly with the top one burning
On Addiction

An appeal to Linda

A heartfelt plea to a loved one to stop smoking cigarettes.

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Hands holding sparklers
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Happy birthday, Mom

A simple birthday song to an incarcerated person's mother brings happiness.

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Thangka image of Vajrasattva.
On Meditation

Better than a hell realm

A person in prison makes use of the tonglen practice while participating in the retreat…

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Monk walking toward the large, transparent head of a buddha.
On Cultivating Wisdom

Patience with the path

Changing the world by working on one moment, one thought, one emotion at a time.

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A woman wearing a mask covering her face, one side of the mask with an open eye and word Happy and the other side of the mask a crying eye with the word Sad.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Masks

Wearing masks become part of our life so that we are able to hide our…

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3 stuffed mice-One bigger mice taking sticks, one smaller mice taking a basket and one small mice looking at the big one carrying the sticks.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

A family of mice

A family of mice in his locker—be compassionate or let them die?

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A road sign with the name Gratitude Road.
On Mindfulness

Gratitude

Getting caught up in our egos keeps us from appreciating the good things we do…

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A man mediating in a park, surrounded by trees and leaves.
Working with Emotions

Making friends with ourselves

Discovering our Buddha potential by investigating the source of lasting happiness and cultivating the heart…

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Stone image of a bodhisattva.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Joys of taking the bodhisattva vows

An incarcerated person shares the impact of taking the bodhisattva vows on his Dharma practice.

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Fingers coming through a white wall
On Overcoming Anger

Making the teachings personal

An incarcerated person reflects on refuge and the insights he has developed through practice.

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