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Prison Dharma

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

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All Posts in Prison Dharma

Silhouette of Gyatso in front of an icy fence in winter.
By Prison Volunteers

My time in prison

A Sravasti Abbey volunteer confronts his preconceptions on what prison life is like.

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Sunset behind an open meadow.
On Self-Worth

I am a Buddhist

D. S. reflects on how his studies in Buddhism have influenced his life as an…

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Silhouette of a tree against a setting sun.
On Cultivating Wisdom

The power of precepts

An incarcerated person considers the value of taking precepts.

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Stained glass image of One thousand-armed Chenrezig.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Bringing Avalokiteshvara into the circle

An incarcerated person uses his Dharma practice to quietly support the victims of crimes.

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Sunrise behind mountain and clouds, with a silhouette of trees in the foreground.
On Self-Worth

Healing past relationships

An incarcerated person finds new ways to support his Dharma practice.

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By Prison Volunteers

Dharma in prison: Learning more than teaching

An interview with Dr. Fleet Maull from the Prison Mindfulness Institute about sharing the Buddha's…

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Cover of Eastern Horizon Magazine.
By Incarcerated People

The secret to happiness

Interview with Al Ramos, a Dharma student behind bars.

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By Incarcerated People

Reentry

A newly free person continues the Dharma practice that he began while incarcerated.

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By Incarcerated People

Time, inspiration, and gratitude

Calvin is free after 27 years of incarceration. He reflects on how he met Buddhism…

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Barbed wire in a garden.
By Incarcerated People

Prison labor

Today's prisons provide few chances for rehabilitation, instead using incarcerated people for cheap labor. One…

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Silhouette of prison bars with blue sky, sun, and bird flying by.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

Transforming adversity into bodhicitta

The difficulties of the pandemic are a special challenge for those who are incarcerated.

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Silhouette of man standing behind prison bars.
Prison Poetry

Developing bodhicitta

A man serving a life sentence transforms feelings of dread into compassion for all beings.

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