buddhist correspondence course

newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 3
July-September 2009 To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind —
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Dhammapada, 183

INSIDE THIS ISSUE... Happy To Be a Nobody

Jeremy Jones (Tenshin Hyon Sek) (Greencastle, IN)
Articles
Happy to Be a Nobody, Jeremy Jones In an earlier issue of the BCCN (Volume 5, Issue 1, page 7) was an article by
Way of the Bodhisattva, Florence James Halbirt called “Find the Truth." This is a response to that article.
Buddhism and Its Purpose, Ariya Bantu
Forgiveness to Families of Violence,
James Halbirt M r. Halbirt’s article “Find the Truth” has inspired the words I now write. The
following four sentences are what leapt from the page and bore gently into
my heart and mind.
Poetry
The Middle Way, Erik Fite “If we use our minds well, no one can define us, and we don’t look for anyone’s
The Debt I Pay, James L. Halbirt approval. I am beyond feeling proud or worthless. No one can cast a shadow
Tanku, Les across my path. I don’t mind being nobody.”
Upon My Throne, Stephanie Mason
There is a sign in front of the Shaolin Temple in China that reads, “I create
something.” The unusual thing about this sign is that the Buddhist monks intention-
Letters
Travis Adams ally crossed out the character for “I” and the character for “something.” So, the
David Robles sign simply reads, “create,” This is a powerful teaching. Think about it for a few
Ron Fishman seconds.

There is no I; there is no something. I am happy to be a nobody. There is only

the act of creating. Karma means action. Good or bad, we create. I am happy to
be a nobody.

I have been down for fourteen years and have done ten of them in the most dan-
gerous prison in Indiana. I do not mention this as some sick, self-imposed badge
of honor. Rather, it adds validity to my words. I know how difficult it can be to
walk peacefully in one of the scariest places on earth. It is easy to forget lessons
we have been taught. Mr. Halbirt’s article showed me that I had done just this.

Jeffery Allen Zenthofer took me under his wing and started teaching me Budo. In
fact, he was the reason I became a Buddhist. “Martial arts,” he would say, “is all
about destroying the ego.” At the time this was one of the most dangerous men
at the Indiana State Prison. Yet, he was also one of the nicest, most down-to-earth
human beings you could ever meet. He lived everything he preached. Budo was
his way of life, and he helped me make it mine.

I was young when I first began my Budo training, maybe 20 or 21. The world
could teach me nothing, I could whoop anybody, and with the sixty years the
judge gave me, I had plenty of time to prove it.

continued on p. 3

page 1 Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter


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, prob-
lems, solutions you've found to
difficulties in practice, thoughts
you have on practice, artwork, po-
etry, etc. Due to limited space,
some editing may be necessary.
We also welcome your comments
on the newsletter and sugges-
tions 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 initials.
To receive copies of any of the
resources listed below, please
write to Rev. Richard Baksa at
the address above.
• A listing by state of Buddhist
groups that may be able to
send volunteers to your prison
to conduct Buddhist activities.
• The "Religious Land Use and
Institutionalized Persons Act of
2000." This guarantees equal
access for all religions to prison
facilities for the purpose of reli-
gious meetings.
• “What is the Religious Land
Use and Institutionalized Per-
sons Act?” This explains the
Act and how it is to be applied.
page 2
Way of the Bodhisattva
Florence
I wanted to be able to help people as a po-
lice officer, not just to lock people up. I
wanted to make a difference, and to enjoy my
job and make it as easy as possible for myself
and for others. I had to look at myself first before I could help others; I had to
look at my own feelings, anger issues, compassion, patience, generosity, love,
and calmness. I wanted to correct myself before I had to deal with people that
needed me to be there for them. I wanted to learn how to have patience and com-
passion in order to help people in the best way I could. If I didn’t look at myself
first, my stuff would get in the way of my job. My job taught me to be able to
handle all different situations that involve dealing with people under stressful emo-
tional situations.
One incident comes to mind where I needed to have control but I let my emotion
get in the way and did not practice patience.
One day, I was on an arrest sweep. I locked up a lady for theft of service in the
train station. When I put the cuffs on her, she started yelling and screaming that
she did not understand why she was being locked up. I explained it to her, but
she continued to yell at me. Several time, I asked her to stop yelling. “You’re giv-
ing me a headache.” She yelled during the entire time we were in the van on the
way back to the precinct. When we arrived, the others cops were trying to get
her to quiet down, but she refused. Finally, I couldn't take it any more. I let her
have it by yelling and cursing at her. When she heard me curse at her, she went
wild and started really yelling again. When I realized what I had done, I turned
around and walked away to get my thoughts together. I took a couple of deep
breaths and realized what I had to do to get the situation under control. I walked
up to her and apologized for cursing at her. “I was wrong to curse at you,” I said.
She accepted my apology. From that point on everything went smoothly. I had to
realize that if I wanted to keep things under control, I would have to be the better
person. I’m the one that has to be calm and have patience. They will learn from
me. Two wrongs don’t make a right. It felt good to be able to apologize and feel
good about myself for doing the right thing.
In Buddhism, patience is the antidote to anger. Anger is regarded as the most de-
structive and perilous of all mental factors. Anger is defined as the flooding of the
mind with violent and aggressive feelings that lead naturally to hostility and con-
flict. In the 8th century Buddhist text, Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva focuses
on the real source of the problem, the basis of anger as of every other defilement:
the ego, the self. This is the sense of “I” experienced as the center of the universe,
a universe interpreted as friend or enemy in relation to how it is perceived from
the egocentric viewpoint.
Shantideva's concern is to show how the problems of aggression and retaliation
can be dealt with in the context of everyday experience. The angry response must
never be allowed to develop. Situations of conflict, endured and resolved through
patience, are invaluable--in fact, indispensable--as occasions for spiritual growth.
Patience, as Shantideva describes it, implies an almost incredible degree of resili-
continued on p. 3
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
Bodhisattva, cont'd from p. 2
ence and courage--the courage of Ma-
hatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King.
Shantideva points out that anger, the
normal reaction to hostility and ad-
versity, achieves nothing but to in-
crease our suffering. It is our
"sorrow-bearing enemy."
Irritation arises naturally in the mind
against fellow beings we perceive as
unpleasant or threatening. It seems
normal to resent the aggressor. When
we suffer the physical discomforts of ill-
ness, we may dislike the pain, but it
would be absurd to resent it angrily.
The hostile behavior of enemies does
not arise spontaneously; it too is the
product of causes and conditions.
Why resent those who are they the vic-
tims of emotional defilement?
When we are attacked, it is important
to remember that our aggressors, act-
ing on the impulse of their own defile-
ments, are creating the causes of their
own suffering. Shantideva shows how
enemies are not merely the objects of
tolerance; they are to be cherished as
indispensable helpers on the Bodhisat-
tva path. Our enemies do for us what
no friend or loved one can: by
awakening us to the reality of our
own ego clinging, our enemies
provide opportunities for patience,
purification, and the exhaustion of evil
karma.
Nobody, cont'd from p. 1
Every time I learned a new kick, every time I learned a new kata, I would walk
around the cell house or rec. yard like a barnyard rooster, trying to impress a
bunch of hens. Why no one ever put a piece of steel in me during those first few
years, I will never know.
Remember that I mentioned that martial arts destroys the ego. At my most arrog-
ant times, Shifu Zenthofer would spar with me using no padding or other protec-
tion and wearing shoes or state boots. He would proceed to kick and pound the
ego right out of me. I would cry, I would bleed, I would hit the ground, and I
would cry some more. Tears in a maximum security prison can bring persecution.
But I did not care what people thought at that time. They never attempted to toe
the line and had they, they would be crying, too. Shifu hits hard. However, the
one thing I never did was quit. Eventually, I learned to be happy to be a nobody.
Thank you, Shifu.
Transferring to a medium security facility has proved to turn my world and prac-
tice upside down. Men here horseplay all of the time. They throw around homo-
sexual jokes, call each other bitches, and constantly tell everyone how much of a
bad ass they are.
I try to do my time by myself. I do not care what goes on in prison. I want to exer-
cise, meditate, read, etc. I try to train at the lower level camp and all I hear is
“waahhh” in the background, or “that only works in Hollywood.” I know my skill
works. I am not happy to be a nobody. Their words cut deeply, I found myself
caring about what these men thought. Why?
I had been forgetting my training. Breathe in, only this. Breathe out, nothing else.
A kick is a kick, an extension of a self that does not truly exist. We are to experi-
ence this body. What does it feel like to live within this physical structure the
world calls human? What is a thought? What is a person’s words directed to-
ward you? What is in their silence? Nothing. Really? What does this nothing
look like?
Thank you, Mr. Halbirt, today I will get up once again. Just as I never quit when
getting slaughtered on the martial arts floor, I will not give up in life. I will strive to
control the one true thing that sets a Buddhist apart from the world, our reactions
toward it. Today I am happy to be a nobody.

A Note from Adrienne and Richard Baksa

Dear Students,

This is your newsletter! It links all BCC students together. Whether you are in New England or the South or the
West, the BCCN is your means of communicating with other students. Your articles, poems. artwork, and letters are
gifts you share with your Dharma sisters and brothers. If you have an experience or insight to share or a question to
ask, please share it with everyone! You don't need to be an eloquent writer or even a good speller. We are happy to
edit your submissions for you.

If you would like to write but are unsure what to write about, here are some topic ideas: what challenges have you
found in practicing meditation and how have you overcome those? what challenges has your practice helped you to
face? what creative ways have you discovered of making practice a part of your daily life? are there resources you
have discovered--publications, organizations--that support your practice? Remember, prose, poetry, and artwork are all
valid ways of expressing your experiences and insight! So get creative! We look forward to hearing from you.

Adrienne and Richard

page 3 Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter

 Buddhism and Its Purpose
Ariya Bantu (Chippewa, MI)
The Middle Way
Erik Fite (Draper, UT)
W hen treading the Path, and
Right Understanding is at-
tained (absolute/universal understand-
There’s a tree, there’s a road
Should I walk or sit? ing), the purpose of all religion,
There’s a pasture, there’s an orchard whether Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, or Islam, is clear: to get
Should I sleep or eat?
you where you need to be mentally.
There’s a river, there’s soil
It’s therapeutic in nature. The purpose
Should I bathe or sift?
of Buddhism is “to cure your mental ill-
There’s morning, there’s a bird ness, the mind, from all its obscura-
Should I cry or sing? tions.” A couple of illustrations are
useful.
There’s a hunger, there’s a virtue
Remember the ancient Buddhist sutra
Should I starve or steal?
called, “The Simile of the Raft,” found
There’s a war, there’s a reason in What the Buddha Taught, by Wal-
Should I die or kill? pola Rahula (p. 11). The raft is used
There’s politics, there’s excuses only to cross the water in order to get
Should I judge or help heal? to the other side. The raft is not meant
There’s a mountain, there’s a hole to be held on to. Holding on we call
Should I climb or help fill it? attachment, one of the three poisons
that leads to and is a cause of suffer-
ing. For example, take a Cuban flee-
There’s an elder, there’s a baby
ing Cuba into exile to America, the
Should I talk or touch?
state of Florida. This Cuban uses a
There’s loneliness, there’s a need raft to make it across the water from
Which one, which one? Cuba to Florida. He has used the raft
There’s a debt, there’s a principle for its purpose. For the Cuban to be-
Should I forgive or budget? come attached to this raft after suc-
There’s a bug, there’s a bug cessfully making it to Florida by
Should I release or crush it? holding on to it, tugging it everywhere
he goes, will cause him great suffer-
ing. Perhaps the U. S. Customs, or Im-
There’s myself, there’s humanity
migration, or some other U. S.
Should I indulge or contribute?
authority would stop him and say,
There’s allegedly one life “Hey! You! Tugging that raft every-
Should I be a hedonist or an altruist? where! Let me see some I.D.” Unable
There’s spirituality, there’s justifications to produce, this may lead to his being
There’s ACTUALITY, there’s idealizations deported and a hurtful, sad return to
Shall I dwell happily or ignore cessation? Cuba.

Let’s take a Zen koan. Yun Men, teach-

... somewhere in the middle ... ing his assembly, said, “Medicine and
illness cure each other.” Medicine is
taken by a patient to cure some type
of illness or disease. Once the illness
or disease is gone, the medicine is no
longer needed. In fact, if you continue
Continued on p. 8

page 4 Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter

Forgivenesss to Families of
Violence
James Halbirt (San Luis Obispo, CA)
S
ome people seem to think that for-
giveness somehow lets the "bad
guy" off the hook. It doesn't. Forgive-
ness is simply the healing of your own
mind and heart. Nor does forgiving
someone imply approval of their beha-
vior or wrongdoing. Nor does it as-
sume that they will not do harm again
in the future. Human beings can be
worthy of forgiveness even if their ac-
tions are not. Forgiveness is best ac-
complished by recognizing that each
of us must "meet our maker." The
guilty one will still have to face his
karma, in spite of his prison commit-
ment.
Moreover, forgiveness will set you free
from the illusion that you somehow
punished the wrong doer(s), in your
mind, by staying angry or carrying
hatred. Hatred hurts the hater. Long-
held anger and/or resentment holds
no one accountable. It just harms the
person holding it. It has been often
said: "A man that studieth revenge
keeps his own wounds green."
Furthermore, our progress along the
path of human growth is measurable
by the exercise we encounter of our
forgiving spirit. Each time we harbor
a resentment toward another, we
block our own growth.
Preoccupation with troublesome situ-
ations or persons prevents our re-
sponding to the thrill and possibilities
of the moment. Stepping out of the
flow of events to stay stuck on an old
hurt guarantees us a stifled existence.
Forgiveness of self and others frees us,
frees our spirit to soar ahead. And we
do so with a glad heart.
The act of forgiveness lightens
whatever burden we may be carrying.
Forgiveness heals the soul and ener-
gizes the spirit. It makes possible our
page 5
forward momentum once again. "My
hope for a good life is proportionate
to my forgiving heart. That happiness
is within my power, in spite of the
obstacles."
Furthermore, does the act of remem-
bering ever resemble an illness? Yes,
if it causes pain. For many of us,
memories of our past behavior seem
to live in cages, like wild animals. If
we enter the cages, the beast attacks
us. This is the ego of guilt.
I have often asked myself why do we
give memory this power to wound?
We seem to want the unproductive
pain of shameful remembrance, as
though we had sentenced ourselves to
feel badly, as if our pain could alter
the past or pay for it. Our karma will
do that for us in spite of our prior sen-
tence.
After years of placing misery upon my-
self, I found it time to forgive myself. I
know what's past is past, and the only
time I really have is the present. I had
often felt as though I was carrying a
complicated weight of guilt and
shame, but the act of releasing myself
was simple--an act of self-acceptance.
Let us greet the present in the best
way we know, and let go of regrets.
I have tamed the beast within and I
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
will tame my memories as well, so
they become my companions if I
choose.
Let it be known to any of the victim's
family who may still harbor resent-
ment, anger, and outrageous hatred to-
ward me due to my evil acts of the
past, that I wish to offer my sincerest
apology. Over the years, I have had
remorse, grieved, and beat myself up
mentally over my desperate acts of
March 1, 1971. While I can under-
stand your outrage, your pain, and
the impact my behavior has had on
your family, I wish to make amends to
all people I have harmed, and I hold
you in kind regard.
Additionally, I wish you to know that I
harbor no ill will toward any of you,
and wish only peace, good will and
closure for you of this tragedy that
was costly and damaging to you. As I
have said, I understand your anger,
your outrage, your fear, your resent-
ment and hatred, for I, too, have been
there. While I have purged resent-
ment, anger, fear, and violence from
my soul, I can only wish the same for
you. I have a great deal of empathy
and compassion for all victims in gen-
eral, and those family members of the
deceased victims of my responsibility
in particular.
While I found it very hard to forgive
myself, I found it necessary for my
own peace of mind and for positive
growth and maturity as a human be-
ing. To the young man who wrote to
the Board of Prison Terms opposing
my release and not wishing to give
his name because of fear of me:
please, I wish you nothing but good
will, no matter what you may say
about me. I do not wish to have that
power of fear over you. I do not de-
serve to have that power over any vic-
tim, and they do not deserve the
"feeling" I have caused. I, too, have
had to deal with a great deal of fear,
continued on p. 6
Forgiveness, cont'd from p. 5
and it helped in destroying my life
and my family's lives.
I am the only witness to this event. So,
what you hear is probably not the
truth. The crime was impulsively brutal,
a displaced rage, and over quickly
and there was no suffering. It causes
me to cry just thinking about it, let
alone writing about it. I have never
threatened any people of the victims
or those from my home state.
I wish you to know that I still care
deeply about the victim, and if I
didn't, the crime surely wouldn't have
occurred, and I could have simply
walked away. I was not able to do
that due to my clinging to not having
this loss. Instead I created a greater
loss. How sad that I was not able to
overcome my dependence, my love ad-
diction, and the overwhelming anxiety
that could have steered me to a more
appropriate course of action. I'm sorry
and sincerely regretful I did not allow
myself intervention for a positive
course of behavior and action.
Henceforth, I have removed the mask
that I held so dearly, and sooner than
later, I had to face the reflection. I was
finally able to summon the courage to
drop the mask, because I finally be-
lieved in myself to trust and face my
naked vulnerability. I have sur-
rendered to my pain, trusting to tell my
secrets, and to embrace the shame
and expose it to the eyes of others. It
was not so much the trauma I suffered
in my childhood which typically had
an influence upon my emotionally ill
self, but the inability to express the
trauma with the feeling. More import-
antly, I have learned to forgive all who
have harmed me in some way, and
faced the fear of abandonment and
loss of love. Today, I can keep in
touch with my "healthy shame" that
keeps me in a check-and-balance of
unwanted emotions. I just observe and
let them go, no need to act upon
page 6
them. To think mindfully with wisdom
is the the rule I adhere to.
While this might not be important to
you, I desire to get my life in order. In
my advancing years, I have gained in-
sight, maturity, and growth of my total
being. I have made friends with the en-
emy. I am compelled to seek forgive-
ness and to make amends when
possible with those I have harmed. I
do so willingly with great compassion
for all victims who deserved to be
honored. In fulfilling my destiny, my
fate is in my hands. I, as a peace-
maker, vow to harm no one. May you
be able to embrace the peace and
closure you so richly deserve. May this
peace overcome and soothe your
soul.
Tanku
Les (Susanville, CA)
The sun arises
I am sitting very still
The mind in chaos
Understanding begins to dawn
The tide of illusion fades.
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
BUDDHISM IN THAILAND
Some form of Buddhism arrived
in Thailand from Burma in
about the sixth century;
however, the Mahayana seems
to have been dominant between
the eighth and thirteenth cen-
turies. From the eleventh cen-
tury, Hinduist Khmers were a
major factor in many regions of
the country, but in the thir-
teenth century the Thai royal
house established Theravada
Buddhism as the national reli-
gion. By the mid-nineteenth cen-
tury, spiritual practice drifted.
Meditation fell out of favor with-
in the Sangha. It was only in
the early twentieth century, un-
der the influence of Ajahn Mun
Bhuridatta, that the Thai forest
tradition, which today is per-
haps the most famous form of
Thai Buddhist monastic prac-
tice, re-emerged.
Among the monks who studied
for a time with Ajahn Mun was
Ajahn Chah, whose books such
as "Food for the Heart" are so
beloved in the West. Many dis-
tinguished Western Buddhist
teachers, lay and monastic,
studied with Ajahn Chah: Ajahn
Sumedho, Ajahn Munindo,
Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Amaro,
Ajahn Brahm, and Jack Korn-
field, The Buddhist traditions of
Thailand have taken root far
from its geographic borders.
Within Thailand, ninety-five per-
cent of the Thai population is
Buddhist, and Buddhism contin-
ues to enjoy royal patronage,
and the work of the sangha is
seen as an important factor in
social development in the re-
gion.
 Upon My Throne
Stephanie Mason (Dickinson, TX)

Upon my throne,
I sit.
To meditate,
Visualize,
Contemplate.

Breathing in ...
Breathing out ...
Still.
Quiet.
For the moment ...
Peacefully abiding.

Upon my throne
I sit.
Amidst this perception of
Chaos ...
Negativity.

Buddha-nature emanating
from the Buddha
Within me

Upon my throne
I sit.
Right here,
right now ...
This moment.
fold along the dotted lines to make a convenient, business-card
Please feel free to tear out this sheet along the solid lines and

Mudras
size. May these teachings inspire and benefit your practice!

page 7 Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter

Buddhism, cont'd from p. 5
to take that medicine, it can become
poisonous. How so? Because for a pa-
tient to continue taking a medication
after he is cured, then the patient is
holding on, not letting go of the medi-
cine. He has become attached! This
will lead to suffering. Perhaps the pa-
tient has become addicted to the
drug. Or the continuous taking of the
medication may lead to other health
problems, i.e., upset stomach, internal
bleeding, etc.
Well, Buddhism is the same way. It’s
used only to cure the illness of the
mind, the dukkha, into a state of
good health, liberation, on into en-
lightenment. Buddhism, in this con-
text, is the raft, or the medicine. Once
we become liberated, enlightened,
Buddhism is to be let go of. It’s not
something to get attached to. Attach-
ment is a symptom of sickness, a sick-
ness we just got over with the
medicine of Buddhism, or the raft of
Buddhism. The nature of attachment is
suffering. In Buddhism, there’s no
room for attachment to anything, not
even to the Buddha himself. The
page 8
Buddha, on page 10 of What the
Buddha Taught said, “To be at-
tached to one thing and look on
other things as inferior - this the
wise men call a fetter.” (A fetter is
something that is confining, restrict-
ing, or hampering.) Hence, to be
attached to Buddhism restricts and
hampers one’s growth. It keeps the
mind confined, shackled, unable
to be liberated or attain enlighten-
ment.
The same equally applies to man-
tras. The purpose of the mantra is
to attain the suggested state the
mantra envisions, such as the man-
tra of compassion. This manta is re-
cited in repetition in order for the
reciter to attain compassion. Thus,
the mantra at this level is relative.
Once compassion is attained and
the reciter of the mantra is the em-
bodiment of compassion, this has
superseded the relative into the ab-
solute, and the mantra is no longer
needed. Why dwell on the relative
after attaining the absolute? The rel-
ative/duality is the cause of a pol-
luted, distorted mind, prone to
misconceptions and wrong views.
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
The absolute is pure, clean, perfected.
So, Buddhism is a method used on
the path of mind purification. Its pur-
pose is to purify and liberate the mind
from the relative into the absolute,
from sickness to health. Buddhism de-
notes freedom, not attachment, which
denotes fetters. Then, by definition, a
Buddhist practitioner is not limited to
just the Buddhist method, but may in-
corporate methods from other reli-
gions (emphasis is laid on obtaining
Right Understanding) along the path
to liberation, enlightenment, as no fet-
ters or restrictions exist in Buddhism.
Like the great eleventh century Indian
master Atisha said, “Human life is
short, objects of knowledge are many.
Be like a swan, which can separate
milk from water.” What this means is
to use discriminative wisdom as liberat-
ing knowledge. Methods are many
and one on the path should extract
the absolute from all religious text, sep-
arating and never drinking of its im-
purities. Perhaps this is the Mahayana
method of Tantrayana, on the Path to
Enlightenment. This is the Purpose!
Let’s Get Free!
 The Debt I Pay
James Halbirt (St. Luis Obispo, CA)

Where is the knowledge one can find?

Ceaseless like the ebb and flow of the mind.
Mark all my days; what moral compass must I use?
For me no rest from the search, to just be as I am.
The evil karma was in my blood; will it ever end?
Is the answer the temper of my mind?

When I was young, how was I to know;

Fear and anger placed its stamp on my mind,
Which gave a slant to all my life.
Today I learned to do good deeds, no matter what, or when.
A ceaseless search like the ebb and flow of time;
Marks all my days to find, and overcome the lost soul of mine.

Is there some point, some place to rest, yet I must find the way.
To bring an end to all my quest; surely, it must begin within.
Something that does not fail.
Something that lasts beyond all things that pass.
When shadows thicken and the lights go dim, and many a thought stilled.
Some worldly hope that gives retreat from prison and pain;
From the winds and storms that beat upon my world?
Something sure and profound; if it isn’t here to be found.
There is a sense of wholeness at the core of me
That stands secure against all change of mind and heart?
That must abound in all I do;
Some private dream where reality dwells.
Meditate and find the stillness from chaos.
The purest secrets of a kind life, mindful to be.
Kinhin that marks with reverence my ev’ry step;
I know all must fade, and die,
That has its path when all else fails;
All must pass away; impermanence they say.
That wearies out all evil things;
That warms the depth of frozen fears,
Making friend of foe,
Making love of hate,
Which last beyond the living and the dead,
Beyond the goals of peace, our inner wars and love, body, and mind.
This man seeks through his remaining years, the Buddhist way,
To be complete and of one piece, to seek within and without,
Broken harmonies repaired and restored,
Estrangements must be reconciled.
Wounds must be healed, crooked paths made straight;
Turbulence of conflict subdued,
By tranquility of forgiveness and empathy, compassion endured.
Hatred upon which life was fed a violent past;
With purity of mind, great contrition is felt; meditating NOW,
To pay off the karmic debt of evil violent past.
And so it is …

page 9 Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter

In a previous issue of the BCCN, Steve
wrote about the problems he was hav-
ing doing meditation in a prison envir-
onment. Here’s another response for
Steve:
Steve, my friend, for one thing, never
lose hope, and don’t wait to practice.
Noise, distractions, thoughtless
people. Look at what you’re saying,
Steve. You’ve just described the entire
world. You went from PC to a four-man
cell and wish to go to a two-man cell.
Your reason, you write, is “to prac-
tice.” You know, in this world, some
things, even though impermanent,
Steve, never really seem to change
even when they are. Let me tell you
something. I spent 20 months at Flor-
ida State Prison (FSP) under controlled
management (CM), the hardest time
the state of Florida has to offer in a
one-man cell, by myself. There were
more noise, distractions, and thought-
less people there than anywhere. So, I
know what PC is, Steve, as well. I’ve
seen a lot of people “check in” due to
their actions and lack of responsibil-
ity—not only for their actions, but for
themselves as a whole. Your statement
was, “The entire situation is tearing me
apart.” Steve, I know your letter isn’t
about noise, distractions, etc. You’re us-
ing the practice of meditation to es-
cape from whatever it is that’s truly
tearing you apart. Maybe you should
be honest with yourself, check yourself,
and take responsibility for what it is
you’re truly writing about. DOC
doesn’t “force” people into and to re-
main in PC, Steve. In one way or an-
other you and you alone put and kept
yourself there. PC is an escape, an op-
tion, within prison to avoid responsibil-
ity for an action that endangered your
life. I put myself in CM at FSP, nobody
but myself. By taking responsibility, I
kept my sanity. I would love to help
page 10
you with your meditation problem Wide rivers, eternal mountains,
when that time comes. For now, Steve, The path seems endless
the questions for the Sangha still re- With strength depleted,
main. In order to be part of a
and mind exhausted, you cannot find
Sangha, one must take “refuge,“ and
it.
refuge, my Dharma friend, in
There is only the gentle rustle of
Buddhism is a very serious and deep
maple leaves,
issue. It’s a lifelong vow to the Three
and the cicada’s evening song.
Jewels, and is kept under the chin of
the dragon, just like the main pearl, The first stage is about learning to let-
“the one bright pearl.” In the vows ting go. You do this, Steve, by making
one takes, never to defy the Sangha, yourself empty and receptive. If you
one must be truthful. This starts within do this, the distractions will leave you,
oneself. Your distractions and noise, and the quiet place you so look for
Steve, lie within you. Therefore it is bey- will always be within you. It is called
ond the reach of the Sangha. To con- the still point. By the way, don’t be
front the Ox, Steve, one must first be sorry.
truthful with one's self.
Travis L. Adams
The ox is strong, a wild beast in ways
Raiford, FL
you can’t fathom. Full of trickery and
deception, it thrives to save its exist-
In an earlier issue of the BCCN,
ence. Until you are truthful, the Ox
Volume 5, Issue 1, pages 8-9, was a
(mind) will prevail in, as you put it,
letter by Sanderson Baker of Crescent
“tearing me apart.” To look into the
City, California in response to an art-
eyes of the “kensho” (one’s own
icle by James Halbirt’s article in
nature) is no small thing!. When con-
Volume 4, Issue 4, pages 1-2, “Prison
fronted with the Ox, there is no place
Doesn’t Work Unless You Make It
to hide. You must be as pure and solid
Work." This is a response to Mr.
as the finest of diamonds, shining
Baker’s comments. (Both Mr. Baker
bright as the mani pearl. Only then
and Mr. Robles are on the waiting list
Steve, may you find the refuge and
to start the Buddhist Correspondence
the mighty dragon.
Course.)
Since you are without belongings, my
I would have responded to a letter
friend, grave thought to your plea to
from Sanderson Baker, but it would
the Sangha I’ve put. To ease your
have come out the wrong way and
mind in meditation and to put your
misunderstood. I am a Buddhist for
eyes upon the Path of Enlightenment,
many years, since 1996, and I still
from the 12th century Zen Master
consider myself new to Buddhism be-
Kuoa, translated and modified by
cause you are forever learning, in this
John Daido Loori Roshi, my gift to you,
lifetime and the next. It would be inap-
“Stage One,” meditate on this:
propriate to comment on anger when
Searching for the Ox I myself still get angry at someone’s ig-
norance. I do feel his [Mr. Baker’s]
Vigorously cutting a path through the pain because I understand what it is
brambles, to be in a “Max A” security level pris-
You search for the ox; on, even though many say this is a
Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter
“cushy” prison. If it wasn’t for the
1,000 security cameras and 775 mi-
crophones, this would be just like any
other prison in the state except it’s a
permanent double bunk situation. On
the subject of empathy, it comes from
the feeling of compassion for those
who walk the path not because of the
feeling of pity. I myself can complain
and deserve to, because all I did to
deserve being in prison was not stitch,
but I refuse to complain or feel anger
at the man who did snitch. I truly be-
lieve Mr. Becker had no intention of at-
tacking Mr. Halbirt in his letter, but he
is still angry about his situation. There
are worse situations than being in pris-
on – one is being blind to ignorance
and not do anything about it. Be
glad, Mr. Becker, that you have seen
your path and can do something
about it now. You asked, “Is Buddha’s
way the right way?” Only you can an-
swer that question, but if you now
know what must be done to improve
the life of those around you and, of
course, your own, then what is wrong
with that? As you understand the
Noble Eightfold Path better, you will
go back to the letter you wrote and
realize that there was no need to at-
tack nor wish you were in Mr. Hal-
birt’s place, but where you are –
asking questions and willing to learn.
Once again, I have lost myself in writ-
ing and feel that I will see this in the
next newsletter even though it was not
my intention. Sometimes it is a matter
of helping or aiding someone who
was once where I was. Thank you
once again and I hope that I will be
in the Course soon, instead of wait-
ing. All good things are worth waiting
for. Namo Amito fo, your brother,
David Robles
Romulus, NY
I was very impressed with the open-
ing article in the BCCN Volume 4, Is-
sue 2, by James L. Halbirt on
“Overcoming a Convict’s Blindness.” I
would like to refer the readers to two
very complementary pieces that sup-
port and stand along with this great
piece by Mr. Halbirt.
First, there is a wonderful small news-
letter called Dharma Friends/Compas-
sion Works for All (PO Box 7708,
Little Rock, AR 72217-7708) that is
free to prisoners, Buddhists, and those
on the path seeking truth. In the
March 2008 issue, they attempt to re-
late the quest in the Dhammapada
verse 26, the Brahman as the Holy
Man/Holy Woman are the most de-
luded expression of ourselves as op-
posed to the most enlightened
expression. Many in prison suffer from
confused states of mind and those
who are not confused have lost sight
of the true enlightened self. The so-
ciopath is the most severe manifesta-
tion on the psychiatric diagnostic
continuum of personality disorders,
sometimes called character disorders.
Those who have a psychiatric diagnos-
is of one of the personality disorders,
especially those who are most
severely disturbed by issues of rage,
control, and power, show us a view of
the delusions that we all have to some
degree. Many in prison are dia-
gnosed as antisocial personalities and
sociopaths.
As Buddhists we seek to transcend la-
bels, limiting concepts, and constructs
that we are indoctrinated into by so-
cial and psychological models that we
grow up with. But we still must intern-
ally deal with illusions and delusions,
whether we bring them with our bio-
logy, heredity, or karma, or we act
them out in our current life.
he states, the letting go of many com-
plicated self-centered life principles we
have embraced and the clear critical
judgments we foster that nourish our
pride and fear.
In the second piece mentioned initially
is a “ZINE” published and distributed
by South Chicago ABC Zine Distro -
by Anthony Rayson, PO Box 721,
Homewood, IL 60430. This is also
free to prisoners. C. Anthony
Taylor/Talib Rasheed states very
clearly in his anti-recidivist booklet,
“Maybe You’ll Understand This Time.”
This class of individuals, whether juven-
ile delinquents or adult offenders, soci-
ety may never address their actual
needs--“Compulsive Offender Class.”
Those individuals are acting out of
“sleep” or unconscious motivation. A
self-perpetuating vicious cycle exists
that the individual is actually a slave
to, an unconscious force that drives
him. The psycho-pathological forces
drive him to pseudo-solutions.
Now how does this all relate to the
convict’s blindness to our quest to be-
come whole and our willingness to fol-
low the teachings of the Buddha--and
to adhere to the doctrines of the
Dharma and interact with the Sangha
or fellow travelers on the path? Com-
pulsive Criminal Mentality--sociopathic--
and pathological mentality all create
the atmosphere for continued ripening
of negative karma.
Best regards, in the Dharma,
Ron Fishman
Butner, NC

As James L. Halbirt states so clearly,

we are into the thug mentality and op-
posed to change. We must adopt a
new way of thinking and require, as

page 11 Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter

 Yoga and Buddhist Practice

M any BCC students find that hatha yoga complements their Buddhist practice. There are
many benefits to practicing yoga. The emphasis on careful alignment of the body, of
coordinating breath and movement, enhances mindfulness and awareness of the body. The
physical movement can be calming or energizing, depending on the type of yoga practiced.
And the flexibility yoga emphasizes allows the body to rest in sitting meditation more
comfortably, with less pain and greater ease.

Here are some thoughts on combining hatha yoga and Buddhist practice from some well
known Buddhist teachers. Please share your own experiences of practicing hatha yoga with
other BCC students and write BCCN with any questions about yoga practice. Please send your
letters to the address on page 2.

Yoga draws the attention into the body as a prerequisite to sitting still, so the body isn't lethargic or over-rest-
less. The tools of yoga asana are very skillful in creating that inner environment, that potential for inner investiga-
tion. The tools of Buddhist meditation bring a calm, abiding presence. So instead of just jumping up after yoga
class...you have the tools to explore more subtle regions of the mind and the nature of one's being. (Sarah Powers)

[It]t comes back to people's relationship to their body. Mindfulness practice really emphasizes the experience of the
energetic and sensational aspects—experiencing the body from the inside out. We teach the four foundations of
mindfulness, and two of them—mindfulness of feelings and mindfulness of the body—relate directly to the body.
We invite people to experience the body from the inside, as sensation, and for many people, that’s a huge
leap from their usual way of knowing themselves. (Anna Douglas)

There are four reasons [to combine yoga with Buddhist practice]. First, yoga postures tend to induce pleasant sen-
sations and this gives meditators something interesting and pleasant to focus on in the body. ... Second, the yoqa
postures tend to produce energy flow states in the body and this helps the meditator get insight into what we
in Buddhism call anicca or impermanence. Third, when mindfulness meditators work with body sensation, it is
desirable to be able to contact sensation anywhere in the body. The yoga postures induce sensation over the whole
body making it easier to contact sensation globally through the body and facilitating the detection of the more
subtle levels of sensation that often go unnoticed. Finally, on a purely physical level, the yoga increases health and
vitality and prepares the body for periods of formal sitting practice. (Shinzen Young)

Yoga means connecting with the ultimate. Buddhism can be also described as yoga, with a particular em-
phasis on selflessness. The meaning of "yoga" is link, and so is the meaning of "religion." In India, there are many
types of yoga, many ways of relating to the real, whatever you consider the "real" to be--God, the universal spirit,
the universal harmony. All these ideas are connected by the basic idea of yoga--the linking to the real. When we
talk about yoga, that would mean first of all re-linking to the ultimate meaning of life. To understand the ultimate
meaning of life, we have to understand the most important component parts of life and their interconnection. This
is the subject matter especially of the study of hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is a detailed study of the body, bodily pos-
tures, which make the attitude of body, of breath, and of mind because a true mind is the mind of concentration,
samadhi. Samadhi is the means we use to experience yoga, to experience the ultimate of life and death. Samadhi
means the correct application of mind--correct understanding of mind. The correct understanding of mind is
linked to the correct understanding of breath and the correct understanding of bodily posture. All these are
explained as part of hatha yoga. In Buddhism, the importance of bodily posture is also discussed, the breath being
directly linked to body and the mind. In Buddhism, the breath belongs to matter. It is a matter created and born
from mind, therefore it is intermediary and very useful for understanding the connection between corporal material-
ity and mentality, the mind and its objects. This is a crucial study of Buddhism. A crucial point for understanding
the doctrine of interdependent origination. In order to understand meditation, we should use wisdom. It is not just
a matter of concentrating the breath but it is the wider understanding the interrelatedness of breath and body. This
a crucial understanding for cultivating a correct way of living. Steady mind, steady sensations, steady feelings
all are related to the study. (Ven.Dhammadipa)

page 12 Buddhist Correspondence Course Newsletter