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Volume 5, Issue 2
April-June 2009 To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind —
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Dhammapada, 183
Buddha helps you understand yourself better. The literature I’ve read so far is
very helpful to me, and what attracted me to want to read more was the Buddha
saying: “If I were to give you a fruit and tell you it’s delicious, you should take
note of my words, but don’t believe me offhand, because you haven’t tasted it
yet.” I’m enjoying the literature and I advise anyone who wants to know why we
as humans suffer to listen to what the teachings say. The world right now for sure
needs some kind of direction. We in prison need direction. My final word: the
teachings work.
The pearl from the deep The great tree stands tall,
Buddhist Correspondence
Course Shining, lustrous to behold, A lone sentinel in green.
c/o Rev. Richard Baksa A gift from the sea. Over the forest.
2020 Route 301
The sun-dragon roared, The lake’s calm surface
Carmel, NY 10512
It’s dying act of the day, Mirrors the heavens above,
And was quickly gone. The lone bird, winging.
Let us know if we may use
your full name or just initials. Rocks in the garden, The face of Buddha
Sand raked into lines and whorls, Looks down upon the sangha
Quiet, subtle beauty. With infinite calm.
To receive copies of any of the
resources listed below, please Sakura, she sang, Curving roofs and spire,
write to Rev. Richard Baksa at As she strummed her samisen, The majestic pagoda
the address above. And the blossoms fell. Rises to the sky.
• A listing by state of Buddhist
groups that may be able to Cherry blossoms fall, Prayers offered at dawn
send volunteers to your prison Drifting slowly to the ground, Often bring blessings all day
to conduct Buddhist activities. Softly, quietly. To those of pure heart.
• The "Religious Land Use and The leaf, broken free, The seed in the earth
Institutionalized Persons Act of
2000." This guarantees equal Soared swiftly, high on the wind, Raises its head up to breathe
access for all religions to prison Lost in the forest. A flower is born.
facilities for the purpose of reli-
gious meetings. Brilliant falling stars Buddhist bells ringing
Streak across the midnight sky, Reverent monks sit, chanting
• “What is the Religious Land
Use and Institutionalized Per-
Bringing good fortune. The name of Buddha.
sons Act?” This explains the
Act and how it is to be applied.
A
Buddhism emerged first in
lthough I never watched the movie, a fellow prisoner told me that in the Bihar, India. Following the
movie “The Bucket List,“ actor Morgan Freeman told actor Jack Nicholson death of the Buddha in
there are two questions the Egyptian gods would ask after death upon resurrec- approximately 483 BCE,
tion: (1) Have you found joy in your life? and (2) Have you brought joy into other Buddhism rose and spread in
people’s lives? Obviously I’m paraphrasing, but Morgan Freeman went on to say large part through the support
of Buddhist rulers. Chief among
that Buddhists believe in reincarnation and you come back to life either better or
these was the emperor Ashoka
worse depending on how you lived your life. In response, Jack Nicholson, in his (304-232 BCE), whose
sarcasm, asked what a snail had to do to come back better – leave a perfect conversion was sparked by grief
trail of slime? Because the concepts of rebirth and karma are extremely profound over the deaths arising from his
and complex, I will simply explain how a snail receives or can receive the merit conqueroring the Kalinga
people. Ashoka built many
to take a fortunate rebirth in one of the upper realms, hopefully, the human realm.
monuments that helped
All rebirths are dictated by one’s karma, and the realm in which one’s conscious- established Buddhism and
propagate the teachings of the
ness is propelled is likewise determined by one’s karma. Karma is created by our
Buddha. He also sent envoys
actions whether those actions be physical, mental, or verbal, and falls in the cat- who spread the seeds of
egory of negative/unwholesome and positive/wholesome. Karma is like seeds Buddhism to many far-off
planted in our subconscious minds: when the conditions are ripe, our karmic lands, including present-day Sri
seeds sprout, growing to fruition. Our actions leave these imprints deep within Lanka and Afghanistan.
our storehouse consciousness, inevitably later resulting in our future experimental By the 13th century CE,
picture. Karma is impressionable, like the film of a camera. When a picture is Buddhism was extinguished in
taken, the image is imprinted subtly in the film and remains there until the condi- India. Many causes and condi-
tions are ripe for that film to project a picture that will coincide with and bring tions converged to spell its de-
cline. The religion had relied
back an exact reflection of the original image, impressed upon the film. Karma is
heavily on royal patronage, and
the same way. Karmic seeds do not necessarily ripen in this lifetime or the next as non-Buddhist rulers ascen-
lifetime, but can ripen over many, many lifetimes, depending on the conditions. ded, Buddhism weakened. At
Just like the impressions left on the film will only manifest when the time and con- the same time, Hinduism was
ditions are ripe, i.e., when someone takes it to the film store for developing. You undergoing changes that made
may not have the film developed during your lifetime, and your children may not it more appealing. The incursion
of Muslims into India is gener-
in turn have it developed, but it may actually be your great-grandchildren, curi-
ally recognized as the final blow
ous to know what impressionable imprint seeds are found in the film, who decide to Indian Buddhism. In their at-
to finally have it developed. Once developed, a precise, accurate picture will de- tempts to establish Islam, the
pict the exact actions that were captured by camera so many years ago. Karma new rulers destroyed many
is no different. Hindu and Buddhist sites. This
had a much more devastating ef-
This being the case, although one may have created the negative karma to have fect on Buddhism than on
been reborn in the animal realm, or as a snail, one may have also created posit- Hinduism.
ive karma in previous lives by generating great merit by performing virtuous acts In the last century, however,
during those lives, but the conditions for those karmic seeds simply have not Buddhism has reestablished
ripened yet in order for the film to reflect those acts. However, once one’s karma roots in India. Its revival began
to live as a snail or any animal burns out, then this necessarily means the condi- in 1891, with the efforts of the
Sri Lankan Buddhist leader
tions are ripe for other karmic seeds to sprout, and these seeds could be the
Anagarika Dharmapala. In
seeds of our own virtuous acts, positive karma, and may merit a fortunate rebirth 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama es-
in one of the three upper realms, hopefully, the precious human realm. The snail tablished his home in India fol-
is literally enslaved by his previous actions, a slave to karma. Karma, and karma lowing his escape from Tibet.
only, can liberate the snail from existing as a snail. Also in the 1950s, Dr. B. R.
Ambedkar founded a movement
But a good question remains: What if the subconscious imprints, the seeds that resulted in the conversion
planted in the storehouse consciousness, contain no positive karma, but instead of hundreds of thousands of Dal-
its ("untouchables") that has
continued to the present day.
continued on p. 5
It began by my passage on the angelic chariot Saintly visions aren’t optical, and
Triumphant horns blaring legendary sentries cower over my stead
with city dwellers shouting in glee Peace is my mission and to hell with all the visions
Admittance from the Gatekeepers With my lazy mind and blurry eyes
who honor the peace I once stole the road towards enlightenment seems dead.
with my name on role – I’m accepted ...
“Welcome to your Holy Sanctuary.” It is here where patience is a virtue
although humility is used for a crutched thrill
Cloisters of Brothers stand unified
The labor is much for godly salvation
by economic status (if nothing else).
Feasting on memories, I work for penance And monks in starvation desire, again
drinking it in silence. refuge in their native land
Artists abound, the writers are sound For this we cry – to which some die
and musicians play their merry tunes
Freedom is but a breath away
Some still rebel, others seek hell
At the dawn of day I reflect on the status quo
while hope arrives with every new moon.
Lying still, I doze to songs from the
Obedience is the rule as I search within sparrows in the trees
While on my throne. I know I’ve found – To sleep once more is a chore
the world between worlds – Playing the role for me is a bore.
the Dragons of Krynn.
Repentance for me is an obstacle So I enter my Sanctuary ...
fold along the dotted lines to make a convenient, business-card
Five
Please feel free to cut out this sheet along the solid lines and
Precepts
(pañca-sīla)
I n spite of my past behavior, I am a partner became evident in many in- commission were mine alone.
human being who today is sorry stances. The fear of losing what I con-
Instead, I gave up on my need to live
and regretful for my past tragic behavi- sidered mine was always with me. The
effectively and my need to live sanely.
or. The past is over; I do not let it loss of love was my great anxiety that
My integrity eroded to the extent that
fester in my mind. Moreover, I am not allowed my self-esteem to be comprom-
violence seemed like a painful teach-
a stranger in a terrifying universe. I ised. The fear of such abandonment
er. I fell to the depths of an overwhelm-
am not an anomalous disease crawl- was sheer torture. My mind was disso-
ing anxiety disorder coupled with
ing on the face of an insignificant ciated from reality by my own ignor-
sleep deprivation and alcohol. It be-
speck in the vast emptiness of space. I ance and delusion.
came too much for a troubled mind.
am not a nameless insect waiting to My self esteem lacked the discipline to The more I tried to control, the more
be crushed by an impersonal boot. I compromise or to evaluate my control I lost, and in the end, I was not
am not a miserable offender cowering strengths and weaknesses that were ne- able to control the lower nature of pan-
under the glare of an angry deity. I cessary for appropriate change. In oth- ic.
am a man, a human being who has er words, I was as I knew how to be,
made mistakes in his life, some of However, today I have made many
although this is not an appropriate ex-
which were tragic and senseless to a changes in my life. I am no longer lost
cuse for my behavior. If I had known
sane mind. in the abyss of a troubling mind. My
how to do better, I am sure I would
self esteem is enhanced by seeing the
It was evident in my past that fear dis- have found a different way. Appar-
bigger picture, no longer lost in the
abled and crippled my relationships. ently, at that time, I didn't allow it to
ego of self and other. I learned how to
It sapped my energy and interfered be within my reach.
be true to the real self, to no longer
with major progress and wholesome Additionally, I was not able to take wear the mask of evil karma. In learn-
endeavors in my life. Those fears I did the risk of exchanging a known for an ing how to be more patient and toler-
not understand. I was driven by fear unknown. It was beyond my grasp. I ant of others, I face myself and the
and anger instead of drawn by hope. did not allow myself the ability to face obstacles and persevere patiently in
This fear often controlled me and dic- adversity adequately. I lacked the test
tated my responses. The fear of trust- of resiliency, and the ability to cope, Continued on p. 9
What is Our Life About? open life, and to see them as the very body, just this personal drama. As we
Josh Lyle (Florence, AZ) way to awakening—all the building cling to our suffering, we forsake the
blocks, the labels, the holding back, gratitude of living from who we really
Our wish, our goal, our desire for a the protections, all the fears, all that are. And when the veil of separation
genuine life, is to see the truth of who separates us from just letting life be. rises, life simply unfolds. No longer
we really are - that the nature of our caught in self-centeredness, we can
And what is our life about? To turn
being is connectedness and love, not give ourselves to others uncondition-
away from seeking comfort and from
the illusion of a separate self to which ally.
trying to avoid pain. To be eager to
our suffering clings.It is from this just be. No longer so willing to be Death is close! Don’t hold back! Ap-
awareness that life can flow! caught in the relentless monkey mind. preciate this life! Gassho!
And what is our life about? To learn to Life is about awakening to the true
reside in whatever the present moment self—no one special to be, nowhere
presents. To learn to attend to all to go.
those things that block the flow of an We are so much more than just this