Buddhist Prison Ministry; Bodhicitta Behind Bars

HOW WE STARTED

I started the Buddhist Prison Ministry upon moving away from the Bay Area, where I was the Buddhist Chaplain in San Quentin State Prison. Many of the Death Row inmates I worked with wanted to pay forward the deep Dharma study and practice we'd shared during our 8 years together. We all agreed that creating and piloting a Buddhist Correspondence Course would be a good idea. I wrote the "Introduction to Buddhism" 12 lesson course as Covid ravaged San Quentin. Several of my Death Row sangha agreed to preview the lessons, which were sent in one by one as they were completed.

For the past three years, we've been overwhelmed with requests from very sincere men and women reaching out for the life-sustaining and liberating nourishment the teachings of the Buddha can offer. Many have reported the transformational effects of their spiritual integration of these lessons. New sanghas have been formed around the integration questions of the first workbook. Prisons that previously had nothing to offer Buddhist-curious inmates, now are using our course as well.

Due to Covid, transfers, and the word getting out about my course, the program quickly expanded.

NOW

In just three short years our program has found its way into prisons in every state of the US!

Over 1000 incarcerated men and women have taken our first course. We've been able to reply to everyone who sends in their homework responses, thanks to the help of 12 compassionate and skilled volunteers, all seasoned Buddhist practitioners.

Our second workbook "Activating Buddhist Prayers and Practices" has just been completed and will be mailed out in August and September (2023.) We are also contracted with Edovo to provide our courses on the e-tablets most inmates have access to. Though this will cut our postage and printing costs down significantly, with recent USPS price hikes we are looking at much steeper prices than before.

We have also obtained fiscal sponsorship from the Human Kindness Foundation.

Any generosity you can offer will allow one more person to join in what is likely the largest growing sangha in the world, that of our incarcerated brothers and sisters. Whether it be by a dollar amount or by your prayers and hopes we invite you to help us share the methods and wisdom of Buddhism into the lives of those behind bars. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this, for sending to anyone you think might want to help, and for contributing, even just a prayer-all is welcome!