How PDN (Prison Dharma Network) help & support prisoner

[nagaseeker]

   Prison Dharma Network (PDN) is an international, nonsectarian, contemplative support network for prisoners, prison volunteers, and corrections professionals. PDN's mission is to provide prisoners, and those who work with them, with the most effective contemplative tools for self-transformation and rehabilitation.   
    

Finding Humanity

Another one is The National Buddhist Prison Sangha (NBPS)
http://www.mro.org/zmmold/rightaction/nbps.html

[Mana]

thank you for posting that up, in fact prison is a very suitable place to spread the Dharma, and its effect is proven to be highly effective, even the worst criminals can be transformed due to praciting Dharma, watch this AMAZING video:

Miracle en Prison - Vipassana,

[nagaseeker]

in fact i think prison is the best place to spread dharma , inmates need more dharma than us not that they are bad , its just that they did not have much opportunity to learn dharma before , while in prison ,it is the most suitable place to meditate ( i mean ,what else can you do inside the prison ? ).

hopefully there will be more Association like Prison Dharma Network (PDN) n The National Buddhist Prison Sangha (NBPS)  form up to help more prisoners around the worlds so that more n more ppl get the chance to learn dharma ~

[Klein]

Thanks for sharing this video. I didn't know such a support groups exist. It's great to have these groups spread the dharma in the prisons. The knowledge will help them heal and let go of whatever is bothering them. Furthermore, it till also help them prioritise what's more important in their lives.

In prison, there won't be much distractions. It's like going for a retreat, making it easier to think through the teachings and put them to practice.

[hope rainbow]

I think we might have a mis-conception of the life in prison.
I do not have direct experience of them, but I don't think a jail is like a monastery...
I expect there would be a specific microcosmic society with non-written rules and also a great deal of violence also.
Perhaps the best advantage for a prisonner to practice Dharma is less the fact that they are isolated than the fact that they can experience suffering directly.

the suffering of being separated from loved ones
the suffering of having no freedom of going places
the suffering of having to submit to prison rules (official rules and non-written rules)
the suffering of "loosing" months or years of life within the society
the suffering of being taken away from comfort zone
the suffering of being judged and condemned by others
etc...

I think all the above must give someone in jail a pretty intense experience that may open up to the Dharma indeed.

Then again, some of the above may also describe to some degree how life in a monastery is. But there is a huge difference: the motivation for being a monk and the choice to be a monk have nothing to do with the reasons for which a prisonner is away from society.

[kurava]

I think it is great that such support systems ( be it Buddhism, Christianity or others) exist to help the inmates.

If we look at it from another perspective - having committed a crime , got caught and imprisoned for the wrong deed - if the person concerned is touched and transformed through spirituality , then it is something positive. This negative karma ripens into a positive result.

Definitely we should have more such support system available to the prison inmates , drug rehabilitation centres etc. After experiencing the negative results, these people would be ready for spirituality as they would have understood pains and suffering better.

[KhedrubGyatso]

Any effort to help improve the life of others is praiseworthy. I am sure if we research further, we may find there are help/support groups for many other  ' misguided' beings such as prostitutes,alcoholics, gamblers, drug addicts , smugglers etc which  have high likelihood of leading them to a period in a jail.
Actually the prison is like a convenient one stop centre to reach them and render help . On the other hand , due to diverse/varied psychological make up of prison folks and arguably more complicated backgrounds , any counsellor or help group personnel would have to have certain qualifications or skills  as a pre-requisite before rendering advice or help.
Eg, religious approach may not be the best if we are talking to somebody about to jump off a cliff or a jailed terrorist or hardcore criminals like Hannibal Lecter !

I have read about  the effectiveness of buddhist help groups teaching shamata or calming breathing meditation to prison inmates which is neutral and have broader acceptance .  The benefits are in terms of reducing hatred levels, boredom and alleviating depression which are prevailing moods in jails.

[Amitabha]

it is splendid loving care for prisoners, and awesomeful journey. they got into prison because the mundane education did not develop their innate social kindness which overtime, indoctrinated from social illness owing to lack of cognitive enrichment beyond materialism and egoism. it is truly a noble cause on behalf of the government, warren officers and society at large. they ought to aware of higher beings to pursue which is more blissful than human level. may all prisoners realize innate joys beyond egoism and lead a wonderful pleasant and blissful life.

[Manjushri]

I think it is good to introduce Dharma to prisoners as I feel it is the only thing that will be able to save them. Although the karma is already there for whatever actions they did for themselves to end up in prison, at least, through the Dharma, imprints can be created for them to be triggered in the prisoner's future lives to receive the blessings and benefits of learning the Dharma in prison.

Although not the best situation, being in prison is conducive enough for a prisoner to read Dharma books, and it could end up being their solace and source of comfort. The Dharma can take away their bitterness, their suffering, their pain, anger, hatred, for everything is in the mind. Dharma is all about self transformation, and from that comes one's own rehabilitation. Dharma can really really help them, and us!!

[biggyboy]

It is a great idea to have such a support group to help those in need in prison.  Who knows dharma sharing with the prisoners be it Christianity, Islamic, Hindusim, etc..will definitely help them.  As long as imparting dharma with them do create imprints in them.  It may not necessary for them to understand and practise now but at least  imprints are created.  Some may find solace and comfort with dharma immediately but some may find it later.  Hence, the positive results will manifest with better knowledge and understanding on the cause and effect and to improving one's life.

[vajraD]

It is good there is such support team in service. Thank you so much for sharing the video.

This people really have compassion to serve these inmates. It is good to give them a chance to practice Dharma. Where they never have a chance to be able to meet before they went into jail. Hence they have committed many wrong deeds. Hopefully there are more such support group be it Buddhist, Christianity, Hinduism, Islamic and etc to help people in prison.

May these people be able to find freedom in spiritualism.