talking to university students

I don't remember my old university, the University of Toronto, being practically-minded. So it was with a little hesitation that I contacted a professor in the Department of Religious Studies there (where I got my BA) and offered to give a short talk to his class in East Asian Buddhism on prison dharma work. Would students more accustomed to wrestling with the various schools of Buddhism and the works of Santideva and Najarjuna find a discussion of the modern-day use of Buddhism interesting?

After he'd reassured himself that I wasn't trying to convert his class to Buddhism, the professor gave the OK. Now it was up to me to focus my thoughts and deliver a short introduction to prison dharma.

I started with the fact that this was very much a type of 'outsider Buddhism' in that the people we reach aren't part of the typical groups who come to Buddhism (those who grew up with Buddhism or who, like me, encountered it in university, for example). Then I looked into who exactly was in prison, using demographics to prove my point (overwhelmingly male, black or hispanic, under 45, drug/violent crime, repeat offender etc.). This gets to my point - why do these people come to Buddhism and what do they get out of it? Is it different from what attracted me or is it only the way we approached it that differs?

The discussion turned to who does prison dharma work - individuals, temples, PDN and Angulimala. Then we looked at what can be done in a prison setting - sending books, writing letters, visiting and programs. Finally I touched on the benefits ("visible here and now," as the Buddha taught) I'd been seeing with the people I've worked with in the US prison system.

After a polite pause I started to get some questions. Most revolved around what sort of materials to send to prisoners, how to help inmates learn (I think they were concerned that inmates might not understand the teachings - I explained that there are some great books out there and, after all, the teachings are pretty clear if you have the chance to meet them with a clear mind) and how, mechanically, the program worked.

My original 5 minute presentation turned into a half hour discussion.

I found it really interesting to think about what to say to the class, to dwell on what I had been taught by my encounters with inmates and to consider what motivates me to participate in this work. Overall, I feel re-confirmed in the value of what we're up to.

The upshot of this work is that I've started a distance-learning MA in religious studies. My thesis, once I refine it, will likely look at the questions that began my presentation - what's the immediate value of the Buddha's teachings in a prison setting? What do they get out of it? How do they come to this path? You can be certain I will be tormenting you folks further to get your insight on these points!

Metta,

Paul

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kate Crisp (PDN Director) on March 30, 2008 at 10:47am
Thanks for posting this Paul! Very cool. Looking forward to hearing more of your reflections during the MA.
Permalink Reply by Erin Ferguson on April 3, 2008 at 3:18pm
Hi Paul,
I love that the kids picked up the ball and started to run with it. I work at Prison Dharma Network and I've found that many prisoners latch onto Buddhist teachings like the proverbial drowning man and a straw. We send out books to prisoners and can never know if they work or if they're the right ones, then we receive letters back saying they've passed that book on to their friends and everyone's reading it! One man said he was giving it to his buddies who were on death row in hopes it would help them.

So I'd be interested to hear what effect the teachings are having, as opposed to the effect of meditation alone.

Has anyone else seen the teachings turn people's life around?
Erin
Permalink Reply by Paul McIvor on April 3, 2008 at 6:48pm
Hi Erin:

I've found that Dharma in Hell and We're all Doing Time are the most popular. In fact I just ordered 3 copies of Bo's book because my original copy at Maplehurst Correctional Centre has gone through so many hands! I plan to order more of Fleet's book too.

On the research on the value of the teachings, I just did the literature review for my MA and all I found was some stuff by Goenka's people in India and Washington on the value of Vipassana meditation so nothing on B'ism as a teaching. I'm working on it though but first I am doing research on volunteers, their motivations and their perceptions of the value of the interactions with inmates. Stay tuned!
Permalink Reply by Erin Ferguson on April 3, 2008 at 6:56pm
Keep me posted. You're welcome to contact our volunteers. If you're interested I can put the word out and see if any would want to talk to you, and then pass on their contact details after that.

There is a woman, Chantel, who just joined PDN who's doing an undergrad thesis on the same topic!
Erin
Permalink Reply by Paul McIvor on April 4, 2008 at 8:30am
Cool! Maybe we can collaborate! I am just putting together the research proposal from which I'll have a survey instrument that I'd love to ask PDN volunteers to help me with. I'll show it to you when it's closer to being done.

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