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Letters from the
Letters from the Jenny Phillips Pariyatti Press
: Meditation Behind Bars. Copyright 2008 by Jenny Phillips. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Pariyatti Press, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, write to Pariyatti Publishing, 867 Larmon Road, Onalaska, Washington 98570, or email publisher@pariyatti.org. First Edition, Pariyatti Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-928706-31-1 (print) 12 11 10 09 08 07 5 4 3 2 1 Ebook: 978-1-928706-72-4 Library of Congress Control Number: 2006938697 The publisher gratefully acknowledges Judith Fox Lee for substantive editing and the many others who have helped bring this book to completion, including LeRoy Allen and Andy Kukura for providing photographs, Ron Cavanaugh for his help in obtaining photo releases and Candace Ohanessian and Pamela Solarz for transcribing the letters. Cover design based on The Dhamma Brothers film poster, courtesy Northern Lights Productions. Pariyatti Press 867 Larmon Road, Onalaska, WA 98570 www.pariyatti.org
CONTENTS FOREWORD INTRODUCTION INSIDE DONALDSON Graduation The Journey Inside Sowing Seeds of Change Introducing Vipassana Dhamma Takes Root Setting Up the Vipassana Retreat Free Worlders Move Inside Working Deep Within THE DHAMMA BROTHERS 33 ix xiii 1 3 5 10 12 14 18 20 25 Grady Bankhead 34 Torrence Barton 35 Michael Carpenter 36 Willie Carroll 37 Wayne Finch 38 James George 40 Charles Ice 40 Edward Johnson 42 John Johnson 47 Leon Kennedy 49 Benjamin OB Oryang 50 Omar Rahman 53 Larry Singletary 56 Rick Smith 58 Johnny Mack Young 60
THE LETTERS 63 Before and After: The First Two Ten-Day Courses 64 Interview with Benjamin OB Oryang 72 Interview with Leon Kennedy 76 Shut Down: Courses and Group Sitting Privileges 79 Dhamma Brother Transferred 89 Interview with Edward Johnson 90 The Addict s Mentality: Not Just Another Fix 94 Support Letters to Pardon & Parole Board: Request Declined 98 After One Year, How Does Dhamma Fare Inside? 100 Wishes to a Dhamma Friend on a Course 111 Vipassana and Christianity and Islam 115 Interview with Omar Rahman 118 Interview with Larry Singletary 123 Underground: Group Sittings by Any Other Name 126 Cell Course Rings in the New Year 133 Ups and Downs of Dhamma: Donaldson and Other Camps 139 Life and Death: Dhamma Brothers Lose Loved Ones 162 Legal Again: Vipassana Reinstated; A Three-Day Course 168 Interview with Wayne Finch 170 Appreciation to the Wardens; Dhamma Rolls On 180 Parole Denied 197 CONCLUSION 199 POSTSCRIPT 205 Address by S.N. Goenka at Donaldson 208 More about Vipassana 212 Glossary 216 Resources 218 About the Author 220
FOREWORD Robert Coles IX
x Foreword
xi Foreword
INTRODUCTION Lucia Meijer XIII
xiv Introduction
xv Introduction
INSIDE DONALDSON Graduation
4
5 The Journey Inside
6
7
8
9
10 Sowing Seeds of Change
11
12 Introducing Vipassana
13
14 Dhamma Takes Root
15
16
17
18 Setting Up the Vipassana Retreat
C CP DPMK FC 0 F K K. PMFCP
20 Free Worlders Move Inside
21
22
23
24
25 Working Deep Within
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
THE DHAMMA BROTHERS
34 Grady Bankhead
35 Torrence Barton
36 Michael Carpenter
37 Willie Carroll
38 Wayne Finch
39
40 James George Charles Ice
41
42 Edward Johnson
43
44
45
46
47 John Johnson
48
49 Leon Kennedy
50 Benjamin OB Oryang
51
52
53 Omar Rahman
54
55
56 Larry Singletary
57
58 Rick Smith
59
60 Johnny Mack Young
61
62
THE LETTERS
64 February 18 July 8, 2002 Before and After: The First Two Ten-Day Courses
65 Dear Bruce,
66 John Johnson Dear Dhamma Warrior John,
67 Bruce
68 Dear Bruce, John
69 Dear Jenny,
70 Edward Johnson
71 Dear Jenny,
72 OB Interview with Benjamin Oryang (OB)
73
74 To my dear Donaldson Dhamma brothers:
75 Bruce
76 Interview with Leon Kennedy
77
78
79 July 9, 2002 Shut Down: Courses and Group Sitting Privileges
80 Dear Jenny,
81 OB Dear Bruce,
82
83 John Dear John:
84
85 Bruce Greetings my Dhamma Sister,
86 James George Dear Jenny, OB Dear Jenny,
87 OB Dear Jenny,
88 John Dear Bruce,
89 James July 28, 2002 Dhamma Brother Transferred Hello Jenny,
90 Edward Interview with Edward Johnson
91 Dear Jenny,
92 Edward Dear Edward,
93 Bruce Dear Bruce,
94 Edward September 11 - October 22, 2002 The Addict s Mentality: Not Just Another Fix Dear Dhamma Sister,
95 James Dear Jenny,
96 Metta, James Dhamma Brother,
97 James Dear James:
98 Bruce October 30, 2002 Support Letters to Pardon and Parole Board: Request Declined
99 Edward Dear Edward:
100 Bruce March 2003 After One Year, How Does Dhamma Fare Inside?
101 Dear Bruce,
102 John Dear John:
103 Bruce
104
105 John Dear Jenny,
106 Rick Dear Jenny,
107 Edward Dear Jenny, Edward
108
109
110 John Dear Jenny,
111 Edward June 24, 2003 Wishes to a Dhamma Friend on a Course Dear Jenny,
112 John Jenny, Michael Carpenter
113 Greetings Jenny, Edward Hello Jenny,
114 John
115 October 2003 Vipassana and Christianity and Islam Dear Jenny,
116 Edward
117 Dear Jenny
118 Omar Interview with Omar Rahman
119
120 Dear Jonathan,
121
122
123 Omar Interview with Larry Singletary
124
125
126 November 2003 to November 2004 Underground: Group Sittings by Any Other Name Dear Jenny,
127 John My Dear Friend,
128 OB Dear Jenny,
129 OB Dear Jenny,
130 Edward My Dhamma Sister,
131
132 Edward Dear Jenny,
133 Benjamin Oryang December 28, 2004 January 1, 2005 Cell Course Rings in the New Year Dear Bruce,
134 John Dear John,
135
136 Bruce Dearest Jenny,
137
138
139 John January 1 - August 10, 2005 Ups and Downs of Dhamma: Donaldson and Other Camps
140 To a dear & special friend: Mrs. Jenny Phillips
141 Leon
142 Dear Jenny, James Dear Jenny,
143
144 OB Dear Bruce,
145
146 John Dear Jenny Grady
147 Dear Jenny, Charles X Ice
148 Dear Jenny,
149 Charles X Ice.
150 Dear Jenny,
151 Charles X Ice Dear Jenny, Grady
152 Dear Bruce,
153 John
154
155 Willie Carroll Jr.
156 Dear Jenny,
157
158 Omar Dear Jenny, OB
159 Dear Jenny,
160 Edward Dear Jenny,
161 Rick Dear Jenny,
162 James Timeless (2004-2006) Life and Death: Dhamma Brothers Lose Loved Ones
163 Dear Jenny, OB Dear Jenny,
164 OB Dear Jonathan, OB
165 Dear Jenny, Grady
166 Dear Jenny, Grady Dear Jenny,
167
168 Johnny Mack January 2006 Legal Again: Vipassana Reinstated A Three-Day Course in the Gym
169 Dear Bruce,
170 John Interview with Wayne Finch
171
172
173 Dear Jenny,
174 Rick
175 What s up Jonathan, Torrence Barton
176 Dear Jenny,
177 John
178 Dear Jenny, James
179 Supreme Greetings Jenny!
180 Willie Carroll February November 2006 Appreciation to the Wardens; Dhamma Rolls On
181 Dear Sirs:
182 John W. Johnson
183 Dear Jenny,
184 OB Supreme Greetings, Jenny! Willie Carroll
185 Dear Jenny,
186 Rick Dear Jonathan,
187
188
189 Rick Dear Jonathan,
190 Rick Dear Jenny,
191
192
193 John Dear Jenny,
194 John Dear Jonathan,
195
196 John
197 November 29, 2006 Parole Denied Hello Jenny,
198 Willie
CONCLUSION
200
201
202
203
204
POSTSCRIPT
206
207
208 ADDRESS TO INMATE STUDENTS May 16, 2002, W.E. Donaldson Correctional Facility Bessemer, Alabama S.N. Goenka, principal teacher of Vipassana
209
210
211
212 MORE ABOUT VIPASSANA Historical Background
213 The Practice
214 Course Finances
215 A Nonsectarian Technique Course Timetable
216 GLOSSARY Adhiµµh±na Anatt± Anicca Anapana Anapana-sati Bala Bh±van±-may±-paññ± Brahma vih±ra Cint±-may±-paññ± Dhamma Dosa Dukkha Five aggregates Five hindrances Free-world Four causes of the arising of matter Four elements Kamma (karma) strong determination non-self, egoless, without essence, without substance; one of three basic characteristics along with dukkha and anicca. impermanence respiration awareness of respiration strength, power; the five mental strengths are faith, effort, awareness, concentration and wisdom. wisdom developing from direct personal experience sublime or divine state of mind in which four pure qualities are present: selfless love (mett±), compassion (karuº±), sympathetic joy (mudit±) and equanimity (upekkh±); the cultivation of these four qualities by meditation practice wisdom gained by intellectual analysis teaching of an enlightened person, the path, the way; phenomenon; object of mind; nature, natural law, truth aversion suffering, unsatisfactoriness the basic, impermanent components of a human being: matter (r³pa), consciousness (viññ±ºa), perception (saññ±), sensation (vedan±) and volition (saªkh±ra) craving, aversion, mental-and-physical sluggishness, agitation, doubt non-incarcerated atmosphere, nutriment, present volitional actions and past conditioned volitional actions water (cohesion), air (movement), fire (temperature) and earth (solidity) action performed by oneself that will have an effect on one s future; deep conditioning of the mind
217 Karuº± Maraºa½ pi dukkha½ Mental formations Mett± Moha Mudit± Namasté Nibb±na Paññ± P±ram² Saddha Sam±dhi Saªkh±ra Sangha Sati S²la Storms Suta-may±-paññ± Sutta Nip±ta Upekkh± Viriya compassion because of the arising of death, suffering arises as an effect conditioned volitional actions manifesting as states and contents of mind; see saªkh±ra loving-kindness; selfless love ignorance sympathetic joy traditional Indian Hindi greeting meaning I honor the light in you. the unconditioned; the ultimate reality; freedom from suffering experiential wisdom developed through meditation that purifies the mind of underlying negativities perfections, virtues, wholesome mental qualities that help dissolve the ego and lead one to liberation; the ten param² are: generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, effort, tolerance, truthfulness, strong determination, selfless love, and equanimity faith, one of the five mental strengths concentration; control of one s mind volitional activity, mental formation, reaction, mental conditioning; one of the five aggregates community of seekers awareness morality; abstention from physical and vocal actions that cause harm to oneself and others. For a lay person s²la is practiced by following five precepts in daily life: abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, harmful speech and intoxicants. mental or emotional disturbances that arise during meditation wisdom derived from listening to others; received wisdom one of the collections of sayings found in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the P±li Canon equanimity, one of the four Brahma vih±r± effort, one of the five mental strengths; see bala
218 Organizations RESOURCES Films Articles and Sites
219
220 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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