世界上沒有所謂的壞人，
但有一時的無明犯錯的人。
There are no any bad people in this world but there
are people who make mistake out of ignorance.
古語云: 人誰無過, 過而能改, 善莫大焉.
菩薩寺從1995年開始從事監獄佈教活動. 在2006年正式成立為州立政府核淮的非牟利慈善團體.宗旨是將佛陀珍貴的教法傳送到鐵圍內被人遺棄的法友們. 希望透過講授與聽聞佛法,讓他們能夠獲得身心的平靜與精神的安慰.
International Bodhisattva Sangha (IBS) started the Prison Program since 1995. IBS was formally established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in November 2006. One of our main goals is to educate inmates in the state prisons about Buddhism, meditation, and the right way of life. Through Dharma education, many inmates found their inner peace and spiritual comfort.
截至2017年年中, 菩薩寺前往加州，俄勒岡，華盛頓和安大略省（加拿大多倫多）佈教的監獄共有33所. 巳經成立的監獄圖書館共有21所. 我們計劃在2017年的其餘時間再設置20多個佛教圖書館。展望將來在各方熱心人士護持下,能夠在加州36所監獄內均成立佛教圖書館. 讓受刑人士有机會學習佛法.
As of mid-2017, IBS has been visiting 33 state prisons California, Oregon, Washington, and Ontario (Toronto, Canada). We are planning to setup 20 more dharma libraries for the rest of 2017. With the help of passionate supporters, IBS is planning to set up libraries in all 36 state prisons in California in the future.
菩薩寺是一個小團體, 一切經費來源自各方善心人士捐贈. 由於你的慷慨解囊, 讓我們有更多机會去幫助受刑人士來改過自新. 使他們有勇氣再面對社會.做一個有貢獻者.
IBS is a small organization, and all the funding comes from generous donations from our supporters. With your generous gift, we will have more opportunity to reach more inmates with our prison program, giving them strength and courage on their path in becoming a contributor to the community when they are released.
為了能夠順利推行監獄佈教各項活動, 菩薩寺成立一個每月$10捐贈運動. 有意參與者, 請按這裡.
IBS introduced a $10 Monthly Donation Program for anyone who would like to support the activities included in the Prison Program. If you would like to make a donation, please press here.
連絡地址 / Contact Information:
International Bodhisattva Sangha (IBS)
9715 Carroll Centre Road Suite #105
San Diego, CA 92126, USA
Shirley Tam (Secretary)
Telephone: +1 619 450 3699
FAX: +1 858 484 1889
E-mail: [email protected]
Articles:
7-8 月北加州監獄弘法
阿彌陀佛！！ 感謝大家支持美國菩薩寺籌集資金購買佛典書籍千本。現已將部分發送達至華盛頓州全省監獄共12所，連同3個分部區域，一共設備15所圖書館了，阿彌陀佛，願將功德迴向大家及所有法界眾生，離苦得樂，共成佛道。這只是美國菩薩寺到外州首項工作，接下來便是進入華盛頓州全省監獄共12所，連同3個分部區域合共15所監獄進行弘法利生大事業：
1. 為他們設立僧團，就如同在加州的監獄中，成立僧團；
2. 選舉領導小組組長，為他們提供定時共修活動。有待菩薩寺顯中法師帶領義工團進入下一個工作；
3. 為他們講解佛學，研究書本上他們看後提出的疑問；
4. 和為他們主持三皈五戒儀式。
現時華盛頓州共有 18943囚犯（3/31/2016年統計）男性佔92.2% 女性7.8% 白種人 71.7% ，黑人18.2%，印第安人4.6%，亞洲人3.7%，西班牙語人13%，其他1.8%。平均年齡38.5嵗。
所謂團隊精神，沒有你們支持和鼓勵，共同努力參與，是不能成事。
布施功德要清靜，
滴水便成河，
積沙可成塔。
團隊合作精神，
事半可功倍。
各位法師，大德菩薩，善知識們，我們齊心協力，共襄善擧，為不幸的這一羣，因為一時無明，犯罪被囚禁的學佛弟子們，然點光明燈，引領他們走上成佛之路。
以下是七月下旬至8月上旬前往 21 所監獄，驅車行走約 8000 英哩，雖然長途跋涉，翻山越嶺、但每當想到囚室內，學佛的弟子們，每次臨離別時，對我下次到訪的期望，便有近在咫尺，急往安他們的心需要。
在這次我及義工團隊會為己受三皈五戒的佛弟子發放三皈五戒證書，和部分完成佛學課程的學生們結業證書。祈求佛菩薩加持，一齊順利。 阿彌陀佛???
加州
7/19 Lancaster State Prison
7/20 Kern Valley State Prison
7/21 North Kern State Prison
7/22 Wasco State Prison
7/23 Avenal State Prison
7/24 Avenal State Prison
7/25 Salinas State Prison
7/26 Mule Creek State Prison
7/27 DVI State Prison
7/28 California Health Care Facility
7/29 High Desert State Prison
7/30 Pelican Bay State Prison
奧勒岡州
7/31 Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution Prison
8/1 Two Rivers Correctional Institution Prison
8/2 路上及休息
美國華盛頓州
8/3 MCC- Special Offenders Unit 及 MCC-Minimum Security Unit
8/4 MCC- Twin Rivers Unit
8/5 MCC-Washington State Reformatory Unit
8/6 Olympic Correction Centre Prison
返回加州途經
8/10 Valley State Prison
8/11 CCI Tehachapi State Prison..
菩薩寺地址：9715 Carroll Centre Rd #105 San Diego CA 92126
支票抬頭：IBS
電話：619-450-3704
電郵: [email protected]
paypal :www.ibstemple.org/donate
First Visit to a Prison
It is hard to imagine the lifestyle of the people in prisons unless one gets the opportunity to visit them. Although there is a lot of information about the day-to-day life of incarcerated brothers and sisters, many of its nuances and subtleties can only be experienced firsthand by visiting the prisons themselves. Dharma brother Benny Luhur, one of our sponsors from Indonesia, had asked me since a while ago that he wanted to visit one of the prisons in California with us. Yesterday, June 14th, 2016 was the day that he had an opportunity to visit the male-only Calipatria State Prison as part of our Buddhist Volunteer Chaplain program.
After the visitation, I asked him how he felt about the state prison and brothers in prisons. He told me that it was quite a different experience than what he expected. He said, “The state prison we visited was quite humane and most of the brothers looked like regular folks on the street in uniform. I talked to couple brothers before the service – they were very mature, humble and polite. I think they should be ready to go back to the society to start over their lives again. But there were some who just participated in IBS services. Their minds seemed to be not stable and seem to wander about, and thus need some time to practice mindfulness before they go back to society. The brothers I had exchanged with can be categorized as follows: the ones who strived hard daily and were able to accept their situation, and practice daily using IBS method, improved the most. The others, who were not as disciplined and still were not at ease yet, still need us and other brothers to pay more attention to them such that they can understand one of our missions to practice Samatha and Vipassana meditation techniques, so they can be more calm, tolerant, and compassionate to others who are different and be more mindful.”
Yesterday services in the prison did not run as smoothly as we had planned, but because of it, Benny got to see all the different situations and difficulties that we face during our regular visit in the prisons. Yesterday, Yard A had service but ran later than scheduled. So Benny used this opportunity to talk to the few brothers who came earlier. Yard B, because of lockdown, couldn’t have service. Therefore we requested to visit the brothers in their cells instead. We got the opportunity to see brothers in the building where they live. One of the brothers, who is the group leader Iron Boddhisatva Buddhist and his sibling recited the hundred-syllable mantra and six-syllable mantra offered to Benny. At Yard C, no one was informed that we were coming. But the clerk was so kind and printed the old ducat list from the computer and called our brothers out for the service. All of a sudden the alarm went off, therefore, no one could come out. One brother in the education building came to the chapel and talked to Benny for almost 30 minutes. Yard D had no service because the clerk deleted the ducat list accidentally from the computer. Overall we spent a total of 6 hours yesterday, shorter than our usual visitation length. We had a wonderful visit, and although not everything went according to what we wished and planned for, we accepted yesterday’s experience as part of life.
Amituofo!
California, June 15th, 2016