The Buddha in Jail: Restoring Lives, Finding Hope and Freedom
Hardcover – April 2, 2019
by Cuong Lu (Author), Roshi Joan Halifax (Foreword)
4.4 out of 5 stars 9 ratings
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144 pages
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Praise for The Buddha in Jail
"Read these stories carefully, a few at a time, and apply them to our encounters with those who have acted badly, those we don't particularly like, and ourselves, for all these dialogues are taking place within each of us all the time." ―Roshi Joan Halifax
“In The Buddha in Jail, Cuong Lu demonstrates how to be in a helping relationship without getting caught in roles. As a prison chaplain, he did not attach to the idea of being a helper, or even of ‘helping.’ He sat quietly, deeply present with each inmate, and saw each of them as a soul, not just their personality or their troubled past. By dwelling in love with each person, accepting them without judgment, one by one they transformed, and their recidivism was close to zero. I congratulate Cuong Lu for the depth of his prison ministry and this beautiful book.” ―Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now and Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying
“To free ourselves, we have to unlock the doors from within. Chaplains like Cuong Lu play an essential role in freeing those in prison from their inner demons, offering guidance, support, and loving kindness, teaching stillness and self-reflection, learning to connect with their fierce and loving hearts. I highly recommend The Buddha in Jail, a good read and a great resource for understanding prisoners and for finding the keys to the prisons in our own minds.” ―Spring Washam, author of A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage, and Wisdom in Any Moment
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About the Author
CUONG LU, Buddhist teacher, scholar, and writer, was born in Nha Trang, Vietnam, in 1968. He majored in East Asian studies at the University of Leiden, and in 1993 was ordained a monk at Plum Village in France under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh. In 2000, he was recognized as a teacher in the Lieu Quan line of the Linji School of Zen Buddhism. In 2009, Lu returned to lay life in the Netherlands, where, together with five colleagues, he stood at the birth of the Buddhist Spiritual Care Program within Holland's penitentiary system. In 2015, he received a master's degree in Buddhist Spiritual Care at Vrije University in Amsterdam. Lu is the founder of Mind Only School, in Gouda, South Holland, where he teaches Buddhist philosophy and psychology, specializing in Yogachara Buddhism combined with the Madhyamaka (Middle Way) School of Nagarjuna.
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Product details
Publisher : OR Books (April 2, 2019)
Language : English
Hardcover : 144 pages
Cuong Lu
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Biography
Cuong Lu is a specialist in applied Buddhist psychology, scholar, teacher, and social reformer. He is a chaplain, a pioneer in Buddhist restorative justice. Lu was present at the birth of Buddhist Chaplaincy at the Custodial Institutions Agency, Ministry of Justice and Security in Holland. He has been practicing for 16 years as a monk under zen master Thich Nhat Hanh's guidance and got the lamp transmission in 2000 in Plum Village, France. He is the author of "The Buddha in Jail" and many other English and Dutch books. Lu founded Mind-Only Institute in South Holland, specialized in Applied Buddhist Psychology, and is now chairman of the international Mind-Only Conference. He teaches in Europe, United States, and Asia.
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Customer reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
Top reviews from the United States
James Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on Buddhism I've read
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2020
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Cuong Lu, a student of Thich Nhat Hanh, is a leader of meditation sessions inside a German prison. Surprisingly, the sessions are very popular. Many inmates say these hour-long sessions are the first time in their entire life they've felt secure and at peace. In his book Cuong has many stories of inmates talking about how they're learning to let go, to stop reacting to events like an automaton, and instead let things move by them in the spirit of peace.
One person found this helpful
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Gabe Buckley
5.0 out of 5 stars We are all prisoners...
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2019
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This book really dives into the mindset of a prisoner, which most people will be able to recognize as similar to their own mindset. Great guide on meditation and Buddhist practices to help anyone find their happiness and embody the Buddha.
One person found this helpful
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DMarga
5.0 out of 5 stars A book with insight and wisdom
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2019
Cuong writes about his work with prisoners. He sees the Buddha in every prisoner, but he does not deny the 'crime'. Cuong approaches them without prejudice, sits with them and feels what the other person feels. For the first time the prisoners feel their real pain and after a while they experience liberation. Liberation from what one keeps imprisoned inside, and which therefore remains invisible. This invisible pain can cause a lot of suffering. He helps them to see that everything is in you; wisdom, suffering, happiness, pain, compassion, etc.
Actually, this is not just a book about people in prison, but a book written about and for everyone; aren't we all stuck in a prison of suffering because we are only searching for happiness. Cuong shows that with compassion you can really make a transformation happen. I warmly recommend this book.
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Top reviews from other countries
Noemi Cappellotto
5.0 out of 5 stars Just what I wanted
Reviewed in Germany on June 4, 2020
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I've been looking for a book on Buddhism that wouldn't be a textbook, but rather one that helps understand the Buddhist principles and perspectives in a more applied way, through other people's experiences and lives. This book promised to do that and it delivered on the promise. The language is easy to understand for a non-native as well.
Coung Lu doesn't only explain the basics of Buddhist philosophy and how applying them can make us happier, he developed his own framework based on Buddhism and he explains that as well.
This isn't a book you should read in one sitting. I suggest that you read one, two, maximum three short stories at a time and then let them sink.
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