Fwd: Life In Prison & The Documentary Film Titled THE DHAMMA BROTHER

[Bhante Buddharakkhita]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Patrice Binaisa <adjus...@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, May 3, 2008 at 11:59 PM
Subject: Fwd: Life In Prison & The Documentary Film Titled THE DHAMMA BROTHER
To: Bhante Buddharakkhita <bbuddha...@gmail.com>




Note: forwarded message attached.

---

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Patrice Binaisa <adjus...@yahoo.com>
To: Patrice Binaisa <adjus...@yahoo.com>, bluepa...@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 17:45:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Life In Prison & The Documentary Film Titled THE DHAMMA BROTHERS

My Fellow Educator(s),

 

THE DHAMMA BROTHERS

 

I just saw the film titled THE DHAMMA BROTHERS in San Francisco.  How does a group of prisoners in a penitentiary in the southern U.S. region known as the Christian "Bible Belt" get turned on to Buddhist medidation?  My question is why should it be impossible to merge positive Buddhist values and meditation with other wonderful non-Buddhist spiritual beliefs and practices?  Hey, if they go well together and if they improve life, then great.

 

I had to tell you about this movie.  I hope that my pastor, the Ven. Heng Sure of the United States of America and Berkeley Buddhist Monastery & Institute of World Religions, and the Ven. Buddharakkhita of Uganda and the Uganda Buddhist Centre will both send lay disciples to order the film for their temples to share with everyone who is interested.  Please get this documentary film.

 

BENJAMIN "O.B." ORYANG

 

I was moved to tears during the documentary film, especially when they played a familiar piano tune to the crime and history associated with an an African prisoner called BENJAMIN "O.B." ORYANG.  I think that Benjamin is Kenyan.  He ends up being the group meditation leader among the prison inmates.  At the end he reads an interesting poetic letter to a relative as the credits are rolling up the screen.

 

SILENT REFLECTION TIME

 

This type of documentary film what educators should be showing to their high school students.  I know that religion is a complicated constitutional topic in public schools.  However, what public schools can do, as a response to increasing rates of violence (both domestic violence and violence outside the home), is to institute a Sustained Silent Meditation (or Silent Reflection Time) in place of the current Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) period. 

 

LIFE IN PRISON

 

The documentary film also perfectly illustrated to what I have always known to be true about a "monastery".  The prisoners had their prison meditation space transformed into a monastery--in short a vast mental territory where self-reflective practice is limitless.  That is what the idea of a monastery should be about in any given person's daily life.  No matter the circumstances of your particular "prison", real or metaphorical, personal or social, emotional or physical, meditation or similar training is self-reflection can conquer them all.

 

MY PRISON

 

I am still struggling to hold on in the tough U.S. job market, but I think I see a light in front of me.  I might take up a job as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter, if they offer it to me following an interview next week.  If that happens, I will stop substitute teaching but I will continue to pursue Mathematics until I obtain a B.S. degree, possibly an M.S. degree in the subject.  In any case I still love Mathematics as both intellectual and spiritual entertainment even though I never end up teaching the subject. 

 

A SPECIAL SALUTE

 

The translation job might also give me more opportunities to enhance my theatrical training.  I won't give up, even if I end up not getting the job.  I will continue struggling with my backpack which incidentally I tirelessly carry as salute to poor AFRICAN WOMEN who carry their babies on their back 24/7 during endless quest to survive.  Anyway, below is what you should look for in the documentary film titled THE DHAMMA BROTHERS and please consider collecting it for your schools, churches and communities.

 

METTA

 

Just take care of yourselves.

 

View The Dhamma Brothers Movie Trailer and DVD Clips Online ...

Watch The Dhamma Brothers Movie Trailer Online at VH1.com VSPOT, view DVD Video Clips. See Current and Upcoming Movie Trailers and DVD Video Clips. www.vh1.com/video/play.jhtml?id=1584370&vid=220232 - 121k - Cached - Similar pages

 

The Dhamma Brothers: East Meets West in the Deep South

NEWS: OPENS MAY 2 IN SAN FRANCISCO AT THE RED VIC MOVIEHOUSE · Watch Trailer. www.dhammabrothers.com/ - 4k - Cached - Similar pages

[PDF]

THE DHAMMA BROTHERS

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML viewer, after seeing this film, will be able to return to old clichés and stereotypes about. men behind prison bars. The Dhamma Brothers documents the ... www.dhammabrothers.com/treatment.pdf - Similar pages More results from www.dhammabrothers.com »

The Dhamma Brothers - Movie - Review - The New York Times

Apr 11, 2008 ... The Dhamma Brothers (2007). NYT Critics' Pick This movie has been designated a Critic's Pick by the film reviewers of The Times. ... movies.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/movies/11dham.html - Similar pages

The Dhamma Brothers - Movie - Review - The New York Times

NYT Critics' Pick This movie has been designated a Critic's Pick by the film reviewers of The Times. The Dhamma Brothers. Freedom Behind Bars Productions ... movies.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/movies/11dham.html?em&ex=1208059200&en=d79496b008df7434&ei=5087... - Similar pages More results from movies.nytimes.com »

The Dhamma Brothers Film Review

A maximum security prison isn't the sort of place you'd expect to find a bunch of men mutely contemplating their navels and the meaning of life. newsblaze.com/story/20080408060021tsop.nb/newsblaze/ENTERTAI/Entertainment.html - 22k - Cached - Similar pages

Jenny Phillips - Film- Prison- Meditation - Alabama - New York Times

Sep 13, 2007 ... After the course ended and the film crew returned to Massachusetts, the Dhamma brothers continued meditating daily, with a longer sitting ... www.nytimes.com/2007/09/13/movies/13dhar.html - Similar pages

 

Metta,

 

Patrice

---

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.