Calvin Malone is nearing the end of a 20-year prison sentence. He's also a practicing Buddhist. Oddly enough, it was in prison that Malone learned about Buddhism, and it's the one thing that's kept him going. Some of the stories he tells in Razor-Wire Dharma are hilarious, some are harrowing, but all express Buddhist wisdom as vividly as any practitioner could hope to do. This is true Buddhism: Malone is living it, and in the unlikeliest of places. For him, the choice between staying true to his principles of altruism, compassion, and nonharming or just choosing to cast a blind eye often requires that he quite literally jeopardize life, limb, and the few small comforts available to him to try to do what's right. If he can do it in jail, he can do it anywhere. And as his book in all its gritty beauty makes clear, so can we.
Razor-Wire Dharma: A Buddhist Life in Prison, Calvin Malone,Wisdom Publications, Paperback, 228 Pages, $16.95
Calvin Malone was born in Munich, Germany, in 1951 to a German mother and an American father. At the age of seven he and his family moved to Monterey, California, and Calvin entered the second grade, speaking only German. Within a year he was fluent in English. Calvin attended Walla Walla Community College and studied European History. He also traveled extensively throughout Europe. Calvin began practicing Buddhism soon after he entered prison and started writing about his prison experiences shortly thereafter. He has published numerous articles in Buddhist magazines and newsletters. He was instrumental in developing a post-prison transitional program and makes malas (prayer beads) for Buddhist prisoners around the country. He is currently working on a Buddhist novel. Calvin was incarcerated in 1992 with a 20-year sentence for aggravated assault. He is scheduled for early release from prison in October 2009.
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Contents: Razor-Wire Dharma: A Buddhist Life in Prison |
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Forword |
ix |
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Editor's Preface |
xi |
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Acknowledgments |
xvii |
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Introduction |
1 |
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Entering the Way |
9 |
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The Abyss |
29 |
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Eyeball |
43 |
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Banana |
47 |
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Fory-Nine |
55 |
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Bulldog and Christmas |
65 |
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A Little Closer to Home |
71 |
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Essential Oil |
79 |
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Anger |
85 |
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Getting Involved |
91 |
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Derrick |
95 |
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Soup |
103 |
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Munny |
109 |
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The Reluctant Zen Master |
119 |
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Tying Flies |
131 |
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Apple |
135 |
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Hacksaw |
139 |
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Shawn |
147 |
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Artichoke Heart |
159 |
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Metta |
165 |
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Freedom |
169 |
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A Close Encounter |
171 |
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Letting Go |
173 |
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Happy Holidays |
177 |
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Miracles |
179 |
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Liberating Our Gardens |
181 |
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Postscripts |
185 |
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Author's Note |
189 |
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Appendixes |
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I. |
The Four Noble Truths |
193 |
II. |
Meditation |
199 |
III. |
Recommended Reading |
215 |
IV. |
Resource Guide |
219 |
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About the Author |
144 |
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