Buddhist Prison Ministry:
Now an Official Service Project of Sukhasiddhi Foundation

The thought desiring to dispel
Every mistake from every sentient being
And to bring every being to full knowledge is bodhicitta.
Of all wonderful things, this is the most wonderful!

Khunu Rinpoche  “The Jewel Lamp: A Praise of Bodhicitta”

Sukhasiddhi Foundation is thrilled to partner with the remarkable efforts of Buddhist Prison Ministry to bring the wisdom of the dharma to those who are incarcerated. This ministry grew out of the experiences of Susan Shannon’s work as a Buddhist chaplain in San Quentin prison over a period of nine years.

The role for Sukhasiddhi’s seasoned students / practitioners is to serve as a Homework Buddy or kalyanamrita – a spiritual friend, companion. This is not a pen pal program, but rather an opportunity to offer acknowledgement and appreciation of an incarcerated student’s responses to BPM course books. First, let’s explain.

What is the Buddhist Prison Ministry?

Buddhist Prison Ministry freely offers transformative tools and wisdom from the Buddhist tradition to incarcerated learners. BPM’s courses /workbooks and resources are specifically for the incarcerated population using accessible language and an interfaith lens as well as tools, skills and insights from restorative justice and emotional literacy. 

Learn more about Buddhist Prison Ministry: buddhistprisonministry.com/

BPM’s first workbook, Introduction to Buddhism, was envisioned by a group of “condemned” men on San Quentin’s Death Row, who wanted to pay forward the wealth of transformative dharma work they’d done together over many years. That this very thought of altruism—coming from one of the darkest places on earth—has now spread into prisons in every state across the country—gives truth and credence to the power of Bodhicitta, the Awakened Heart.  Preview a sample here:

Introduction to Buddhism Study Group

Suzanne Lucas, the BPM’s graphic designer/volunteer, and Sukhasiddhi student is leading a 6-week study group based on this first workbook.  Offered as a series or a drop-in, this group is a great way to learn more about BPM and/or (re-) familiarize oneself with the essential Buddhist teachings.  In addition, it fulfills one of the requirements to becoming a homework buddy.

See Below

Homework Buddy / Kalyanamrita

Approved homework buddies receive and respond to incarcerated learner’s responses to reflection questions within each chapter of their workbook. It’s an opportunity to acknowledge understanding and offer appreciation.

Becoming a homework buddy often leads to a deeper understanding of dharma, our interconnectedness, and offers many opportunities to identify and transform your judgements, assumptions, and prejudices. Plus, you will join an established community of others who have been volunteering with Buddhist Prison Ministry since its inception in 2020. Testimonials and more info buddhistprisonministry.com/certificate-connection

Interested in becoming a homework buddy? 

First, apply by sending an email to Lama Palden at lamapaldendrolma@gmail.com with answers to the following questions:

1. Name

2. Email or way to contact you

3. Name of the Sukhasiddhi Program(s) you are engaged in, if applicable, or other dharma experience. 

4. Why you are interested in this service project (300-500 words suggested, but feel free to write more.)

Once your application is received and reviewed, you will receive notice from Lama Palden or our Sukhasiddhi BPM coordinator

about your acceptance and next steps. 

Thank you for your interest in Sukhasiddhi’s Service Project with Buddhist Prison Ministry

We look forward to working with you to bring Bodhicitta Behind Bars!

To learn more about BPM visit us at: www.buddhistprisonministry.com

  • The Buddhist Prison Ministry Project has personally given me the opportunity to feel like I am giving back. It has strengthened my appreciation of all that I have learned from my teachers, my meditations, my study of the dharma. It has helped mirror where there might be gaps in my understanding and more importantly, has given a profound opportunity to practice humility. It has helped me step down off any subtle or not so subtle dharma soap box and really drop into my heart, meeting whoever I am responding to from a place of human to human, heart to heart. And what a compassion practice! When, and if, I get triggered by something that I am reading, I start with deep compassion for myself and then deep compassion for other and our human condition. Powerful practice for noticing where my heart wants to shut down.

    - a Sukhasiddhi volunteer

  • Spending time as a BPM “homework buddy” has been a profound way for me to practice compassion in action, not only for the incarcerated individuals I am responding to, but also for myself when I feel my heart contract. It has lifted a mirror up to my practice and helped me to question my assumptions and biases .At the same time I gain such inspiration from these committed practitioners who are hungry to learn and practice. Such powerful and real dharma devotion! Working on the Divine Feminine course was sheer joy. The aspiration was that women in prison would have a chance to connect with love, compassion, kindness and wisdom in a way that spoke to them through whichever face of the Divine Feminine resonated. The feedback has been so heart warming. There are even women who are making malas from knotting their shoestrings! E MA HO!

    - Barbara Juniper

  • I began as a homework buddy in 2021; reading the reflections of the incarcerated completely altered the way I thought about life in prison. The students have also had a profound impact on my understanding of the dharma; often I remark to Susan “am I writing to the incarcerated or to monasteries?”  Over the past year, I’ve had the profound privilege of helping produce materials on the digital platform for incarcerated learners, redesigning BPM's workbooks, re- launching the website and collaborating on all sorts of new content — like the new materials just for incarcerated women. I am incredibly grateful for the many ways that Susan/BPM have allowed me serve others who are deeply longing to study the dharma. And we have fun! It’s a total blast to surf the “wave of bodhicitta” that Susan and the men on death row originally set into motion just a few years ago.

    - Suzanne Lucas