— Even if someone has only one day left to live, even only one hour left, they still have an incredible opportunity to make the human body-which they have received just this one time-most beneficial. —

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Our Ex-Prisoners

Dennis Smith:

Dennis Smith I was in prison for about two years for robbery from 1995. I was angry with everything and everyone. Then I met a guy who was really happy, Dale. And that’s really weird in prison: generally you don’t see happy people.

I’d ask: “What’s this guy’s problem? Why’s he so happy.” “Oh he’s one of these weird Buddhists.”

Secretly I was intrigued. He didn’t seem to have the emotional problems that I had. So I set up a meeting. He worked in the library. He talked for hours. I was raised Baptist so it was like I was breaking the rules. Dale gave me The Art of Happiness, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and How to Meditate.
A couple of things really stuck out: someone had asked His Holiness this big question, and His Holiness said, “I don’t know!” That was too much to me! I was so used to this big world, where if you don’t know you’re going to act like you do.

I began to meditate, watched TV less, stayed up later, reading. Soon I started to go to the monthly meditation class with Dan Black, of Liberation Prison Project. Instantly I felt very connected to Dan, he explained things, so much different from reading, actually someone who was living it. He was my major inspiration. I was a sponge.

Then Dan told us that in five and a half months Ven. Robina was coming and that we could take refuge if we wanted. I remember the date: August 31. I took refuge and the lay vows. “You’re cooked!” she said. “Now you’re these little Buddhists!”And she called me Thubten Zopa.

I had gone into prison being respected as a criminal, and now, a year into it, I’m making this transformation and people didn’t know how to act towards me. I had to be very uncompromising about my new views.

Generally people want acceptance. Say someone wants to kill a spider, but they know that Buddhists don’t kill, so instandly they’d look at me, checking what I’d do. I’d pick it up, take it outside. It was not easy to do this. I was learning to lose the desire to be accepted by others; I wanted to be motivated to do the right thing. I was afraid, “What will they think.” But I’d do it. It was the first time I stood up for what was important. Until then I was fake.

I got out April 13 2003. I was nervous, but also not. Very focused. My wife was very accepting and encouraging of my Buddhist practice. That same day I called Ven. Robina and asked her how to set up an altar. I went down with what little money we had and bought these pitiful little glass bowls. I was there every morning, meditating, every evening taking down the altar, doing prostrations. I didn’t let my practice die.

Now after two years, a lot has changed. I’ve allowed my life to get full, but at the same time my practice is the most important part of my life, it’s who I am. It’d be harder not to be Buddhist now.

Dennis Smith Now I’m at university, as well as working. I learned from Ven. Robina how to cram a whole bunch in a little bit of time!
These days I’m helping Liberation Prison Project: I one of the teachers for people in prison. I have ten guys who I write to me now. They’ll ask me questions. They want to know. I definitely never tell them just what I think: I take books and do research. And I tell them my experiences, about Lmaa Zopa Rinpoche.

I know that through karma I could change and go back in the joint, but I also know if I live a proper life, it is not very likely. They understand why I’m out is because of karma. “He’s come from same place as us, he’s taken the Dharma and made a life.” So it’s encouraging for them.