Take Control of Your Future

Not a Prison, but a School to Meet the Better Self

While you spend your time at this prison, I hope you can take out some time to study earnestly, something that enriches yourself. While I was walking around the prison, I noticed that some of you are taking classes to learn English, some are trying to learn technical skills, traditional culture and arts, etc. If you have this opportunity to learn while you stay here, then why don’t you see your stay here as being in a school and not in a place where you suffer? Take this opportunity, and learn earnestly; then once you are released, you will feel enriched because you have gained a lot of knowledge.

There are different people here, with different educational backgrounds and different skills. Some of you used to be teachers; some are good at painting, poetry, architecture, etc. So why don’t you share your knowledge with those who are interested to learn? In this way, although you are in prison, the knowledge you possess will not go to waste and your stay here will become meaningful.

Freedom Comes from the Mind

Due to some wrongdoings of the past, being imprisoned and surrounded by these large walls, it may seem that you have lost your freedom, living everyday under the orders of others. However if your mind is open, free and truly relaxed, no amount of control nor any gloomy environment can block you from enjoying the freedom. Even when you are inside the prison, you can still see and enjoy the blue sky, bright sunshine, fragrant air and feel happy. Therefore, as long as your mind is without confinement, you will feel free to do and enjoy many things in the world as much as you want.

Never Lose Your Inner Freedom

It is important that we never lose our “inner freedom” and self-confidence, no matter how difficult our life is. With such an inner strength, then whatever happens will not be able to tie us down, to confine us. Freedom has two aspects: inner freedom and physical freedom. Physically you are now confined in the prison; but no one can confine your mind—no one can stop you from having a happy and relaxed mind. This means that we have the freedom to decide how we will see the things that happen to us, freedom to choose which attitude we will have toward whatever happens in life. This is the greatest freedom of all. This is also the spirit of Viktor Frankl who wrote Man’s Search for Meaning , and is the most precious treasure that everyone can possess.

Why Our Life Is the Way It Is

In the Buddhist scripture, The Sutra On Cause And Effect , there is such a verse,

If you want to know about causes in your past lives

Look at the rewards you reap in this life.

If you wish to find out about your future lives,

You need to notice what you do in this life.

This means that, from what you experience in this life, you can understand what you have done in your previous lives. Also, from what you do in this life, you can infer what you will experience in your future lives—whether it is happiness or suffering.

To suffer from sickness often or to have a short life means that we have taken lives of other sentient beings in our previous lives. To suffer from an unhappy marriage is a result of having been engaged in sexual misconduct in our previous lives. To be always lacking money or resources is because of having stolen things from others in our previous lives.

To be cheated by others is mainly because of having told lies and cheated others in our previous lives. To be insulted and verbally abused by others is because of having insulted others with harsh words in our previous lives. The reason for being in discord with friends due to others’ slander is because of having sowed discord among others in our previous lives. The reason that our words do not carry weight or authority and no one wants to listen to us is because we have indulged in worthless chatter in our previous lives.

The reason for not being able to achieve what we want, like not gaining wealth, is because of our covetousness in the past. The reason for being always fearful and lacking a sense of security is because of holding malice toward others in the past. The reason for not being able to see the truth is because of holding wrong views in the past.

In summary, if we have conducted the ten unwholesome actions, everything in our life will go wrong and be unsmooth. Now that you have to experience the prison life, you should understand that it is probably a result of imprisoning others or having engaged in some of the ten unwholesome actions in your past lives. This is the infallible law of cause and effect.

Buddhism, a Quest for Spiritual Enlightenment

Buddhism is a quest for the highest level of spiritual enlightenment. In brief, the teaching of Buddhism is to abstain from all that is evil, engage in all that is virtuous, and tame one’s own mind. Buddhism is not nihilism; it advocates love toward all beings. It is not just a religion, but also an education.