My name is Guan Rong, I am 55 years of age and I’m a member of the Blue Lotus Sangha at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison – Delta Facility (CVSP-D). I been incarcerated for the past 35 years. I’ve been studying Buddhism for about two and half years.
I started studying Buddhism because I wanted to change my way of living. A friend invited me to a Buddhist service here (CVSP-D) that was being given by Venerable Zhong. I did not know what to expect until I sat there listening to everything Venerable said and to what the other Buddhist Brothers were talking about which made me start to think.
My Study of Buddhism has helped me a lot, in so many
ways. When I told my family that I
was studying Buddhism they laughed at me in the beginning, but as time went on,
they started to see that I became a happier person. My faith along with my meditation has helped me open up to
them and they recognize that.
When I took the 5-Precepts, I did not know what it was until
that day, May 22, 2012, the day of my ordination and through out that day, I
see a lot of things in a different way.
Just like the first Precept says “No Killing” there was this guy who
kicks this little kangaroo mouse and broke his leg. I could not let it go, so my friend has brought the kangaroo
mouse me and I nurture the mouse back to health. Now the mouse has become a pet, like a little dog, its like
kangaroo mouse is part of the family.
That is what the first precept taught me that everything has the right
to live, and that the kangaroo mouse could have been some one who came back in
another life.
What I want to learn about Buddhism? Is how to deal with the everyday part of life and to know everything about Buddhism that way I can help other people out the way, it has help me understand the way of life in the world today. The one person who has help me out a lot, it is like my son he has always been there for me all the time he will be there to make sure I do my studies each day.
My meditation practice that we do has help me control my anger where people or something gets me upset, I would just lay down on my back and do my relax meditation for an hour but most of the time I’ll do my meditation in the morning. But my interest in taking this course is to help me better understand about Buddhism, meditation and the Dharma but most all to know about what I believe in. And I want my family to accept me for my belief because my study of Buddhism, I am now seeing things in a different eye.
What I want to learn about Buddhism? Is how to deal with the everyday part of life and to know everything about Buddhism that way I can help other people out the way, it has help me understand the way of life in the world today. The one person who has help me out a lot, it is like my son he has always been there for me all the time he will be there to make sure I do my studies each day.
My meditation practice that we do has help me control my anger where people or something gets me upset, I would just lay down on my back and do my relax meditation for an hour but most of the time I’ll do my meditation in the morning. But my interest in taking this course is to help me better understand about Buddhism, meditation and the Dharma but most all to know about what I believe in. And I want my family to accept me for my belief because my study of Buddhism, I am now seeing things in a different eye.
But my current understand of Buddhism is a long way
off. There is a lot I need to know
about being a good Buddhist. I
want to be able to help people and to where I can teach Buddhism to other
people, and mostly to better understand my faith. If I would of studying Buddhism sooner, I think I would have
been a better person and I would shown compassion for the world sooner.
The teachings that we get helps us. Our family gets the enlightenment which helps myself and other Buddhist understand the Buddha’s life. For me I just want everyone to be honest and try to understand life and to help each other if they have faith or not it is up to us to help each other always. My Buddhist studies help me a lot now, and I’ll always read Dharma and pray to Buddha.
The teachings that we get helps us. Our family gets the enlightenment which helps myself and other Buddhist understand the Buddha’s life. For me I just want everyone to be honest and try to understand life and to help each other if they have faith or not it is up to us to help each other always. My Buddhist studies help me a lot now, and I’ll always read Dharma and pray to Buddha.
With Metta
Guan Rong
Guan Rong
