THE SNOW LION NEWSLETTER

Bringing the Dharma into Prison
A Profile of Victoria Dolma
By Patrise Henkel

Victoria Dolma, a long-time practitioner and scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, has been working for the past 8 years to bring Buddhadharma to men and women behind bars. Besides corresponding with inmates around the country, she publishes The Victory Banner, a newsletter for and by prisoners. A resident of the nation's capital, Victoria was drawn to Buddhism 25 years ago, and has since taken teachings from masters of all 4 lineages, plus Bon. She has also edited translations of sacred texts by, among others, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen and Thrangu Rinpoche. The following is an interview with her about her activities.

Patrice Henkel (left) and Victoria Dolma (right).

PH: How did you come to produce a newsletter for prisoners?

V: In 1995, I saw some notices in the Snow Lion newsletter from prisoners looking for a Dharma correspondent. For decades I'd been searching for a way to contribute, but nothing felt quite right. It sounds like a cliché, but as soon as I saw those notices, I knew intuitively that my karma and I had met. It was like an MGM moment!

PH: Were these prisoners serious about pursuing a Buddhist practice?

V: Incredibly so. I am always deeply moved by the perseverance of many inmates. In my view, some of them are the equal of Milarepa. Mila faced incredible challenges, but at the same time he had the presence of his guru, the support of his Vajra brothers and sisters, and the ministrations of Marpa's wife, who acted as a mother figure, to keep him going, whereas prisoners have to practice against a backdrop of religious discrimination, constant noise, crowding, and violence. Their courage is extraordinarily inspiring.

PH: So how did you move from individual correspondence to a newsletter?

V: In 1997 I began putting out a one-page report about the Dharma events I was blessed to attend. The enthusiastic response of my correspondents, plus my wish to make the reports more visually interesting, led to a full-scale newsletter. A friend of mine who is a Chaplain in California suggested that I invite inmates to contribute articles. In this way, my Tibetan slant, which is a product of the teachings I've received, was complemented by Zen, Chan, and other views. I welcome inmate articles, questions, poetry and drawings. I've also included special features like a glossary of Tibetan/Sanskrit terms, and a prison resource guide. Our circulation currently stands at 160 and grows with each issue, the result of word-of-mouth recommendations and listings in prison directories.

PH: Do you see common threads among your correspondents' life stories?

V: Ninety-nine percent of the people I correspond with have a history of alcohol or drug abuse. Ironically, many prisoners started out highly idealistic-too much so. When life didn't live up to their expectations, they self-medicated with substances, the substances led to crime, and crime led to prison. I also see a high incidence of bi-polar disorder and PTSD.

PH: Despite this, have you seen positive outcomes?

V: One of the most dramatic is that of an Amerindian man who, at a very early age, witnessed the slaughter of much of his family. Predictably, he was highly traumatized. But in his culture there is no place for the mentally ill. He experienced a major breakthrough when he read the Buddha's statement that compared to enlightened beings, all of us are deranged! He has since embraced Buddhist practice so wholeheartedly that he is now off all medication-a major achievement. Another correspondent, who used to be a deputy sheriff, lost his career, his home, his family-everything. Yet he tells me he is now happier than ever because of finding the Dharma. It's as if he had to tear down the shaky foundations of his former life and start anew.

PH: What is your vision for your prison project in the years ahead?

V: I'd like to see The Victory Banner in every prison library so that more prisoners could discover the path. But this will require more funding and volunteers. I'd also like to work more closely with colleagues in prison dharma work so we could consolidate and maximize our efforts. The prison situation is desperate and will only improve if all of us involved make a coordinated effort. Ultimately, it's to everyone's benefit because most prisoners will, at some point, be back on our streets. Helping them realize their Buddha nature is a compassionate necessity.

For more information, or to subscribe to The Victory Banner, contact Victoria Dolma at P.O. Box 53461, Washington, DC 20009. Subscriptions are free to prisoners, prison libraries & chaplains. All others may subscribe for $30.00 per year, which helps bring The Victory Banner to at least 6 incarcerated readers.