Urban Dharma
'20 Years of Buddhist Stories from an LA City Monk'
Kusala Bhikshu & Rebecca
Wilson
Photo - Volunteer Buddhist Police
Chaplain from 2000 - 2007
In 2001 Kusala Bhikshu received certificates of recognition for
his volunteer work as a police chaplain. A Certificate of
Special Congressional Recognition from congresswoman Loretta
Sanchez and a certificate of recognition from assemblyman Luis
Correa of the California State Assembly.
“Service is a way of knowing, a way of
making deeper contact with the interconnectedness."
Arthur J.
Deikman, M.D.
"Kusala
Bhikshu’s colorful account covers twenty years of “doing
Buddhism rather than being Buddhism.” Kusala traveled around Los
Angeles by motorcycle and served as a chaplain at a prison, a
juvenile detention camp, and a hospital.
He was also a
ride-along chaplain for an Orange County police department.
His portraits of
suffering people at the lowest points of their lives makes for
elevated reading, buoyed by Kusala’s unfailing compassion and
intrepid sense of humor. It is often his doubts and humility in
the face of hostility that win people over:
He is not afraid to
say, “I don’t know.” -- Tricycle Magazine / Fall 2024 /
"What We're Reading"
Urban Dharma in Paperback, Kindle and Nook
Buy @ Amazon /// Barnes and Noble
The Urban Dharma Book Event Audio
From the Shantideva Center in Brooklyn
NY
-
YouTube
"Set in the urban tapestry of Los Angeles, CA. American monk
Kusala Bhikshu takes readers on a journey through the heart of
practical Buddhism. The wins and losses, successes' and
failures, the insights and blind spots of compassion and
kindness. Each chapter serves as a testament to
the viability of Buddhist teachings." -- Black Boat Media - 2024
Contents
Introduction - The Journey
Chapter 1 - Police
Chaplain Years / 2000-2007
Chapter 2 - Prison
Year / 1995
Chapter 3 - Juvenile
Hall Years / 1996 - 2000
Chapter 4 - Hospital
Years / 2000 - 2012
A 10 Page Preview from Chapter 2 - The Prison Year
1995 in PDF -
Click Here
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Kusala's Homepage -
Click Here
"Customers find the content enlightening,
inspiring, and meaningful. They say the author seamlessly
integrates profound lessons into the stories. Readers also
appreciate the conversational writing style and honesty."
- Amazon.com
City of Los Angeles - Mayor's
Certificate of Appreciation
Reviews:
"I'm finding your
book both interesting and well written, and I like the way you
gently weave in your Buddhist reflections on what you're seeing
or experiencing." - Fr. William Skudlarek, OSB, Secretary
General of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue
"It’s very well written and
insightful. It feels intimate and authentic. I particularly like
the balance of Buddhist thinking and humor." - Kev R.
Dear Rev. Kusala, As the nearest large
bookshop is in Kuala Lumpur, about 100 miles away, your book is
now in my Kindle library. Thank you... With three deep bows -
Brian G.
"Good morning! I just wanted to let you
know that I finished the last page of your book, and it was such
a beautiful read. Truth be told, I couldn’t put it down. It gave
me a lot to think about, and it was also just a darn good yarn.
Thank you for writing it" - Kojun
"This book is
good! I'm enjoying it... I've had to put the book down and
reflect on simple but profound sentences like this, "It reminded
me that the seed of ignorance and delusion are carried deeply
within us, and have potential to take root at anytime" (page
68). The book provokes contemplation and reflection... Thank
you!" - Horton M.
"I have been
following Kusala Bhikshu on Facebook for a couple years and was
interested to read more about his life as a Buddhist monk who
lives in a meditation center in the Koreatown section of Los
Angeles. Overall, this is a book about one man’s journey into
kindness and compassion in working to reduce suffering. The book
presented a gateway to reflect more deeply on life choices,
Buddhist teachings, and the value of the here and now." - Ron J.
"I read your memoir; what a great read!
Reading it was almost as if you were having a deeply absorbing
talk with a good friend. The last section hit me the most with
the young lady dying of cancer feeling angry and trapped by the
circumstances... I like how you just kept showing up despite the
uncomfortableness of it and kept telling the truth even though
she resisted it, except at the end when she seemed to be at
peace. One of the last scenes of the book I loved was when you
were in the backyard feeling part of eternity at that moment,
feeling separate but somehow together with others out there and
at ease with the profound harmony of the way things are --
sadness and happiness all part of the same elaborate painting."
- Holly P.
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The UCLA Buddhist Club with Rev. Kusala - Meditation Night
Publisher:
Black Boat Media LLC
Publication date: 03/20/2024
Pages: 230