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Dharma Behind Bars: The Paradox of Freedom

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In the teachings of the Buddha, perhaps no claim is so radical as this: that liberation is not the special province of the few or the fortunate; that happiness is not dependent upon caste or creed, wealth or status. According to the dharma, true freedom—freedom from greed, hatred, and delusion—is determined by our minds, not by our place in life. Insofar as we are governed by our desires and aversions, we live in a prison of our own making; and insofar as we are free of the bondage of our attachments, we are able to taste freedom, no matter our circumstances.

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