From the Spiritual Director
Venerable Khemadhammo Mahathera, OBE
Thank you for your interest in our work. Here are a few more details that may be useful to you in reaching a decision to join our team of chaplains.
Our requirements are first of all that you enter into the work whole-heartedly and are prepared to devote a certain amount of time and trouble to it. We feel strongly that a good example and thus a reasonably high standard of personal behaviour and practice is important, and so we ask all our chaplains to undertake as a minimum standard, a serious practice of the Five Precepts. With alcohol and drug abuse playing such an enormous part in criminal activity, we like all our people to be especially careful of the last of these Five Precepts. Chaplaincy candidates should also be meditators with a fair experience. As to doctrine, it's obviously important to have a grasp of basic principles like the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, Karma and its Results, Giving, Loving-Kindness and Compassion, etc. It's also important to be reasonably conversant with schools and methods other than your own. It is likely that you will encounter a variety of interests amongst those you meet in prison and you must be prepared to do your best to nourish and direct those interests. Proselytising and promotion of one's own school or variety of Buddhism over another is not acceptable.
It should be noted that Buddhists are rare in certain types of prison (as for instance, Young Offender Institutions) which, nevertheless, we should like to cover. Also, prisoners are shifting from prison to prison, at times with some frequency, so there may be lulls when there is no one to visit in even the busiest of prisons.
We require everyone to commit himself or herself to at least one training session a year. Training Workshops are held at quarterly intervals through the year and all Buddhist chaplains are invited to attend all and are expected to attend at least one every year. These are extremely useful events when you will have the chance to learn from one another, support each other, gain from the seminar on some points of Buddhist teaching and practice, and pick up on developments in the Prisons - especially those that affect the chaplaincy. They also include talks and advice on prison matters like security awareness. Especially, these are times when aspects of the work are discussed and experiences are shared. With so many changes in the air, now is a time when, more than ever, we must stick together and pull together. Lastly, we ask that all Buddhist chaplains be fully paid up members of ANGULIMALA.
You will be subject to a security clearance and you will be required to complete a Security Questionnaire. Individual prisons may have their own requirements of you, such as a proof of identity.
Finally, we at ANGULIMALA are here to help and back you up, answer queries and give advice. Further induction material will be sent to you on appointment and will include a list of Buddhist chaplains and their telephone numbers. The co-ordinator, Rev. Saido Kennaway can be contacted on 01434 345216. You can ring me any time.