PREFACE One of the great social problems of our contemporary world is the large and growing population within prisons. The hundreds of thousands of inmates, a large percentage of them young men who committed offenses in their teen years, create a financial and human burden that has reached staggering proportions. In the state of California in the USA, prison budgets now exceed the allotment for higher education. Those of us who visit and teach in prisons appreciate the willingness of a Buddhist leader such as Ven. Thich Nhat Tu to address this issue directly, showing tenderness and compassion for a group that are so often treated with indifference. He reminds us of how methods and policies affect the welfare of those who have violated concrete prohibitions of communities. As a Buddhist teacher he approaches this group with reference to individual conduct, and uses the counsel and advice based on precepts of his tradition. In the teaching, he has used gentle and sensitive instruction aimed at the development of qualities and capacities latent in the individual listeners, abilities that can help them face their situation. Thus, his goal has been to assist the inmates by giving help that will assist them in mastering some of the difficulties that are involved in prison life, providing them with new knowledge to use as a part of their mental life. It is difficult to fully comprehend the impact of his presence when he visits the facilities. For many inmates after a long period of being away from family and friends, there are no visitors, no letters, and no attention from loving and caring people. When Ven. Thich Nhat Tu enters to talk with them and spend time teaching and listening, he is seen as an individual but also in an iconic fashion as the very embodiment of morality and compassion. His message gives solace; there can be an “Inner Freedom” even in the face of a daily life that is restricted. For many of the inmates, the hardest task is to live with the guilt they feel over their actions, actions that caused harm and sorrow to others. It is at this basic level of experience that the teachings provide the necessary quality for remorse to give the power to receive, hold, and absorb understanding of reality and the possibility of inner transformation. It is a message that can have application to all of us, as we face the problems of our past and present life. Lewis Lancaster Emeritus Professor, University of California, Berkeley Adjunct Professor, University of the West