Stories of Suffering and Kindness

An unfiltered, darkly humorous reflection on 20 years of volunteering in Los Angeles’s hospitals, prison, juvenile hall, and the police department as a ride-along chaplain.

Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to the path, these stories will leave you with a deeper understanding of how to cultivate inner peace and make a positive impact on the world around you.

Set in the urban din of Los Angeles, American monk Kusala Bhikshu takes readers on a journey through the heart of practical Buddhism. In his wry and humorous memoir, Kusala invites us into his world of twenty years of volunteer work in the most unlikely places: juvenile hall, prison yards, hospice rooms, and even alongside the police as a ride-along chaplain.

Through poignant anecdotes and insightful reflections, Kusala reveals the transformative power of Buddhist principles in the midst of everyday chaos. With wit and wisdom, he demonstrates how compassion, patience, generosity, and resilience can be lived out in the most challenging circumstances.

“The good done by an individual accumulates little by little. As time goes on, the little acts of virtue build, until the doer of good is totally filled with it.”

—The Dhammapada, v122

"I'm happy people find the book useful. I think the practice of Buddhism is done 'on and off the cushion' when we face difficult circumstances and or people. Buddhist practice is about applying the dharma to the challenges of everyday life."

—Kusala Bhikshu