Venerable Thubten Chodron

Pioneering American Buddhist teacher and founder of Sravasti Abbey, currently assisting His Holiness the Dalai Lama with The Library of Wisdom and Compassion book series.

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Too Much Drama, Not Enough Dharma?

Are you a young adult (or know one) who’s questioning? Seeking meaning in life? Check out the contrast between the featured video versus what Sydney says about her time in Young Adults Explore Buddhism. Then explore Venerable Chodron’s take on The Real Purpose of the Dharma. Could this be what you’ve been looking for?

When you first come to Buddhism, you hear about loving kindness and compassion and that sounds really good.”
And then you hear about rebirth and you hear about different realms of existence and you go well... I'm not sure about that.”
Buddhism is a process of questioning, investigating, taking what makes sense and putting it into practice in your life.”

Featured Teachings

Check out highlights from Venerable Thubten Chodron's extensive teaching archive.

Contentment and Happiness

Who’s responsible for my suffering?

How to create the causes for happiness by changing our…

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Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland

The great aspirations of bodhisattvas

An explanation of why bodhisattvas make amazing aspirational prayers that…

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Group of students sitting together. Contentment and Happiness

What it means to be happy—a talk with young students

Real happiness doesn't come from external things but from developing…

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Purple flowers blossom in a bunch. Short Verses to Cultivate Bodhicitta

Special verse: Oceans of merit

What to consider while inviting generosity, the amazing opportunity that…

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Venerable Sangye Khadro smiling while teaching in front of a thangka. Buddhist Meditation 101

Meditation 101: Meditation on the mind like the sky

Explanation of the meditation on the mind like the sky…

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Illumination of the Thought

Outshining through intelligence

How bodhisattvas outshine hearers and solitary realizers in intelligence and…

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Latest Posts

Keep up with recent teachings by Venerable Thubten Chodron and other Sravasti Abbey monastics.

Stages of the Path

Analytic and placement meditation

Explaining the misconceptions about analytical meditation and placement meditation and…

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Upcoming Live Teachings

Follow Venerable Thubten Chodron's teachings at Sravasti Abbey, online, and worldwide.

Books

Learn more about Buddhist books written and edited by Venerable Thubten Chodron.

Cover of Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions

Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions

This unique text maps out the convergence and divergence of the two major Buddhist movements—the ...

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Book cover of Courageous Compassion

Courageous Compassion

The 6th book in the multi-volume collection and the 2nd devoted to compassion. Courageous Compass...

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Book cover of Appearing and Empty

Appearing and Empty

In this third and final volume on emptiness, the authors impart the Prasangika view of the ultima...

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Book cover of Awaken Every Day

Awaken Every Day

An instant dose of everyday wisdom, these insightful reflections help us understand our minds, ou...

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Book cover of Working with Anger

Working with Anger

A variety of Buddhist methods for subduing anger, not by changing what is happening, but by worki...

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Book cover of Buddhism for Beginners

Buddhism for Beginners

An accessible and engaging introduction to some of the most commonly asked questions about the es...

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Book cover of Gavin Discovers the Secret

Gavin Discovers the Secret to Happiness

A book enjoyable and beneficial for all ages, Gavin Discovers the Secret to Happiness has much to...

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Book cover of Refuge Resource Book

Refuge Resource Book

A collection of articles compiled by Venerable Thubten Chodron as a resource for preparing to tak...

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Book cover of Pearl of Wisdom I

Pearl of Wisdom, Book I

A compilation of prayers and practices commonly taught to people beginning to study and practice ...

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