Venerable Thubten Chodron

Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.

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Stone statue of Kuan Yin under a tree covered in snow.
Chenrezig Winter Retreat 2006-07

Basic goodness

The relationship between buddha nature and basic goodness, different ways to show compassion, and how…

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Sonam Gyatso the Third Dalai Lama
Essence of Refined Gold

Three qualities of a student

The importance of being open minded as a student and having respect for the teachings…

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Stone statue of Kuan Yin under a tree covered in snow.
Chenrezig Winter Retreat 2006-07

How to keep meditation interesting

Discussion on topics such as how afflictions develop, the meaning of clarity and awareness, describing…

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Venerable Tenzin Sangmo (hands folded together), the Dutch nun who founded and runs Thösamling, and Venerable Lhundup Damchö, to her left, are among those listening intently to Venerable Chödron’s Dharma talk.
Full Ordination for Nuns

The birth of Sakyadhita

Reminiscing about the pioneering conference that brought together female Buddhist practitioners from around the world.

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Venerable Heng Shure, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo and Venerable Thubten Chodron smiling
A Nun's Life

The wisdom of kindness

The moving life story of one of the first Western Tibetan Buddhist nuns and her…

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Sonam Gyatso the Third Dalai Lama
Essence of Refined Gold

Qualities of the lamrim

The benefits of lamrim practice; spiritual levels of practitioners, intent of the Buddha's teachings, respecting…

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Stone statue of Kuan Yin under a tree covered in snow.
Chenrezig Winter Retreat 2006-07

Purpose of thought training

How we can make friends with the buddhas, and how to handle periods of uncertainty.

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Sonam Gyatso the Third Dalai Lama
Essence of Refined Gold

The greatness of the teaching

The lineage of the teachings, relying on the lamrim teachings, how the lamrim is helpful…

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Stone statue of Kuan Yin under a tree covered in snow.
Chenrezig Winter Retreat 2006-07

Developing an attraction to Chenrezig

The purpose of visualization. How to visualize and chant the mantra at the same time.

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Sonam Gyatso the Third Dalai Lama
Essence of Refined Gold

History of the lamrim

The history of the lamrim and how can Buddhists in the West can approach the…

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