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.

View Posts

Venerable Jampa under a tree, reading.
Contentment and Happiness

Making life meaningful

What is the true meaning of our precious human rebirth? Remembering karma and creating the…

View Post
Shantideva image in ground mineral pigment on silk.
Shantideva Teachings in Singapore

Chapter 1: Verses 7-36

Encouragement to really make the generation of bodhicitta the foremost thing in our life, leading…

View Post
Shantideva image in ground mineral pigment on silk.
Shantideva Teachings in Singapore

Chapter 1: Verses 2-6

The author's intention in composing the text and learning from his humility. The conditions to…

View Post
Shantideva image in ground mineral pigment on silk.
Shantideva Teachings in Singapore

Chapter 1: Verse 1

Explanation: there's no irreparable gap between who we are and the goal of Buddhahood. The…

View Post
Shantideva image in ground mineral pigment on silk.
Shantideva Teachings in Singapore

Chapter 1: Introduction

Setting the context, motivation and attitude to learn the text. Explaining the Buddhist concept of…

View Post
Bhikshuni and bhikshunis walking in 2 rows, with lay person spreading flowers on the path.
Tibetan Tradition

Research regarding the lineage of bhikshuni ordination

Possibility and validity of introducing bhikshuni ordination into the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

View Post
Ven. Chodron, Ven. Jampa Tsedroen , Ven. Heng-Ching Shih and Ven. Lekshe Tsomo sitting and discussing on a table full of papers.
Tibetan Tradition

A new possibility

The importance of having bhikshunis in the world and how bhikshuni ordination can be established…

View Post
Cover of Cultivating a Compassionate Heart.
Books

He meant well, dear

How to meditate on compassion when watching the news generates agitation and anger in your…

View Post
Cover of Cultivating a Compassionate Heart.
Books

Reviews of “Cultivating a Compassionate Heart&...

Praise for the book "Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of Chenrezig."

View Post
Vajrasattva statue
Vajrasattva Winter Retreat 2005-06

What to do after retreat

Advice on how to take what was learned during retreat into life, and how to…

View Post
Altar set up for Dorje Khadro practice.
Dorje Khadro

How to do the Dorje Khadro practice

Introduction to the Dorje Khadro fire offering and a description and explanation of the practice.

View Post
The first frost of snow falls on a Buddha statue in the garden amidst fall foliage.
37 Practices of Bodhisattvas

37 Practices: Verses 29-37

The perfections of concentration and wisdom, and the final verses on the practices of bodhisattvas.

View Post