The fourth distortion

The fourth distortion

From December 17 to 25, 2006, at Sravasti Abbey, Geshe Jampa Tegchok taught on A Precious Garland of Advice to a King by Nagarjuna. Venerable Thubten Chodron complemented these teachings by giving commentary and background.

  • Seeing what does not have a self as having a self
  • Thinking that things without inherent existence do exist inherently
  • The three ways of apprehending phenomena:
    • As inherently existent
    • As non-inherently existent
    • As neither inherently existent or not
  • Seeing the “I” as inherently existent
  • Grasping at inherent existence with negative and positive states of mind
  • The Prasangika view of emptiness and dependent origination
  • Ultimate and conventional existence
  • Questions and answers

Precious Garland 05 (download)

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.