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How rebirth works

How rebirth works

Part of a series of teachings on Essence of Refined Gold by the Third Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Sonam Gyatso. The text is a commentary on Songs of Experience by Lama Tsongkhapa.

Rebirth and karma

  • The two continuums of the body and the mind
  • Benefit of contemplating the possibility of rebirth in the lower realms
  • How our future happiness depends on our actions

Essence of Refined Gold 15 (download)

Questions and answers

  • Can you explain the end of the Vajrasattva practice? If nobody else can purify our negative karma, is Vajrasattva just validating that we have purified our own karma?
  • What kind of body do beings in the lower realms have?
  • When we are doing purification practice and we get sick or have pain is that a result of purification practice?

Essence of Refined Gold 15: Q&A (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.

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