The four opponent powers

Part of a series of teachings from the 2010-2011 Vajrasattva Retreat at Vajrapani Institute in Boulder Creek, California, from December 28, 2010, to January 1, 2011.

  • Purifying negative karma now so that we don’t fall to the lower realms
  • Changing our mind and establishing new attitudes towards those we’ve harmed
  • Taking refuge in the Three Jewels, asking for guidance, and making the effort to put the teachings into practice
  • Applying the antidote to purify negativity
  • Making a strong determination not to do the action again

13 Vajrasattva purification (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.