Chinese bhikshunis visit Sravasti Abbey
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Western Monastics 
Jan 19, 2013 After helping to conduct Venerable Jampa's ordination in the morning, which was followed by an anagarika ceremony in the early afternoon, a group of Chinese bhikshunis conducted a question-and-answer session with Venerable Thubten Chodron.
- Motivation for long-term monastic life
- Cross-cultural experience of practicing Buddhism
- Advice on following a particular Buddhist tradition
- Need for Westerners to gain knowledge of karma and its effects
- Personal experiences shortly after becoming a monastic
- Talking with parents and sharing Dharma with family
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.
