Review of Chapter 6: Part 1
Venerable Thubten Tarpa 
Aryadeva's 400 Stanzas 
Jan 2, 2014 Antidotes to the disturbing emotions that steal our happiness and lead only to suffering. Venerable Thubten Chodron gave additional talks on this chapter of Aryadeva's Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way at the Kurukulla Center in Boston, Massachusetts, from March 29-30, 2014.
- What gets in the way of us engaging in the bodhisattva deeds
- How to work with the afflictions, especially anger and desire
- Afflictions are the source of our suffering
- Treating people differently according to their own propensities (strong anger or strong attachment)
- Function of the three poisons: attachment, anger, ignorance
- Antidotes to the three poisons
- Giving away our power by focusing outside and reacting to external people or things with desire or anger
- How grasping at true existence leads to the afflictions
- How dependent arising and emptiness arrive at the same point
- Training to regard unpleasant situations as a ripening of our negative karma
35 Aryadeva’s 400 Stanzas: Review, part 1 (download)
Venerable Thubten Tarpa
Venerable Thubten Tarpa is an American practicing in the Tibetan tradition since 2000 when she took formal refuge. She has lived at Sravasti Abbey under the guidance of Venerable Thubten Chodron since May of 2005. She was the first person to ordain at Sravasti Abbey, taking her sramanerika and sikasamana ordinations with Venerable Chodron as her preceptor in 2006. See pictures of her ordination. Her other main teachers are H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya and H.E. Dagmo Kusho. She has had the good fortune to receive teachings from some of Venerable Chodron's teachers as well. Before moving to Sravasti Abbey, Venerable Tarpa (then Jan Howell) worked as a Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer for 30 years in colleges, hospital clinics, and private practice settings. In this career she had the opportunity to help patients and teach students and colleagues, which was very rewarding. She has B.S. degrees from Michigan State and University of Washington and an M.S. degree from the University of Oregon. She coordinates the Abbey's building projects. On December 20, 2008 Ven. Tarpa traveled to Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights California receiving bhikhshuni ordination. The temple is affiliated with Taiwan's Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order.
