The eight worldly concerns

42 The Foundation of Buddhist Practice

Part of an ongoing series of teachings (retreat and Friday) based on the book The Foundation of Buddhist Practice, second volume in “The Library of Wisdom and Compassion” series by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron.

  • Meditation on purpose of our life and creating the causes for long term happiness
  • Benefits of seeing the value and meaning our life
  • Two types of happiness, temporal and long lasting
  • What is renunciation?
  • Eight worldly concerns, four pairs of attachment and anger
  • Gain and loss, disrepute and fame
  • Blame and praise, pleasure and pain
  • How much we focus on money and material gain
  • Attachment to reputation interferes with worldly activities and Dharma practice

The Foundation of Buddhist Practice 42: The Eight Worldly Concerns (download)

Contemplation points

  1. What is the difference between short-term and long-term happiness? How are you practicing in your daily life in order to attain these?
  2. What are we really renouncing? What does renunciation look like in your life? Is it difficult for you?
  3. Do you care about a good reputation? How do you see evidence of this in your life?
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.