The selflessness of persons

A series of teachings by Venerable Sangye Khadro given during the Green Tara Retreat at Sravasti Abbey and offered on-line from July 3 to July 10, 2020. The teachings include talks on the Green Tara Practice and commentary on Chapter 9 of Shantideva's Engaging in the Bodhisattva's Deeds. Venerable Sangye Khadro refers to Root Verses on Chapter 9 with Outline. She also refers to Chapter 9 Commentary by Dragpa Gyaltsen and Supplementary Notes on Shantideva's Ninth Chapter.

  • Reflecting on selflessness to deal with disturbing emotions
  • Why selflessness does not undermine karma
  • If there is no inherently existent self, then for whom is compassion cultivated?
  • How emptiness gives hope for freedom from suffering
  • Questions and answers
    • Why does karma ripen in future lives?
    • Why do some karmas ripen sooner than others?
    • Explain the self that exists and the self that doesn’t
  • Meditating on the body to establish selflessness of phenomena

Venerable Sangye Khadro

California-born, Venerable Sangye Khadro ordained as a Buddhist nun at Kopan Monastery in 1974 and is a longtime friend and colleague of Abbey founder Venerable Thubten Chodron. She took bhikshuni (full) ordination in 1988. While studying at Nalanda Monastery in France in the 1980s, she helped to start the Dorje Pamo Nunnery, along with Venerable Chodron. Venerable Sangye Khadro has studied with many Buddhist masters including Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey, and Khensur Jampa Tegchok. At her teachers’ request, she began teaching in 1980 and has since taught in countries around the world, occasionally taking time off for personal retreats. She served as resident teacher in Buddha House, Australia, Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, and the FPMT centre in Denmark. From 2008-2015, she followed the Masters Program at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute in Italy. Venerable has authored a number books found here, including the best-selling How to Meditate. She has taught at Sravasti Abbey since 2017 and is now a full-time resident.

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