Review of precious human life
73 The Foundation of Buddhist Practice
Venerable Thubten Tarpa 
Volume 2 The Foundation of Buddhist Practice 
Jan 8, 2021 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.
- Developing self-confidence and appreciation for our potential
- What to adopt and what to abandon
- Contemplating the difficulty of having these favorable conditions
- Eight freedoms, not being in a state conducive to practice
- Rebirth in non human states, four states in a human rebirth
- Imagining being in such states
- Ten fortunes, five from self and five from others
- Checking if we have each of these favorable conditions
- Transmitted dharma, realized dharma
- Turning the mind away from eight worldly concerns
The Foundation of Buddhist Practice 73: Review of Precious Human Life (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.
