“Letter to a Friend”: Verses 9-18 review

Teachings on Nagarjuna's "Letter to a Friend" given during the Medicine Buddha Retreat at Sravasti Abbey in 2021.

  • Verse 9: The perfection of generosity
  • Verses 10 and 11: The perfection of ethical conduct
  • Verse 12: eliminating traits that interfere with ethical conduct
  • Verses 13 and 14: Caring about keeping ethical conduct
  • Verse 15: The perfection of fortitude
  • Verse 16: Giving up resentment
  • Verse 17: The basis for fortitude
  • Verse 18: Avoiding harmful speech

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.