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Our game plan in a time of war

Our game plan in a time of war

A talk by Venerable Thubten Chodron regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

  • Responding to a letter from the Abbey’s Buddha Bear
  • Anger is a natural reaction, but do we want to continue to be angry?
  • Expanding our viewpoint of the situation
  • The different ways we respond emotionally to conflict situations
  • Looking at the conflict from a historical viewpoint
  • The global response and the effect of sanctions
  • Ethical conduct and defending yourself
  • This is the time to have empathy and develop love and compassion

Questions and answers

  • Can the sanctions backfire and cause more suffering?
  • Does the motivation for imposing sanctions make a difference?
  • In defending my self am I defending a self that doesn’t exist?
  • How do we defend our self without attachment?
  • If someone attacks you and you have anger in your mind is it better to flee than fight with a mind of malice?

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.

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