How to relate to a spiritual mentor
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Qualities of a Spiritual Teacher 
Dec 14, 2025 A talk given at the Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Singapore.
- Why we need spiritual teachers
- Choosing qualified spiritual teachers
- Look at the teachers qualities, not just their titles
- Different ways of relating to different kinds of Buddhist mentors
- What does it mean to see the teacher as the Buddha?
- The appropriate attitude toward teachers and teachings
- Cultivating qualities to be a receptive Dharma student
- How to rely on a spiritual teacher
- Questions and answers
- What should we do when our teacher passes away and how do we relate to their reincarnation?
- How do we differentiate between actual teachings and culture?
- When teachers do something that is unusual how can you look at the situation?
How to relate to a spiritual mentor (download)
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.
