Introduction to the two truths
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Wisdom 
Jan 3, 2026 A talk given at the Choe Khor Sum Ling Center in Bangalore, India. Venerable Thubten Chodron reads from and gives a commentary on Chapter 1 of Appearing and Empty, the ninth volume in The Library of Wisdom and Compassion series by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron.
- Veiled truth and ultimate truth
- The way we see things is not the way they really exist
- Dependent arising and emptiness are compatible and mutually reinforce each other
- Our suffering does not have and inherent nature
- Conventional truths appear to be true to an awareness under the influence of ignorance
- Why realizing emptiness is important
- Questions and answers
- What do we do when we see someone harming others through their words or actions?
- How do you deal with expectations?
- How do we reconcile ambitions and emptiness?
- We don’t see conventional truths accurately
Introduction to the two truths (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.
