Mindfulness of the conventional nature of mind
110 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Volume 4 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 
Aug 28, 2026 Part of an ongoing series of teachings based on the book Following in the Buddha's Footsteps, the fourth volume in The Library of Wisdom and Compassion series by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron.
- Review of how Arya bodhisattvas respond to pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feelings
- Two views on mind observing the mind
- Impermanence of the mind
- Investigating how each moment of mind arises, abides and disintegrates simultaneously
- Two points to diminish the fear of the self vanishing at death
- Continuity of moments of mind is indestructible
- I is designated in dependence on the mind
- Clear and knowing characteristics of the mind
- How to observe the conventional nature of the mind?
- Two aspects of the mind
- Natural state of mind is free from both destructive emotions and free of constructive emotions
- Mind is momentary and fluctuating
- Seeing the possibility of true cessations
- Mindfulness of the mind and selflessness of the persons
110 Mindfulness of the Conventional Nature of Mind (download)
Contemplation points
- Spend some time contemplating the description of how bodhisattvas establish mindfulness on feelings from the text (Arya Ratnacuda Sutra). How does this inspire your practice
- Try to find the present moment. Notice that as soon as you’ve identified it, it is gone. Try to isolate and examine one moment, noting that it has a beginning, the middle, and an end. When does the mind abide? Really take some time with this. What then does it mean to stay in the present moment?
- How is it that mindfulness on the subtle impermanent nature of the mind reduces fear of death? Describe the two points that help us better understand this. How does this benefit our practice?
- Make some examples of how objects of the five sensory consciousnesses control your life. How does this prevent us from truly experiencing the real nature of the mind? What does mindfulness of mind help us to understand more clearly? How does this lead us to a better understanding of third noble truth (true cessations)?
- When we meditate on the mindfulness of the mind (seeing the mind as momentary and transient) and we meditate on mindfulness of the body (carefully reflecting on the characteristics of the body), we gain an understanding of the selflessness of the person… How does that work? Describe how these meditations lead us to selflessness?
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.
