Question and answers on Dharma and life
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Dharma in Daily Life 
Oct 31, 2023 An informal question and answer session in Singapore on a variety of Dharma related topics.
- You are now 73, what is the secret to being happy and healthy and having so much energy?
- When we go through physical pain, sickness, or surgery is it true we should be grateful that we have a human life and are able to clear a big negative karma?
- During a retreat, someone got a small worm in their ear and wanted to get it out, but the Buddhist doctor didn’t want to kill it. What should we do in such a situation?
- What should someone do if they are in a lot of pain but their teacher told them not to take painkillers?
- Is it true that if you try to avoid your pain, then you don’t purify your negative karma but if you endure it, your negative karma will be purified?
- What if you can’t endure the pain but your teacher tells you that is good because you are purifying negative karma?
- What is the most important objective in life when practicing the Dharma? What is the most important objective for you?
- Should we vow that we want to become a Buddha? Many think that’s to far away.
- Can an arhat later become a Buddha?
- What is your opinion on euthanasia?
- For the person choosing euthanasia is it the same as committing suicide?
- As a doctor, if we treat a patient that has filed their advanced care plan and do not want to receive certain treatments even though we could prolong their life, is it negative karma?
- What is your view on organ donation?
- How long does it take for the consciousness to leave the body?
- We all went through covid. What have you learned from that?
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.
