Practicing serenity in the Chinese tradition
85 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Volume 4 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 
Feb 20, 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.
- Praciticing serenity and insight in a balanced way
- Method aspect of the path and wisdom
- Misconceptions of blank-minded meditation
- Developing bodhicitta
- Dependent arising
- Relationship between body, breath and mind
85 Practicing Serenity in the Chinese Tradition (download)
Contemplation points
- What is the importance of practicing both concentration and wisdom in spiritual practice? What benefits arise from each that support the other?
- What is the role of creating merit when developing wisdom and vice versa?
- What makes the cultivation of serenity different in Buddhism from other religions?
- Why is it that we don’t abandon conceptual thoughts when we practice the Dharma? How is conceptual thought both helpful and necessary?
- Why does bodhicitta make us strong, courageous, and resilient?
- Consider how your mind and body affect one another. When your mind is agitated, what is your breathing like (and vice versa)? How does this affect your ability to concentrate during meditation? What are some antidotes to help calm both the body and mind?
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.
