Chapter 1: Abandoning belief in permanence
Introduction and Verse 1
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Aryadeva's 400 Stanzas 
Apr 25, 2013 Countering the distortion of permanence by reflecting on death. Chapters 1-8 of Aryadeva’s Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way explain the stages of the path dependent on conventional truths.
- Introduction and overview of the text 400 Stanzas on the Middle Way by Aryadeva
- Aryadeva’s biography
- The importance of contemplating death
01 Aryadeva’s 400 Stanzas: Introduction and Verse 1 (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.
