Beyond Blame
Chapter 18
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
An Open-Hearted Life 
May 5, 2019 A series of talks based on An Open-Hearted Life given at Sravasti Abbey’s monthly Sharing the Dharma Day starting in April 2017. Co-written with clinical psychologist Dr. Russell Kolts, the book offers practical Buddhist and Western psychological approaches to developing compassion.
- The difference between blame and responsiblitiy
- Where does anger come from?
- We have a choice not to get angry
- Situations arise due to many causes and conditions, not a single person
- Questions
- How can you be assertive without anger?
- When should you say something and when should you let it go?
- How can you communicate expectations in a positive way?
An Open-Hearted Life 19: Beyond Blame (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.
