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Audio recordings of teachings by Venerable Thubten Chodron and others.

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Two novices studying, one novice writing on the paper of the other novice.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

The benefits of precepts

What is important in our lives? Happiness is getting our lives together to pacify our…

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The 2008 Exploring Monastic Life participants pose in front of the beautiful Medicine Buddha thangka in the Abbey living room.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

Introducing Exploring Monastic Life 2008

Opening the 2008 Exploring Monastic Life program with an introduction and advice on how to…

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Sunrise at Borobudur, the back view of the Buddha and stupas.
Essence of Refined Gold

Dependent arising and emptiness

Investigating ultimate and conventional truth through the teachings on dependent arising and emptiness.

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Sunrise at Borobudur, the back view of the Buddha and stupas.
Essence of Refined Gold

Refuting inherently existent phenomena

Using the "diamond slivers" reasoning to refute the inherent production of phenomena.

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Short Verses to Cultivate Bodhicitta

Verse 14-3: Three higher trainings

Gradual progression of subduing of the afflictions and the counteracting of the karma through the…

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Sunrise at Borobudur, the back view of the Buddha and stupas.
Essence of Refined Gold

Refuting the inherent self

Using reasoning to refute the inherent existence of the self and all phenomena.

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Purple flowers blossom in a bunch.
Short Verses to Cultivate Bodhicitta

Verse 14-1: The prison of cyclic existence

Determination to be free, aspiration for enlightenment to benefit sentient beings and liberate them, wisdom…

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Purple flowers blossom in a bunch.
Short Verses to Cultivate Bodhicitta

Verse 13: The nourishment of samadhi

Deep samadhi nourishes the mind and body enabling great meditators to spend more time meditating…

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Purple flowers blossom in a bunch.
Short Verses to Cultivate Bodhicitta

Verse 12: The nectar of wisdom

The different kinds of wisdom as we progress along the path. The analogies of wisdom…

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Purple flowers blossom in a bunch.
Short Verses to Cultivate Bodhicitta

Verse 11: The fire of wisdom

An explanation of the analogy of wisdom with fire, a fire that eradicates the afflictions…

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Purple flowers blossom in a bunch.
Short Verses to Cultivate Bodhicitta

Verse 10-3: Meditating on emptiness

The various levels of subduing the afflictions, from avoiding the object, to developing samadhi, and…

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