Venerable Sangye Khadro

California-born, Venerable Sangye Khadro ordained as a Buddhist nun at Kopan Monastery in 1974 and is a longtime friend and colleague of Abbey founder Venerable Thubten Chodron. She took bhikshuni (full) ordination in 1988. While studying at Nalanda Monastery in France in the 1980s, she helped to start the Dorje Pamo Nunnery, along with Venerable Chodron. Venerable Sangye Khadro has studied with many Buddhist masters including Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey, and Khensur Jampa Tegchok. At her teachers’ request, she began teaching in 1980 and has since taught in countries around the world, occasionally taking time off for personal retreats. She served as resident teacher in Buddha House, Australia, Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, and the FPMT centre in Denmark. From 2008-2015, she followed the Masters Program at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute in Italy. Venerable has authored a number books found here, including the best-selling How to Meditate. She has taught at Sravasti Abbey since 2017 and is now a full-time resident.

Featured Series

Venerable Sangye Khadro stands next to a wooden statue of Kuan Yin.

37 Practices of Bodhisattvas with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2019)

Short talks by Venerable Sangye Khadro on "The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas" by Gyelsay Togmay Zangpo.

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70 Topics with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2022)

70 Topics is an important study of the entire sutra path to enlightenment as presented in Maitreya's "Ornament for Clear Realization," including all the fundamental features of the basis, path and goal in the Mahayana.

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Venerable Sangye Khadro smiles while teaching.

Art of Transforming Suffering Retreat with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2017)

Teachings by Venerable Sangye Khadro on the art of transforming suffering given at Sravasti Abbey in July 2017.

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Know Your Mind with Venerable Sangye Khadro livestream banner.

Know Your Mind with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2021)

An introduction to Buddhist psychology by Venerable Sangye Khadro. The course explores topics such as what the mind is, perception and conception, types of awareness, and the mental factors.

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Venerable Sangye Khadro smiling while teaching in front of a thangka.

Meditation 101 by Venerable Sangye Khadro (2021)

Teachings by Venerable Sangye Khadro suitable for people encountering both meditation and Buddhism for the first time.

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A path in the meadow that leads into the forest.

Mind and Mental Factors with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2019)

An overview of the Buddhist psychology of mind and mental factors given during a course on Buddhist reasoning and debate in 2019.

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Blue sky with wispy clouds above a meadow.

Seven Kinds of Awareness with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2019)

An overview of the seven kinds of awareness according to the Buddhist philosophy of mind taught as part of a course on Buddhist reasoning and debate in 2019.

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Venerable Sangye Khadro smiles while speaking into a microphone.

Tenets with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2022)

Weekly teachings on the text "Presentation of Tenets" by Jetsun Chokyi Gyaltsen by Venerable Sangye Khadro.

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Green Tara tsa tsa on the Chenrezig Hall altar with offerings.
Green Tara Weeklong Retreat 2020

The eight dangers

Teaching on first four of the eight dangers we ask Tara to protect us from—arrogance,…

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Green Tara Weeklong Retreat 2020

The two truths

The relationship between the two truths—conventional and ultimate—and the three criteria for conventional existence.

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Green Tara tsa tsa on the Chenrezig Hall altar with offerings.
Green Tara Weeklong Retreat 2020

Meditation on Arya Tara

Explanation of the prayers and recitations of the Tara practice and the meaning of the…

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Green Tara Weeklong Retreat 2020

The perfection of wisdom

Beginning the commentary on Chapter 9, The Perfection of Wisdom, from "Engaging in the Bodhisattva's…

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Green Tara tsa tsa on the Chenrezig Hall altar with offerings.
Green Tara Weeklong Retreat 2020

Who is Tara?

The origin of Tara, the purpose and benefits of the Tara practice, and the symbolism…

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A group of nuns meditating.
Buddhist Meditation 101

Meditation on the kindness of others

A guided meditation to generate awareness of interdependence and of being the recipient of kindness.

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Two nuns meditating.
Antidotes to Afflictions

Meditation on working with anger

A guided meditation to reflect on the causes of anger and the antidotes.

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Two young men sitting next to each other and meditating.
Buddhist Meditation 101

Meditation on mind is the source of happiness and pain

A guided meditation to help understand how our thoughts and feelings influence our experience. Includes…

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Living a Meaningful Life

Meditation on death

A guided meditation to help clarify priorities in life in order to live wisely and…

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Living a Meaningful Life

Meditation on ways to understand impermanence

A guided meditation on five ways to understand impermanence as described in the book "The…

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Peaceful Living, Peaceful Dying Retreats

The eight stages of the death process

Explaining the eight stages of the death process, speaking on how to help people who…

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