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.

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Students' Insights

We are the same

After arriving in India at the beginning of the year, I went to a spiritual…

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Buddhist Worldview

Dharma questions and answers

Venerable Thubten Chodron answers questions on a variety of Dharma topics from her experience.

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The Six Perfections

The perfection of joyous effort

How to build a strong foundation for our spiritual practice with joyous effort.

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The Six Perfections

Identifying our buttons

Learning to work with our sensitivities and the power of forgiveness.

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The Six Perfections

Working with suffering

Why fortitude is important and how to work with being criticized.

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The Six Perfections

Three kinds of ethical conduct

Three kinds of ethical conduct and eleven groups of people to benefit when we can.

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The Six Perfections

We have the power to change

By taking responsibility for our ethical conduct, we can transform our lives and benefit others.

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Parting from the Four Clingings

Repaying the kindness of others

The limitations of personal liberation and the happiness of working for the benefit of others.

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Parting from the Four Clingings

Samsara is not a vacation

Seeing the kindness of others motivates us to work towards liberation for their benefit.

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