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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Hand gesture symbolizing the universe that you are offering to the Buddhas.
Essence of Refined Gold

Five faults to serenity

The five faults and eight antidotes to developing serenity, according to Asanga and Maitreya.

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Medicine Buddha thangka surrounded by light and flower offerings.
Medicine Buddha Winter Retreat 2007-08

Clarifying the practice

Learning to work with anxiety. Questions from retreatants on visualization in the sadhana and about…

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Hand gesture symbolizing the universe that you are offering to the Buddhas.
Essence of Refined Gold

Conditions for developing serenity

Six conditions for developing meditative stabilization, meditation posture. Physical pain during meditation and the mental…

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Hand gesture symbolizing the universe that you are offering to the Buddhas.
Essence of Refined Gold

Five hindrances to concentration

A teaching on the five hindrances to concentration according to the Pali canon.

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Medicine Buddha thangka surrounded by light and flower offerings.
Medicine Buddha Winter Retreat 2007-08

Working through cause and effect

Defining physical and mental causes with examples. Tools to work with negative states of mind.

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Hand gesture symbolizing the universe that you are offering to the Buddhas.
Essence of Refined Gold

Joyous effort and concentration

Qualities for counteracting laziness and developing joyous effort, and techniques to counteract tiredness and distraction…

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Medicine Buddha thangka surrounded by light and flower offerings.
Medicine Buddha Winter Retreat 2007-08

Mid-retreat discussion

Addressing questions on different aspects of the meditation: the body, emptiness, visualization and deity meditation.

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A meditator sitting in lotus posture.
On Taking Illness Onto the Path

An incentive to engage in virtue

A sudden illness gives a student greater incentive and renewed urgency to practice the Dharma.

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Closeup of Wat Pho's Reclining Buddha.
Essence of Refined Gold

Taking joy in our Dharma practice

Having an appreciation for joyous effort and showing interest in overcoming laziness.

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Medicine Buddha thangka surrounded by light and flower offerings.
Medicine Buddha Winter Retreat 2007-08

Understanding Buddhist concepts

Clarifying concepts surrounding arhats and bodhisattvas. Questions on motivation to listen and the meditation on…

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Closeup of Wat Pho's Reclining Buddha.
Essence of Refined Gold

Laziness that interferes with practice

How laziness interferes with Dharma practice. What it means to be kind to ourselves and…

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Medicine Buddha thangka surrounded by light and flower offerings.
Medicine Buddha Winter Retreat 2007-08

Applying the teachings

Discussion: working with the mind, skillful ways of using refuge. Reflection on why we are…

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