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.

View Posts

Two women give each other a high five while offering service at Sravasti Abbey.
Family and Friends

Attachment and its effects

Teachings on the dangers of attachment and difference between attachment vs love.

View Post
Two women give each other a high five while offering service at Sravasti Abbey.
Family and Friends

Relating to others in the community

Summary of how our mind works and importance of cultivating good qualities to interact with…

View Post
Bleeding heart flowers in the Sravasti Abbey garden.
Chenrezig

Eight verses of thought transformation: Verses 4-5

Looking into our hearts, seeing that we all want happiness and we do not want…

View Post
Bleeding heart flowers in the Sravasti Abbey garden.
Chenrezig

Eight verses of thought transformation: Verses 1-3

Seeing others as karmic bubbles in order to loosen our rigid conception of them.

View Post
Contentment and Happiness

Buddhism and consumerism

A talk on how consumerism affects society and its impact on Buddhism in America.

View Post
Venerable Chodron being interviewed by MORE Magazine.
Living with Impermanence

To go one’s own way

"I've never wanted to get old and look back on my life with regret." Venerable…

View Post
Bleeding heart flowers in the Sravasti Abbey garden.
Chenrezig

Chenrezig retreat discussion: Part 2

A discussion on the many aspects of karma; purifying negative actions through four opponent powers.

View Post
Bleeding heart flowers in the Sravasti Abbey garden.
Chenrezig

Chenrezig retreat discussion: Part 1

Being kind and skillful yet incredibly firm. Being an effective, capable human being, not a…

View Post
Bleeding heart flowers in the Sravasti Abbey garden.
Chenrezig

Introduction to Chenrezig practice

An overview of the practice of Chenrezig, explaining the meaning and purpose of visualization and…

View Post
Cultivating Compassion

Curing our self-centeredness

Compassion can serve as a powerful antidote to our self-preoccupation and free us from our…

View Post
Venerable Chodron was invited to give a talk to the nuns of Jangchub Choeling Nunnery.
Tibetan Tradition

Present status of bhikshuni ordination

Concerns within the sangha regarding giving bhikshuni ordination are addressed by the findings of recent…

View Post