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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Library of Wisdom and Compassion

Approaching the Buddhist Path

An overview of and short reading from "Approaching the Buddhist Path," Volume 1 of The…

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Green Tara

Who is Tara?

The first of two online talks given to the Rainbow Body Sangha in India as…

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Volume 3 Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature

Virtue, nonvirtue, merit, and roots of nonvirtue

Completing Chapter 5, covering five types of virtues and five types of nonvirtues and starting…

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Shantideva Teachings at Sravasti Abbey

Refuting a primal substance and independent self

Covering Verses 26-32 of Chapter 6, presenting Buddhist refutations of a primal substance and the…

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An Open-Hearted Life

Identifying our feelings

How to identify our emotions and distinguish them from thoughts and why it's important.

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Volume 3 Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature

Having-ceased

Continuing teaching from Chapter 5, explaining having-ceased and karmic seed and comparing the notions of…

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Shantideva Teachings at Sravasti Abbey

Pushed by our afflictions

Covering Verses 19-25 of Chapter 6, sharing ways to lessen our anger by viewing others’…

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The Six Perfections

Perfection of generosity: Offering our universe

How the notions of “I,” “my,” and “mine” block generosity. How the mandala offering is…

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The Six Perfections

Perfection of generosity: Generosity in the Jataka T...

The differences between the generosity of fundamental vehicle and bodhisattva vehicle practitioners. Two stories from…

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The Six Perfections

Perfection of generosity: The benefits of giving wisely

How giving eliminates afflictions and generates virtue, Also, ways to increase the positive value of…

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The Six Perfections

Perfection of generosity: Pure and impure giving

A commentary on the text, “Nagarjuna on the Six Perfections”, that begins with the section…

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