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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Venerable Chodron bowing to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Three Principal Aspects of the Path

The preliminaries

How the Buddhist teachings plant in our minds the seed of the realizations that will…

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Buddhist monastics of different traditions sitting in a discussion group.
Interfaith Dialogue

Interfaith philosophies

Clarifying the various Buddhist views on what the present and future lives mean.

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Thangka con la imagen de Lama Tsongkhapa.
Three Principal Aspects of the Path

The Three Principal Aspects of the Path

Verses on the essence of the path to awakening by Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of…

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Man and woman meditating outside.
Cultivating the Four Immeasurables

Metta (loving-kindness) meditation

Learn about metta meditation, a method of cultivating goodwill. This practice of wishing happiness for…

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A statute of a standing buddha and the background is the face of a smiling buddha.
Four Truths for the Aryas

The four noble truths

A brief description of the four noble truths and why the Buddha taught them the…

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Venerable Chodron in conversation with Dr. Steven Vannoy.
By Prison Volunteers

Teaching meditation in the prison system

Steven Vannoy taught Buddhism and meditation to incarcerated people. He got a psychology degree to…

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A peace sign made of flowers over the 'Imagine' John Lennon memorial in Central Park.
Transforming War and Terrorism

Peace and justice after September 11

Dealing with fear and moving forward with compassion after the September 11, 2001 attacks on…

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2 young girls holding hands together, walking in a field.
For Young People

Good friendships

How to develop characteristics and qualities that make us a better friend.

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Three people dragging dead wood out of the forest
Ethics in the Modern World

Practical ethics

Buddhist views on various forms of killing, ethical behavior in sexual relationships, and on changing…

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Buddha statate in a shrine.
Refuge in the Three Jewels

Taking refuge and the five precepts

The difference between taking refuge and the Christian ceremony of baptism, as well whether or…

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