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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Exploring Monastic Life 2021

Living a happy monastic life

The key factors that lead to having a happy mind as a monastic and living…

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Exploring Monastic Life 2021

Monastic precepts and community life

How monastic precepts and community life are set up to help work with our afflictions…

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Exploring Monastic Life 2021

The five precepts

How the five precepts guide how we live and relate to each other for the…

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Volume 3 Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature

The order in which afflictions arise

Continuing teaching from Chapter 4, describing the order in which afflictions arise according to different…

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Shantideva Teachings at Sravasti Abbey

The defects of anger

Discussing the various defects and disadvantages of anger, covering Verses 1 - 6 of Chapter…

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An Open-Hearted Life

Compassion and empathy review

Further commentary on how empathy is important in being compassionate, how to develop empathy and…

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Volume 3 Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature

Eighty-four thousand afflictions

Completing Chapter 3, covering five hindrances and beginning Chapter 4, describing how fear, anxiety and…

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Shantideva Teachings at Sravasti Abbey

Putting the dharma into practice

Covering Chapter 5 Verses 100-109, discussing the advice to dedicate our merits for the welfare…

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Volume 3 Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature

Fetters and pollutants

Continuing teaching from Chapter 3, covering the fetters and pollutants as described in the Pali…

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Medicine Buddha Weeklong Retreat 2021

Medicine Buddha’s unshakable resolves 7-12

The second part of the explanation the Medicine Buddha’s unshakable resolves. Resolves 7 through 12…

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Medicine Buddha Weeklong Retreat 2021

“Letter to a Friend”: Verse 40 review

How we can cultivate the four immeasurables of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and how…

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