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
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Commitment to contentment
Discussing the importance of monastics cultivating an attitude of contentment and commitment to upholding the…
View Post
The eight aspects of emptiness
The emptiness of an object's characteristics and of the 12 links of dependent arising.
View Post
Traditions of interpretation
Examining the four profundities and why analysis is crucial for perceiving emptiness.
View Post
Ten points monastics should reflect on
Explaining ten points that the Buddha recommended for all monastics to reflect on; also, how…
View Post
Understanding the two truths
Examining how form depends on causes and conditions and is an expression of emptiness.
View Post
Maintaining the purity of the Sangha
Describing how to maintain the purity of the Sangha, including some motivating advice from Master…
View Post
Emptiness and dependent origination
Examining different meanings of dependence and different ways of inherently existing.
View Post
The two middle-way schools
Investigating how the self exists and two primary divisions in the middle-way school.
View Post
Intent and purpose of monastic life
Continuing the section on The Intent and Purpose of Monastic Life, from Chapter 5.
View Post
Definitive verses, provisional interpretations
The importance of investigating all teachings and an introduction to the middle-way view.
View Post
Mind-only interpretation of emptiness
Investigating the Cittamatra view of how things exist.
View Post