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