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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Volume 1 Approaching the Buddhist Path

Faith, purification, and merit

Continuing the teaching from Chapter 9, 'Tools for the Path', exploring the ideas of faith,…

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Volume 1 Approaching the Buddhist Path

Tools for the path

Beginning teaching Chapter 9, Tools for the Path, covering general advice to help practitioners overcome…

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Buddhist Reasoning and Debate

The defender’s response

Explaining the various responses a defender can give to the challenger in a debate, and…

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Exploring Monastic Life 2019

Ordination is a wonderous deed

How to benefit others according to our capacity, and commentary to the advice following the…

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An Open-Hearted Life

Cultivating compassion and equanimity

Equanimity, a mind free from bias and indifference, is important in order to have the…

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Exploring Monastic Life 2019

Advice from the preceptor

Commentary to further advice from the preceptor, including the final instruction from the preceptor.

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Volume 1 Approaching the Buddhist Path

Two aims and four reliances

Continuing Chapter 8 “A Systematic Approach,” covering the sections “Value of the Stages of the…

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Exploring Monastic Life 2019

Qualities of a monastic

The five virtues a monastic should possess, and commentary to the ten numerical lists.

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Exploring Monastic Life 2019

Advice from the preceptor

Commentary to advice from the preceptor and qualities that make someone a worthy recipient of…

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Exploring Monastic Life 2019

Robes of liberation

The importance of the mental factors of integrity and consideration for others, and the symbolic…

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