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Lamrim Teachings

These ebooks contain lightly-edited transcripts of teachings given by Venerable Thubten Chodron at Dharma Friendship Foundation, Seattle, from 1991-1994. They have been organized and formatted by Lai Wee Chiang.

  • Volume I: Foundations of the Path
  • Volume II: Initial Scope
  • Volume III: Intermediate Scope
  • Volume IV: Advanced Scope

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Refuge Resource Book

Revised and republished in 2018 by Sravasti Abbey. Special thanks to Dharma Friendship Foundation for compiling the original booklet.

When we take refuge, we trust our spiritual development to the guidance of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Whether it is done formally in a ceremony or in our hearts throughout the day, taking refuge always serves as the foundational step that points our lives in a positive direction and moves us along the path to discovering our inner, unlimited potential for awakening.

This booklet was created as a resource to prepare for formally taking refuge and any or all of the five lay precepts. It may also serve as a valuable resource for renewing and deepening our refuge over time.

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Study guides

Through hearing, thinking, and meditating, we deepen our understanding of the Buddha’s teachings and create the causes for transformation. Study guides for a number of books and root texts have been created to support this process.

  • An Open-Hearted Life
  • Don’t Believe Everything You Think
  • Gomchen Lamrim
  • Guided Meditations on the Lamrim
  • Open Heart, Clear Mind

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Be a Lamp Upon Yourself

Published in 1999 by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore

Although not written by Venerable Chodron, this book was inspired by her teachings as well as those by Thich Nhat Hanh, Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, S. Dhammika, Brother Piya Tan, and other eminent Dharma masters. It provides a concise approach to the foundations of Buddhism and the vast field of the Buddha’s teachings. Hosted here through the kind permission of KMSPKS.

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Arti Sebuah Pelita Kehidupan

Dealing with Life’s Issues

First published in 2008 by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore

Are you bogged down by life’s many challenges? Ever wondered what Buddhism says about romantic love, marriage, divorce, homosexuality, premarital sex and abortion?

In this book, Ven. Chodron tackles these and other issues, giving clear and succinct answers to the many challenges we face in modern life, from terrorist attacks, natural disasters and global warming, to dealing with the loss of loved ones from terminal illnesses and suicide.

  • Contents:
    • Romantic Love and Marriage
    • Dharma and the Family
    • Dharma Guidance on World Events
    • Dharma and Terminal Illness
    • Dharma and Suicide
    • Dharma and the Prison: Making Friends with Ourselves

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Đối Mặt Với Các Vấn Đề Trong Cuộc Sống Theo Quan Điểm Phật giáo

Exploring Monastic Life

Published in 2019 by Sravasti Abbey.

The Sravasti Abbey Community created this booklet to provide guidance for those interested in exploring their spiritual aspirations more deeply. It speaks directly to attendees of the Abbey’s annual Exploring Monastic Life (EML) Program, however, anyone who aspires to become a monastic, newly ordained monastics, and laypersons with an interest in understanding more about monastic life will also find this material illuminating and inspiring.

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I Wonder Why

First published in 1988 by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore
Now published by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore

  • Contents:
    • The Essence of Buddhism & The Buddhist Traditions
    • The Buddha
    • Idols & Offerings
    • Prayer & Dedicating Positive Potential
    • Rebirth vs Creation
    • Karma: The Functioning of Cause & Effect
    • Impermanence & Suffering
    • Death
    • Attachment, Detachment & Desire
    • Women & The Dharma
    • Monks, Nuns & Lay Devotees
    • Meditation
    • Steps Along the Path
    • Selflessness
    • Vajrayana

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Bolehkah Aku Bertanya

The Path to Happiness

First published in 1999 by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore

This book is a compilation of Dharma talks given at the Jade Buddha Temple in Houston, Texas on: practical Buddhism in daily life; dealing with anxiety; and Buddhism in modern society.

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eBook available (articles only): Kindle (mobi), iBooks (epub)

Preparing for Ordination

Published by Life as a Western Buddhist Nun

The decision to take monastic ordination is an important one, and to make it wisely, one needs information. In addition, one needs to reflect over a period of time on many diverse aspects of one’s life, habits, aspirations, and expectations. The better prepared one is before ordaining, the easier the transition from lay to monastic life will be, and the more comfortable and joyous one will be as a monastic. This booklet, with articles by Asian and Western monastics, is designed to inform and to spark that reflection in non-Tibetans who are considering monastic ordination in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

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Vorbereitung auf die Ordination

Seven Tips for a Happy Life

Published in 2015 by Awaken Publishing at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore.

  • Contents:
    • Live without hypocrisy
    • Reflect on your motivation
    • Set wise priorities
    • Keep ourselves balanced
    • Befriend yourself
    • It’s not all about me
    • Cultivate a kind heart
    • Conclusion

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Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas

Published by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore

A Buddha is someone who has completely eliminated all defilements from the mind and developed all good qualities limitlessly. Buddhas are sources of all well-being and happiness because they teach us the Dharma and by practising that, we will eliminate all misery and create the causes for all happiness and peace. To accomplish the final goal of the teachings, we have to know what to practise, and thus this book will explain the practice of bodhisattvas. By doing these bodhisattva practices, we will become bodhisattvas, advance on the bodhisattva path, and eventually become fully enlightened Buddhas.

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Transforming Our Daily Activities

First published in 2005 by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore

Spiritual practice need not be separated from the seemingly mundane activities of daily life.

This book teaches you how to lead a more fulfilling life according to the Buddha’s teachings and transform your daily activities into acts of compassion and loving-kindness. You can live and breathe the Dharma even while at work, driving or doing grocery shopping!

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eBook available (articles only): Kindle (mobi), iBooks (epub)

Unlocking Your Potential: How to Get Out of Your Own Way

Published in 2019 by Sravasti Abbey. This book is strictly for free distribution. It is not to be sold.

This booklet is a joint effort of Venerable Thubten Chodron and Mr. Calvin Malone, a civil detainee at the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island in Washington State. It may help inmates and others to bring more awareness to their mental states and behavior, and encourage mental and emotional transformation that would bring them and those around them more happiness and peace in their lives. Since all of us are imprisoned by our ignorance, anger, and craving, all of us — no matter which side of the razor-wire fence we’re on — could benefit from learning about and improving our perspective on life.

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To request a hard copy:

  • Hard copies of the book are generously being published for free distribution only by the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation in Taiwan and should be ready by mid-2019.
  • If your organization works with inmates and you would like to request hard copies of the book in bulk, please write to livestream [dot] sravasti [at] gmail [dot] com.
  • If you are an incarcerated person who would like to request a hard copy of the book, please write to Sravasti Abbey, PO Box 607, Colbert, WA 99005-9998.
  • To request a hard copy for personal use, please write to office [dot] sravasti [at] gmail [dot] com.

Working with Anger

First published in 1990 by Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore
Now published by Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore

Venerable Thubten Chodron discusses anger from a wide perspective and shows us how to acknowledge our anger as well as how to handle it and eventually transform it.

Below are some of the questions that the book discusses.

  • Is anger destructive?
  • Is it good to let our anger out?
  • What can we do when we are angry?
  • How can we avoid anger and cultivate patience?
  • How can we accept criticism without anger arising?
  • Is there an antidote to anger?
  • What are the techniques to help to dissolve our anger?

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البوذية للمبتدئين

Buddhism for Beginners (Arabic)

Translated by Venerable Palden Dhondup

يثور لدى الكثيرون ممن يتعرفون على البوذية لأول مرة -أو حتى هؤلاء من لديهم القليل من الإطلاع عليها- الكثير من الأسئلة. يقدم هذا الكتاب إجابة على الأسئلة الأكثر تكرارًا وشيوعًا حول البوذية. في سبيل تسهيل إجابة تلك الأسئلة قامت المؤلفة بتبسيط المصطلحات المختلفة وعرضها بأبسط طريقة ممكنة.

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Đạo Phật- Một vị Đạo Sư và nhiều truyền thống

Buddhism: One Teacher, Many Traditions (Vietnamese)

Published in 2019 for free distribution by Prajna Upadesa Foundation with permission from Wisdom Publications.

Với niềm tin rằng quyển sách này sẽ cung cấp đến quý độc giả xa gần một cái nhìn tổng thể về lịch sử truyền bá của Đạo Phật. Những lời dạy của Đức Phật và chư vị Tổ sư trong cuốn sách nhỏ này có thể hữu ích cả cho những người mới bắt đầu tìm hiểu Phật giáo cũng như những hành giả đã dày kinh nghiệm tu tập. Nhằm giúp quý Phật tử Việt nam có một cái nhìn đúng với lẽ thật hơn về sự phát triển của Phật giáo trong thế giới ngày nay, và có thể đạt được một sự hiểu biết tận ngọn nguồn những truyền thống Phật giáo từ nhiều nước và văn hóa khác nhau mà chúng ta sẽ gặp trong cuộc sống của thế giới hiện đại.

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לב פתוח, תודעה צלולה

Open Heart, Clear Mind (Hebrew)

Translated by Yael Shalev

מבוא מעשי לבודהיזם המתמקד ביישום הפסיכולוגיה הבודהיסטית בחיים המודרניים.
בסגנון ישיר מלא בחום והומור, טובטן צ’ודרון המכובדת מציגה את הנקודות העיקריות בשיעורי הבודהה לגבי התמרת הגישות אליהן אנו מורגלים, התמודדות עם רגשות עוכרים, ומימוש הפוטנציאל האנושי.

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Тренировка ума: руководство практикующего

Mind Training: A Practitioner’s Guide (Russian)

Translated by Friends of Sravasti Abbey Russia

«Тренировка ума: руководство практикующего» – развернутое руководство по буддийским практикам изменения привычных моделей мышления. Книга содержит подробные комментарии на популярные в тибетской традиции буддизма тексты «37 практик бодхисаттв» и «Восемь строф преобразования мышления»; основанные на «Сутре Сердца» учения по пустотности; рекомендации по применению конкретных противоядий от главных умственных омрачений, строфы памятования о бодхичитте, широкий спектр упражнений на саморефлексию и ключевые аналитические медитации поэтапного пути. Книга окажется полезной как тем, кто только начинает свое знакомство с буддийскими практиками и философией, так и опытным практикующим/

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Hidup Bahagia dalam Perkawinan

Happiness in Marriage (Bahasa Indonesia)

Published by Penerbit Dian Dharma

Hal-hal yang perlu kita lakukan untuk hidup bahagia dalam pernikahan, dan memahami perselingkuhan sebagai penyebab penderitaan.

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Sahabat Sejati

True Friendship (Bahasa Indonesia)

Published by Penerbit Dian Dharma

Teman yang baik, yang memmbimbing kita menjadi lebih baik, merupakan salah satu hal terpenting dalam menjalani kehidupan ini. Buku ini memberikan panduan tentang menjadi teman yang baik untuk Anda dan orang lain.

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Cover of German translation of Teachings and Rites for Sramaneri/as
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Lehren und Riten für Śrāmaṇerīs und für Śrāmaṇeras

Teachings and Rites for Śrāmaṇerī/as (German)

Übersetzung: Buddhistisches Nonnenkloster Shide, Schneverdingen, Deutschland

Entsprechend Buddhas Vinaya dürfen nur buddhistische Ordinierte diesen Text lesen.

  • Inhaltsverzeichnis
    • Bekenntnis und Reue vor dem Rezitieren der Regeln
    • Auszug aus dem Dharmaguptaka des Bhikṣu- und Bhikṣuṇī-Poṣadha
    • Die Regeln und Verhaltensregeln für Śrāmaṇerīs und Śrāmaṇeras
    • Die wesentlichen Vinaya-Teile für das tägliche Leben
    • Riten zum Bestimmen und Aufgeben/Loslassen von Roben