Students' Insights

Students share how they integrate the Dharma into their daily lives and to face challenging situations.

All Posts in Students' Insights

Bob giving a talk at Sravasti Abbey in front of the Chenrezig Hall altar.
On Taking Illness Onto the Path

Transforming aging and illness into the path

One of Venerable Chodron's long-time students contemplates acceptance and slowing down.

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Statue of angel in front of rising sun with arms reaching out.
Dharma Poetry

The warrior of dawn

The student tries paths of light and of darkness before discovering the middle way.

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Stephen kneeling in front of Venerable Chodron and offeirng a khata.
On Cultivating Virtue

Ethical ways to meet our needs

There are many ways that we can meet our needs in this life. Some are…

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Closeup of the face of a baby.
Dharma Poetry

The human story

Each person's individual journey contains challenges and difficulties that, if met with courage, can cause…

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Man standing on a rock looking at the ocean.
Dharma Poetry

Return to reality: Love and hate

Seemingly contradictory feelings can lead to the same prison, a prison of ignorance.

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Ken Mondale at the Abbey setting up an altar with a fellow practitioner.
On Working with Afflictions

The fixer

There is little we can do to correct injustice in the world if our minds…

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Sword sticking out of ground with pond in background.
Dharma Poetry

Poems of Human and Spirit

When we spend our time and energy moving between extremes, we are unable to step…

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Large truck with Trump bumper sticker.
Students' Insights

Dialoguing with someone who sees things differently ...

A long-time student of Buddhism uses the teachings in a conversation with "the other."

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Abstract of two long, white, narrow shapes against black background.
Dharma Poetry

The great illusion of duality

The extremes of reward and terror are but illusions. In a poem, a student examines…

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Boxes stacked in a room with a wooden floor.
On Refuge and Bodhicitta

There are no enemies

How our Dharma practice can help us with our tendency to classify sentient beings into…

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Elderly man and young child holding hands and smiling.
Dharma Poetry

Kurushimi

Kurushimi means suffering or hardship. By recognizing the suffering of others, we understand their truths…

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Large body of water with mountains in background.
Dharma Poetry

Earth and Water

A student writes about the value of acknowledging our emotions.

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