death

Teachings on death from a Buddhist perspective, including preparing for death, dying peacefully, and helping the dying.

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View all posts in Venerable Thubten Chodron's teaching archive.

Living with Impermanence

Death under the bodhi tree

The unexpected death of a monastic at a holy site stirs thoughts of how self-deprecation…

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A wooden keepsake box.
On Impermanence

A treasured possession

A retreatant shares on how she lost a valued piece of jewelry but gained an…

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Organ donation card.
Helping the Dying and Deceased

Organ donation is a personal decision

Contemplating organ donation? Only you can say if it's right or wrong for you, but…

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Transforming War and Terrorism

Tears on the front lawn

A student shares on the emotional impact of a memorial event for the soldiers killed…

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A bouquet of white lilacs in a mason jar.
Dealing with Grief

A prayer for my mother

The loss of a loved one can be painful. Help soothe the pain with this…

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An empty hospital bed.
On Taking Illness Onto the Path

Journey to the operating room and beyond

A student shares how he used the Dharma to work with fear and pain when…

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A buck standing still, looking toward the camera.
On Love, Compassion, and Bodhicitta

The deer

An incarcerated person reflects on the harm done when an animal is killed, both to…

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A group of nuns standing together under a tree.
Western Monastics

Western Buddhist nuns

What it's like to be a Buddhist nun in the West, the challenges faced and…

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The Eight Dangers

The flood of attachment

Attachment and craving cause us to create non-virtue in this life and also propel us…

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Colorful pattern of a kaleidescope.
Helping the Dying and Deceased

Kaleidescope wheel

When a life ends, where does the person go? Was the person ever there to…

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White Tara Winter Retreat 2010-11

Freedom through imagination

How to imagine the light and nectar flowing from Tara as purifying negative karma, sickness…

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