emptiness

Teachings on the core of Buddhist philosophy: that persons and phenomena are ultimately empty of inherent existence because they are dependent arisings. This is the most powerful antidote that eliminates the ignorance and afflictions that give rise to suffering.

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

The mountains of Glacier National Park.
On Working with Afflictions

A vacation with anger

Realizing that anger is a habit and not an inherently existent part of the self…

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Seven-point Mind Training

Illusion-like appearance

How things and persons appear like illusions; the correct meaning of "illusion-like appearance" and ways…

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Seven-point Mind Training

Serenity and insight

How insight is the union of serenity and the correct view of selflessness: what serenity…

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Seven-point Mind Training

Selflessness of phenomena

An explanation of the lack of an inherently existing "mine," and the selflessness of phenomena.…

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Seven-point Mind Training

An inherently existent self

How to investigate if the self is inherently different from the aggregates and steps in…

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Seven-point Mind Training

The self and the aggregates

Selflessness of persons: how to investigate if the self is inherently one with the aggregates.

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Seven-point Mind Training

Review: Object of negation

A review of the commentary on identifying the object of negation: the reasoning used to…

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Seven-point Mind Training

Establishing selflessness

Three mistaken approaches to determining selflessness and the order for establishing selflessness.

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Seven-point Mind Training

The root of samsara

How things and self are merely imputed by thought and how ignorance is the root…

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Seven-point Mind Training

Review: Teachings on emptiness

A review of the beginning of the section on cultivating ultimate bodhicitta: creating the causes…

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Image of Shakyamuni Buddha
Texts to Recite and Contemplate

Homage to Shakyamuni Buddha

Paying homage to Shakyamuni Buddha before receiving teachings. The chant was recorded by the Sravasti…

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