Monastic Life

A treasury of information about the joys and challenges of life as a Buddhist monastic.

All Posts in Monastic Life

Venerable Chodron with eyes closed, holding a microphone.
A Nun's Life

“I had to start being more consistent!”

Buddhist nuns are not born in robes. What happened to Venerable Thubten Chodron such that…

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Venerable Chodron giving a talk Drepung Loseling Monastery.
Monastic Life

Traditions of Buddhism

Common ground underlying the diverse expressions of the Buddha’s teachings.

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Venerable Chodron in meditation with a small group of lay practitioners..
A Nun's Life

Behind the scenes with Venerable Thubten Chodron

A broad discussion about becoming a nun, founding an abbey in North America, and the…

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Living in Community

The purpose of precepts

A talk to the newly ordained about monastic life, a monastic mind, interacting with the…

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Venerable Chodron and Venerable Tenzin Kacho, standing in front of an altar at Vajrapani Institute in Boulder Creek.
Western Buddhist Monastic Gatherings

The four messengers

The signs of aging, sickness, death, and the spiritual seeker deeply moved Prince Siddhartha, and…

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Blossoms of the Dharma

The situation of Western monastics

A statement to His Holiness the Dalai Lama illustrating the difference between Asian and Western…

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Bhikshunis-to-be paying respect to their preceptors.
Full Ordination for Nuns

International full ordination ceremony in Bodh Gaya

A diverse group of monastics from around the world received full ordination, a major step…

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Monastic robes hanging on a clothesline.
Western Buddhist Monastic Gatherings

Colors of the Dharma

Representatives of a variety of monastic traditions discuss student-teacher relationships, practice, training, the Vinaya, monasteries…

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Venerable Chodron smiling.
A Nun's Life

Life as Buddhist nun in the West

The challenges and lessons learned by a Western nun help to understand what it means…

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Venerable Chodron with Venerable Tsedroen and other nuns.
Monastic Life

Relevance of Vinaya in modern circumstances

A description of the Vinaya and the many instructions it contains on daily life, followed…

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Venerable Kechog Palmo sitting on the floor, smiling, looking at Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, also smiling.
Tibetan Tradition

The first Western bhikshuni in the Tibetan tradition

Freda Bedi was the first Western nun in the Tibetan tradition to receive bhikshuni ordination.

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