Blog

Latest Posts

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

A sign with the word : the mindfulness bell written.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

Mindfulness and checking awareness

Going through the day feeling confident we have good ethical conduct and bearing no guilt…

View Post
Wisdom

Avoiding the extreme of nihilism

The danger in misunderstanding emptiness and thinking that getting rid of the labels means we…

View Post
Buddhist monks carrying a bowl to get offerings.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

Livelihood for monastics

Avoiding activities that are naturally negative and activities that will take you away from your…

View Post
Wisdom

Emptiness of causes and their effects

Actions we view as solid events actually exist by being merely labeled on a series…

View Post
Buddha with five monks kneeling in front of him.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

The life of the Buddha

The life of the Buddha in terms of the direction we can go in mind…

View Post
A happy bhikshuni from Bhutan
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

“The Fruits of the Homeless Life”

Monastic context of socializing with family and friends, receiving gifts and donations, appropriate bodily conduct…

View Post
Concentration

Benefits of ethical conduct

How ethical conduct acts as a foundation for developing concentration.

View Post
EML group in sitting position and chanting.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

Taking and holding the precepts

Vows aren't designed to make us miserable, but to make our minds peaceful and happy…

View Post
Two novices studying, one novice writing on the paper of the other novice.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

The benefits of precepts

What is important in our lives? Happiness is getting our lives together to pacify our…

View Post
The 2008 Exploring Monastic Life participants pose in front of the beautiful Medicine Buddha thangka in the Abbey living room.
Exploring Monastic Life 2008

Introducing Exploring Monastic Life 2008

Opening the 2008 Exploring Monastic Life program with an introduction and advice on how to…

View Post
Prison Poetry

Just breathe

Reflections on practice in a difficult environment. Managing how the anger of others affects us.

View Post