Popular Books

renunciation

Renunciation, or the determination to be free, is the attitude aspiring to be free from all suffering and to attain the liberation that is freedom from cyclic existence.

  1. Home
  2. renunciation

Latest Posts

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

Buddha statue on a pedestal outdoors with a small ceramic white dove in front of him.
37 Practices of Bodhisattvas

Wisdom fear of samsara

A teaching on the reality of cyclic existence and possibility for liberation. Reflecting on our…

View Post
Golden statue of Maitreya bodhisattva.
37 Practices of Bodhisattvas

The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas

Verses on developing the qualities of a bodhisattva by Gyelsay Togmay Zangpo, plus a recording…

View Post
Venerable chodron and other bhikshunis at Posadha ceremony.
Western Buddhist Monastic Gatherings

Renunciation and simplicity

For monastics of all traditions, renouncing worldly materialism and self-centeredness inspires the cultivation of genuine…

View Post
The sun rises in an orange misty sky above trees and mountains.
Wheel of Sharp Weapons Retreat 2004

Wheel of Sharp Weapons: Verses 43-49

Cultivate contentment instead of greed, dampen our pride, subdue our self-centeredness. No external thing can…

View Post
Circles with a path and light in the middle of the circles.
On Cultivating Wisdom

Our circle of suffering

Analogy of struggles in samsara with the experience of a hunted animal. Unlike the animal,…

View Post
Orange streaks in a cloudy sky as the sun sets.
Wheel of Sharp Weapons 2004-06

Wheel of Sharp Weapons: Verses 60-63

A continuation of verses that point out our bad habits and how our self-grasping ignorance…

View Post
Orange streaks in a cloudy sky as the sun sets.
Wheel of Sharp Weapons 2004-06

Wheel of Sharp Weapons: Verses 38-42

A look at the karmic causes of difficulties in our practice or difficulties overcoming the…

View Post
Metal door of a prison.
By Incarcerated People

Surviving in the system

How to bring personal responsibility to a difficult situation.

View Post
A group of nuns from various religions sitting at a table, talking.
Interfaith Dialogue

“Nuns in the West I:” Interviews

Buddhist and Catholic monastics open discussion on various views.

View Post
Inside of a prison cell.
On Attachment

Prison of desire

Finding inner freedom by seeing our shortcomings and working to change oneself.

View Post
How Rebirth Works

Rebirth: Is it really possible?

Examining one of the key concepts in the Buddhist worldview, which is that we are…

View Post
Image from Ascent Magazine – of Brother Wayne Teasdale, Venerable Chodron and Swami Radhananda.
Interfaith Dialogue

Determined to be free

A Buddhist nun, a sanyasi columnist and an urban mystic have an inspiring talk about…

View Post