social engagement

Teachings on how to respond to contemporary social issues with a compassionate motivation and wisdom.

Latest Posts

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

By Prison Volunteers

Dedication for a meaningful life

This talk is dedicated to the purpose and meaning of the life of Don Wackerly…

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By Prison Volunteers

Karma ripening

Considering the death penalty and the justice system after clemency for a man on death…

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By Prison Volunteers

A death row attorney on her work

An attorney for a man facing execution speaks about the transformative power of the Buddha's…

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A single white turkey on a tree with pink flowers.
Responding to Prejudice

Seeing the kindness of others

Remembering how we rely on other sentient beings for everything we know and everything we…

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A single white turkey on a tree with pink flowers.
Responding to Prejudice

Friend, enemy and stranger

Investigating how people become friends, enemies, and strangers; how the categories depend on our own…

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A single white turkey on a tree with pink flowers.
Responding to Prejudice

Look into your own mind

We should be careful when we want to judge others—especially based on religious views—and look…

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A single white turkey on a tree with pink flowers.
Responding to Prejudice

Hate is not conquered by hate

When we see a fault in others we should turn the mirror on ourselves, and…

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Venerable Chonyi standing by Venerable Chodron in the Abbey mediation hall.
Becoming a Monastic

An interview with a newly ordained monastic

Venerable Thubten Chonyi talks candidly to Awaken magazine of her decision to follow the monastic…

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A man standing in a prison highly grill window.
Prison Dharma

Prison outreach in Mexico

Buddhist principles that are transforming prison outreach are taught to leaders in a Mexican correctional…

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A man sitting on a high chair at a corner of the room, apearing to be in agony and looking at the window
Prison Dharma

Incarcerated people transform adversity into the path

Grant funding enables Sravasti Abbey to teach thought-training to incarcerated people in the United States.

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Group photo of monastics at the 15th annual WBMG.
Western Buddhist Monastic Gatherings

Monastics go green

Monastics of different traditions discussed intersections between Buddhism and environmentalism, and how Dharma practice can…

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