The middle way view
The middle way view
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Three Principal Aspects of the Path 
Feb 12, 2003 Part of a series of talks on Lama Tsongkhapa’s Three Principal Aspects of the Path given in various locations around the United States from 2002-2007. This talk was given in Boise, Idaho.
How things exist
- Nihilism and absolutism
- Because things are empty therefore they exist
- Because things exist therefore they are empty
- Things are not empty of existence they are empty of inherent existence
- Permanence and impermanence
- Ultimate wisdom
17a Three Principal Aspects of the Path 2003 (download)
Inherent existence and dependent arising
- Merely labeled “I”
- Inherent existence
- Agent, action, and object are dependent on one another
- There can be no compassion if things were inherently existent
- Dependent arising
- The correct view
- The Buddha mind
- Three ways of apprehending things
17b Three Principal Aspects of the Path 2003 (download)
Venerable Thubten Chodron
Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.
