Purpose of practice

Purpose of practice

A series of teachings given during the Chenrezig Retreat at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center in 2007. Teachings on One Hundred and Eight Verses Praising Great Compassion were also given during this retreat.

Rituals and Dharma practice

  • Rituals are habits not unlike daily routines
  • Buddhist practice is not just meditation
  • Different kinds of meditation for different aspects of mind
  • Ritual practices to train mind
  • Constructive attitudes and positive qualities
  • Three-fold practice: description and explanation
  • Purpose of Dharma practice

Chenrezig Retreat 02 (download)

Questions and answers

  • How would you tell the difference between a bad ritual and being deluded about the purpose of a ritual?
  • What is that status of establishing full ordination for Tibetan nuns?
  • How were you ordained?
  • How long does it take to for novice, intermediate, and full ordination?
  • Did the Buddha teach that there is no gender?
  • Why does there need to be a different procedure for ordination of monks and nuns?
  • What are your thoughts on Western Buddhism?
  • How did you come to believe in rebirth?

Chenrezig Retreat 02: Q&A (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.