Conventional and ultimate existence
Venerable Sangye Khadro 
Green Tara Weeklong Retreat 2020 
Jul 6, 2020 A series of teachings by Venerable Sangye Khadro given during the Green Tara Retreat at Sravasti Abbey and offered on-line from July 3 to July 10, 2020. The teachings include talks on the Green Tara Practice and commentary on Chapter 9 of Shantideva's Engaging in the Bodhisattva's Deeds. Venerable Sangye Khadro refers to Root Verses on Chapter 9 with Outline. She also refers to Chapter 9 Commentary by Dragpa Gyaltsen and Supplementary Notes on Shantideva's Ninth Chapter.
- Questions and answers
- How does the first criteria for conventional existence apply to emptiness?
- How could emptiness be known to a conventional consciousness?
- What does it mean to be know by the world?
- Does an arya see ultimate and conventional truths?
- Is there a difference between mind and consciousness?
- How can one deal with a fear to meditate on emptiness?
- Verse 9.2c: The definition of ultimate truth
- Verse 9.2d: The definition of conventional truth
- Verse 9.3: The types of persons who experience the two truths
- Verse 9.4ab: Lower views are refuted by higher views
- Verse 9.4cd: The use of analogies
- Verse 9.5: Ordinary beings and yogis see conventional things differently
Venerable Sangye Khadro
California-born, Venerable Sangye Khadro ordained as a Buddhist nun at Kopan Monastery in 1974 and is a longtime friend and colleague of Abbey founder Venerable Thubten Chodron. She took bhikshuni (full) ordination in 1988. While studying at Nalanda Monastery in France in the 1980s, she helped to start the Dorje Pamo Nunnery, along with Venerable Chodron. Venerable Sangye Khadro has studied with many Buddhist masters including Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey, and Khensur Jampa Tegchok. At her teachers’ request, she began teaching in 1980 and has since taught in countries around the world, occasionally taking time off for personal retreats. She served as resident teacher in Buddha House, Australia, Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, and the FPMT centre in Denmark. From 2008-2015, she followed the Masters Program at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute in Italy. Venerable has authored a number books found here, including the best-selling How to Meditate. She has taught at Sravasti Abbey since 2017 and is now a full-time resident.
