Monastic Life
A treasury of information about the joys and challenges of life as a Buddhist monastic.
All Posts in Monastic Life
Venerable Thubten Chodron Building sangha and community
How our individual practice relates to different levels of spiritual community.
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Brief history of bhiksunis
Venerable Chodron provides a short history of the issues surrounding ordination for women.
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Cutting bonds and going forth
Venerable Thubten Chodron finishes the ordination ceremony text, and concludes this set of teachings with…
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Renouncing worldly life
Advice on severing attachment to this body, loved ones and worldly life so we can…
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Venerable Thubten Chonyi Sravasti Abbey values
The Sravasti Abbey values, which help guide the development of monastic minds at the Abbey.
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Western monastics
How to overcome obstacles to receiving precepts, and the situation of Western monastics in the…
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Taking ethical restraints
The importance of purification before ordination and the actual taking of ethical restraints.
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Guarding integrity and aspiration
How monastics must guard their integrity and aspiration for awakening by developing self-confidence and immunity…
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Venerable Thubten Tarpa Living joyfully together
Venerable Thubten Tarpa teaches on how to live joyfully in community, drawing from her own…
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The banner of the Dharma
A teaching from the ordination ceremony text, focusing on advice from the acharya about practicing…
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Family life
The teaching from the ordination ceremony text continues, focusing on advice concerning how monastic relate…
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Venerable Thubten Jigme Working with expectations
False expectations we may approach ordination with, and the importance of practicing self-compassion to overcome…
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