Thubten Chodron

Infobox_Philosopher
region = Tibetan Buddhism
era =
color = #87cefa
name = Venerable Thubten Chödron
death =
birth =
school_tradition = Gelug
main_interests =
influences =
influenced =
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Thubten Chodron is an American Tibetan Buddhist nun and a central figure in reinstating the Bhikshuni (tib. Gelongma) ordination of women. She is a student of H. H. XIVth Dalai Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, Thubten Zopa Rinpoche and other Tibetan masters .

Born in 1950, she grew up near Los Angeles, California, United States and earned her B.A. in History, University of California at Los Angeles in 1971. She took a course with Ven. Lama Yeshe and Ven. Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1975, inspiring her to study and practice Tibetan tradition at their monastery in Nepal. At age 27, she received Sramanerika (novice) ordination in 1977. In 1986, she travelled to Taiwan to receive the full Bhikshuni ordination.

She has studied and practiced Buddhism of the Tibetan tradition extensively, in India and Nepal, and for three years at Dorje Pamo Monastery in France. She has held several significant posts, including Director of the spiritual program at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Italy for two years, Resident Teacher at Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore and nine years as Spiritual Director and Resident Teacher at Dharma Friendship Foundation in Seattle. And she has written numerous articles and books, such as "Open Heart, Clear Mind;" "Buddhism for Beginners;" "Taming the Mind;" "Working with Anger;" and "How to Free Your Mind: Tara the Liberator."

Ven. Chodron is known for her work in re-establishing the Bhikshuni lingeage, cultivating interfaith dialogue, creating Dharma outreach in prisons, and she teaches the Dharma worldwide. Her teaching emphasizes practical application of Buddhist practices in daily life and she is respected for making them easily understood and practiced by Westerners. Ven. Chodron is a co-founder of Life as a Western Buddhist Nun, the international conference of Western Buddhist teachers. She was also a crucial participant in the 1993 and 1994 Western Buddhist teachers conferences with H. H. XIVth Dalai Lama and was instrumental in the creation of the 2007 International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha, where plans for re-establishing Bhikshuni lineage are expected to be finalized.

She is currently Abbess of Sravasti Abbey, a Buddhist monastery near Newport, Washington.

ee also

*Sravasti Abbey
*Ordination of Women in Buddhism

External links

* [http://www.thubtenchodron.org Ven. Thubten Chödron official homepage]
* [http://www.sravastiabbey.org Sravasti Abbey official homepage]
*http://www.tvdf.org/about_chodron.html
*http://www.snowlionpub.com/pages/chodron.php
* [http://ascentmagazine.com/articles.aspx?articleID=52&page=read&subpage=past&issueID=20 "Determined to be Free"] : an interview with ascent magazine.